Nathaniel Van Kirk, PhD

Nathaniel Van Kirk, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist, specializing in severe anxiety disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), and trauma/PTSD. At McLean Hospital, Dr. Van Kirk is the director of psychological services at the OCD Institute. He is a member of the hospital’s Patient and Family Advisory Committee and Interdisciplinary Recovery Oriented Practice Committee, and also serves as the site facilitator for McLean’s Schwartz Rounds Committee.

Dr. Van Kirk’s clinical research focuses on the role of motivation across treatment and the impact of trauma on treatment outcomes, and on promoting innovative methods to assess and conceptualize recovery. Additionally, he is involved in efforts to reduce mental health stigma (such as participating in McLean Hospital’s Deconstructing Stigma campaign), emphasizing the importance of bridging the gap between therapists, researchers, and those with mental health challenges, including individuals who work in the mental health field.