Patient Experiences Related Content

The road to success is often neither short nor smooth. Kayla Harrison of Danvers, Massachusetts, is a two-time Olympic gold medalist and the first American to win gold in judo. But she has not always been joyful and confident, as she was when she delivered the commencement address at McLean Hospital...

The following story features Luanne Rice , a 60-year-old novelist and participant in our Deconstructing Stigma: A Change in Thought Can Change a Life mental health public awareness campaign. “My throat hurt. I was holding back tears and words.” For Luanne, writing is therapeutic. She creates...

At 22, Robin did the hardest thing she had ever done in her life: she confronted her fears. Her fear of God, her fear of unintentionally causing others harm, and her fear of germs—all caused by obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)—had robbed her of her teen years and she wasn’t going to let the...

By 5pm, Kathy Stafford’s busy day with the kids was winding down and she would reach for a glass of wine. But as time went on, one glass in the early evening wasn’t enough. “I found myself wanting and having a glass of wine well before 5pm,” says the mother of two whose battle with alcohol lasted...

Her son’s last stay at McLean was a turning point: Barb Chandler credits the hospital with helping him get his life back on track. So when she saw a flyer looking for new members to join the hospital’s Patient and Family Advisory Council , Chandler was intrigued. “I thought if a major hospital like...

Katie Wilson is a former patient at McLean’s OCD Institute. I am six months pregnant and I am sleeping on a small patch of the living room floor, because every bed, sofa, or other surface in my home feels contaminated to me. Not safe. I am a trained and registered nurse, with a fear of blood that...

Adira Weixlmann is a former patient at McLean’s OCD Institute (OCDI) Life transitions can be an intense combination of positive and negative. Change creates great excitement and hope for the future, but can also be riddled with intense anxiety and worry about the unknown. As an OCD (obsessive...

Betsy Wilgis is clear about why she has donated to McLean every year since 1999 and written a bequest to the hospital into her will. “They saved my life.” Mrs. Wilgis, a personal finance and health care manager from Baltimore, had been struggling with treatment-resistant depression when her medical...

Each year, McLean Hospital serves more than 950 patients in its specialty psychiatric and substance abuse residential treatment programs. Of those patients, 70% travel from outside of Massachusetts to come to McLean, with many coming from outside of the United States. “Each one of our residential...

Hollywood loves a good medical drama, but for Ethan S. Smith, a successful actor, writer and director, the anguish he experienced due to obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) was all too real. Although Smith now successfully manages his OCD, it was just a few years ago that he was in the depths of...

“Okay, Lisa. Go.” That’s Carol Hevia, a behavioral therapist at the OCDI, talking to me in my head, as if I was sitting in her Intrusive Thoughts group. Once again, she’s telling me it’s time to spill my guts. When I was a resident at the Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Institute (OCDI) one year ago...

Rachel is a former patient at the OCD Institute. I’m obsessed with “The Real Housewives” and “The Rachel Zoe Project.” And I love to sew. I’ll sit down on a Saturday morning, coffee in hand, and watch a few episodes in a row, sewing by hand or speeding fabric through my machine. Either of these...

Jeffery Lindeland is a two-sport athlete for Belmont High School who successfully fundraises on behalf of his teams and is reaching academic goals in a grade-level math class. Five years ago, his mother, Joy Anne Moses, did not know any of these things were possible. Diagnosed with a cognitive and...

Ethan Smith is a former patient of McLean’s OCD Institute . We all have our stories of pain and triumph, and while they may completely differ in symptom and severity, we all share a common bond: obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). While it can be a motivating factor to know there are individuals...

The philanthropy of the Simches family spans generations; the beneficiaries include a host of programs, organizations, and initiatives throughout Massachusetts and Israel. “Our family has always had a commitment to philanthropy,” said Nancy Simches. “The spirit of giving back, whether through...

Chief of the Division of Alcohol, Drugs, and Addiction, Roger D. Weiss, MD , has long been a leader in the field of substance addiction treatment, research, and education. It was no surprise when he was tapped by the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) to lead the first large-scale study to...