Rafael Kichic, PhD

As the Director of the clinic, I receive a high volume of clinical referrals specifically for obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders. More than half of our active patient caseload meets criteria for OCD /BDD, Health Anxiety, or related conditions. Over the course of my 25 years specializing in this field, I have personally treated upwards of 500 patients presenting with OCD and well over 400 individuals with Tic Disorders.

Patients go through an intake evaluation first. We usually offer semi-intensive (twice per week), intensive (two hours per day for a month or as needed) or high intensive treatements (4 hs. per day) for patients with OCD (depends on therapist´s shcedule) and sometimes for BDD too. We follow Dr. Edna Foa´s work and provide exposure and response prevention (EX/RP) in 90-120 minute sessions. Also, we provide sessions to family memers to address family accomodation. For BDD´s we provide cognitive reestructuring, EX/RP and mirror retraining. For those with Tics Disorders, TTM or Skin Picking we provide habit reversal training in a weekly format. Those with eating disorders should be
medically and nutritionally stabilized before starting OCD/BDD treatment. Regarding ADHD, we provide neuropsychological services to assist patients to adhere to the OCD treatment and give gidance to therapists. In autism and OCD we include the family in order to facilitate adherence to treatment and motivate patients to address their obsessional fears. Those with severe depression or comorbid panic disorder and agoraphobia are offered CBT specific for those disorders first so that they are able to get as much benefit as possible from EX/RP treatment.

Following an intake evaluation, we deliver EX/RP for OCD and BDD in 90–120-minute sessions via semi-intensive (twice weekly), intensive (two hours daily), or high-intensive treatment (four hours daily), targeting also family accommodation. BDD care adds cognitive restructuring and mirror retraining. Co-occurring tics, trichotillomania, and skin picking receive weekly habit reversal training. Prior to EX/RP, eating disorders require medical and nutritional stabilization, while severe depression, panic, or agoraphobia receive disorder-specific CBT first. For comorbid ADHD, neuropsychological services guide therapists and bolster adherence; for autism, family integration scaffolds motivation and exposure engagement.

Graduated at Buenos Aires University, obtained Ph.D. at Palermo University. I currently direct an Axiety Clinic and a Master in CBT, Palermo University. I received extensive training in OCD (6months) at the CTSA at Penn, under Dr. Foa´s direction and trianing in CT at CCT, Penn. I attended workshops on BDD/POCD/Tics by Drs. Franklin, Woods, Whilhelm.
I worked at a Tic/OCD Clinic for 6years. I directed the Anxiety Clinic, INECO.
I consulted for a pilot and an efficacy trial evaluating PE in traumatized Hispanics. I´m a certified trainer in PE. I lectured internationally, and served on program/international committees for ABCT/ISTSS/WCBCT.

As I´m from Buenos Aires. Argentina I work with hispanics.