Dr. Elizabeth McIngvale was diagnosed with OCD at age 12 and underwent inpatient treatment for her OCD at age 15. She has learned to manage her symptoms through evidence-based treatment and has now become a nationally known advocate and speaker on OCD and is an OCD specialist, directing the McLean OCD Program in Houston. Join us for this talk as Elizabeth shares her journey and path from patient to provider.

Dr. McIngvale’s is the Director of the McLean OCD Institute at Houston, a Harvard Medical School affiliate, where she maintains an active clinical, research and leadership role. Her clinical interests focus on OCD, anxiety disorders, mental health stigma and access to mental health care. She is the founder of the Peace of Mind Foundation, a non-profit foundation dedicated to OCD. Dr. McIngvale operates ocdchallenge.org, a free self-help website for OCD which is live in 6 languages and serves nearly 4,000 individuals. She was the first ever national spokesperson for the International Obsessive Compulsive Foundation and now serves on their board of directors.

She received her bachelors and master’s degrees in social work from Loyola University Chicago, her Ph.D. in social work at the University of Houston and is currently pursuing her MBA from Kellogg’s School of Business Management at Northwestern University. Dr. McIngvale engages in advocacy, clinical work, research and teaching related to OCD and anxiety disorders. She is a renowned speaker on both the local and national level speaking on behalf of OCD, mental illness and mental health stigma.

Dr. McIngvale has received numerous awards for her advocacy and impact on the mental health field and currently serves as a director on five boards. She is internationally known and recognized for her clinical work and advancements in the OCD field. Dr. McIngvale is dedicated to giving a voice to the voiceless and is grateful for a career which allows her to improve the lives of those living with a mental illness every day.