OCD, Trauma, or Both? Understanding the Overlap

Is it trauma? Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)? Or both? Can trauma trigger OCD? Can OCD feel like trauma?

In this episode, Dr. Nathaniel Van Kirk, a ADAA member and leading clinical psychologist and trauma expert, joins Gabe Howard to unpack the complex relationship between trauma and OCD. While both terms are widely used, few understand how deeply they can intertwine — or how often they’re misunderstood.

Dr. Van Kirk explains why a traumatic event might trigger OCD in some people, how OCD symptoms can mimic trauma responses, and why compulsions often become misguided tools for managing fear. He also dives into the surprising statistic that up to 90% of people experience a traumatic event, and explores how our brains are hardwired to both break down and heal.

Nathaniel Van Kirk, PhD

Nathaniel Van Kirk, PhD is a licensed clinical psychologist, specializing in the conceptualization and treatment of severe anxiety disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), and trauma/PTSD. Currently, Dr. Van Kirk serves as the Coordinator of Inpatient Group Therapy for McLean Hospital/Harvard Medical School as well as the Coordinator of Clinical Assessment at McLean Hospital’s OCD Institute (OCDI). He received his doctoral degree in clinical psychology from Virginia Tech. Prior to accepting a post-doctoral fellowship at the OCDI in 2015, he completed his pre-doctoral internship at the Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center, where he received training in severe mental illness, PTSD/Trauma, and substance use disorders.

Following fellowship, Dr. Van Kirk served as the Administrative Director of Research in the Office of Clinical Assessment and Research (OCAR) at McLean Hospital’s OCD Institute. His clinical research specialty focuses on the role of motivation across treatment and the impact of trauma on treatment outcome, along with promoting innovative methods to assess/conceptualize recovery. Additionally, he is involved in regional and national efforts to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health (including participating in McLean Hospital’s Deconstructing Stigma Campaign), focusing on the importance of bridging the gap between therapists, researchers and those with mental health challenges. Building on his own experiences battling OCD, he co-founded the Therapists and Trainees with OCD Special Interest Group, supporting those with OCD and related diagnoses who work in the mental health field. Dr. Van Kirk also continues this work as a member of McLean Hospital’s Patient and Family Advisory Committee (PFAC) and Interdisciplinary Recovery Oriented Practice Committee (IROP), along with serving as the site facilitator for McLean’s Schwartz Rounds.

McLean Hospital/Harvard Medical School