Individuals with OCD whose lives have been hijacked by intrusive thoughts and compulsions – and the families watching helplessly as their loved ones disappear behind anxiety-driven rituals – can need more than generic anxiety treatment to break free from what Dr. McGrath calls “the most selfish disorder in the world.” Patrick McGrath has dedicated over 20 years to mastering Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) therapy, becoming one of the world’s leading OCD specialists and helping thousands of clients reclaim their lives through evidence-based treatment that works.
As Chief Clinical Officer for NOCD, the world’s leading provider of virtual OCD therapy, and Lead Psychologist at Ascension Illinois Alexian Brothers Behavioral Health Hospital, Dr. McGrath brings unparalleled expertise in treating the full spectrum of OCD presentations. His Fellowship with the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, membership on the Scientific and Clinical Advisory Boards of the International OCD Foundation, and role as Past President of OCD Midwest demonstrate his leadership in advancing OCD treatment. His books Don’t Try Harder, Try Different (recipient of the Self Help Award of Merit from ABCT) and The OCD Answer Book have become essential resources for both practitioners and families navigating OCD recovery.
Dr. McGrath’s expertise spans Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, OCD-related disorders, Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) therapy, anxiety disorders, school refusal, Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors (BFRBs), and what he describes as helping families “get their loved ones back” from OCD. His approach recognises that effective OCD treatment requires specialised knowledge – generic CBT techniques can fail with OCD because they don’t address the unique ways OCD hijacks normal thinking patterns. He specialises in severe and treatment-resistant OCD cases, helping clients who have struggled for years without success, and training other clinicians to deliver high-quality ERP therapy.
What sets his training apart is specialised expertise combined with compassionate understanding. McGrath doesn’t just teach ERP techniques – he shows practitioners how to understand the specific ways OCD operates differently from other anxiety disorders and why standard anxiety treatments can make OCD worse. His journey from “neighborhood therapist” (helping friends’ problems via phone in college) to world-renowned specialist reflects his deep personal commitment to this work.
For your practice, expect to gain specific ERP protocols for different OCD presentations, tools for working with families affected by OCD, and frameworks for distinguishing OCD from other anxiety disorders. His approach particularly benefits clinicians wanting to develop OCD specialisation, those working with treatment-resistant anxiety cases, or practitioners seeking to understand why traditional CBT approaches fail with OCD clients.
Quick Win: McGrath’s “OCD vs. Anxiety distinction” framework helps practitioners identify when intrusive thoughts indicate OCD rather than generalised anxiety – potentially preventing months of ineffective treatment and enabling targeted ERP interventions that can create sustained improvement.
Qualifications
- Ph.D., Clinical Psychology, Northern Illinois University
- M.A., Clinical Psychology, Mississippi State University
- B.A., Psychology, University of Illinois
- Postdoctoral Fellowship, St. Louis Behavioral Medicine Institute, Saint Louis University, 1999–2001 (Mentor: Dr. C. Alec Pollard)
- Licensed Clinical Psychologist: Michigan, Illinois, Missouri
- Over 20 years OCD treatment experience
Authored Books
- Don’t Try Harder, Try Different (stress management workbook, winner of the ABCT Self Help Book Merit Award)
- The OCD Answer Book (comprehensive OCD resource guide)
- Over 15 publications in peer-reviewed articles and professional publications
Professional Experience
- Lead Psychologist, Ascension Illinois Alexian Brothers Behavioral Health Hospital
- Assistant Vice President of Residential Services, AMITA Health Behavioral Medicine Institute
- Executive Director, Foglia Family Foundation Residential Treatment Center
- Clinical Director, Center for Anxiety and OCD, AMITA Health
- Clinical Director, School Anxiety/School Refusal Programs, AMITA Health
Training & Speaking
- Over 900+ talks and conference presentations throughout career
- International trainer for CBT, ERP, and Anxiety Disorders in USA, Australia, Turkey, and Italy
- Featured on Discovery Health Channel’s documentary “Panic”
- Featured on three episodes of “Hoarding: Buried Alive” (TLC)
- Featured on National Public Radio and PBS
- Radio and TV appearances across the country
Clinical Specialties
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and OCD-related disorders
- Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) therapy
- Treatment-resistant OCD and severe presentations
- School refusal and school anxiety disorders
- Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors (BFRBs)
- Anxiety disorders, PTSD, and traumatic stress responses
- Co-occurring disorders (anxiety and addiction)
- Intensive treatment programs (partial hospital, residential)
Ready to become an effective OCD specialist and help clients break free from the tyranny of intrusive thoughts and compulsions? Discover how Dr. McGrath’s specialised ERP methods can transform your understanding of OCD treatment and give you the specific tools needed to help clients reclaim their lives from this “most selfish disorder.”