The Center for OCD and Related Disorders (CORD) at the Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School is located in Boston, Massachusetts. Founded in 1980 by Michael Jenike, M.D., our program is one of the oldest and largest psychiatric specialty clinics in the world. Since 2007, the program has been under the leadership of Sabine Wilhelm, Ph.D., Chief of Psychology at Mass General, Professor at Harvard Medical School, and an internationally known researcher in OCD and related disorders. Our distinguished team includes psychiatrists, psychologists, post-doctoral psychology fellows, pre-doctoral psychology interns, program managers, clinical research coordinators, biostatisticians, and intake coordinators.
Our multidisciplinary program integrates genetics, neuroscience, neurophysiology, technology, and clinical research to understand, assess, and treat OCD and related disorders. Our program is set up to deliver excellent evidence-based treatment and conduct cutting-edge research on:
- the causes of OCD and related disorders
- how effectively CBT can be delivered in the “real-world”
- how and for whom do treatments for OCD and related disorders work
- whether novel treatments might be used to treat OCD and related disorders
We provide state-of-the-art outpatient care, including cognitive-behavioral therapy (i.e., exposure and response prevention and cognitive therapy), medication, transcranial magnetic stimulation, deep brain stimulation, and neurosurgery. We also provide one-time consultations, evaluations, and follow-up care. Treatment delivered in the context of research studies is provided at no cost to the patients.
Aligned with our training/education mission, we are dedicated to enhancing access to care through clinician training and new, technology-based treatments that offer a low-barrier, high-quality treatment option.
Our research portfolio ranges from novel treatment interventions, state-of-the-art technology-based assessment and treatment, neural correlates of behavior therapy, to genetic and cognitive processes underlying OCD and related disorders.
Mission Statement
Our mission is to improve the lives of people suffering from OCD and related disorders, while promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in all aspects of our work. Through excellence in patient care, research, and training/education, we aim to achieve remission and recovery for individuals with OCD and related disorders, and to embrace individuals’ diversity in race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, ability, and socio-economic background.
In line with our mission, our clinical research program provides comprehensive evaluation and evidence-based treatment for patients, collaborates directly with those with lived experience to learn from their perspectives, offers guidance and support for loved ones, and conducts cutting-edge research to advance our knowledge of the causes, consequences, and treatments of these disorders. We are also dedicated to educating mental health professionals and trainees, families, and the general public about OCD and related disorders, to improve access and quality of care for all individuals who suffer from these conditions.
By prioritizing diversity, equity, and inclusion, we aim to create a welcoming and equitable environment for all of our patients and program staff members, and we are committed to using our expertise to address issues of social justice and equality in the field of mental health.
