About David and Michaela Culkin

David Culkin, Ph.D., is a professional adult educator currently serving as a qualitative methodologist in graduate degree programs for the U.S. Army University in Kansas serving primarily mid-career military officers. He earned his doctorate in Adult Education from Kansas State University, and his autoethnographic dissertation addressed his identity development as a person living with OCD. He has been married to the love of his life for over 27 years. His research interests include narrative learning, identity development, and poetic inquiry.

Michaela Culkin, PhD, is a professional educator who works as an administrator in the advancement office at St. Benedict’s Abbey in Kansas. For over 20 years, she has served as a teacher, mentor, and principal at schools across the country. She earned her doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Kansas. She and David co-authored OCD and Marriage (2021) to fill a significant gap in OCD literature. Her passions lay in teaching, helping others, and serving her brother monks.

Topic Covered by David and Michaela

OCD & Marriage

The purpose of this presentation panel is to tell our story of living with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) in the hope that it will resonate with other families coping with the disorder—that they are not alone. Being diagnosed with OCD is a relatively easy step compared to living with it as part of a marriage. While there is a good amount of information available regarding specific clinical aspects of OCD and related disorders, fewer sources address the personal and relational challenges we have faced as a couple for more than 25 years.

• You are not alone
• It's OK to seek help
• Work to trust each other

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