OCD Research and Treatment at the Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre is home to the country’s first and only residential treatment program for obsessive-compulsive disorder. As a national leader in mental health care and research, Sunnybrook—along with its Frederick W. Thompson Anxiety Disorders Centre—provides a full spectrum of evidence-based services for individuals living with OCD and related conditions.
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
Sunnybrook, based in Toronto, Ontario, is one of Canada’s foremost academic health sciences centres, affiliated with the University of Toronto. Through its Hurvitz Brain Sciences Program, Sunnybrook integrates clinical care, research, and education to address complex mental health conditions, including obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
Its Department of Psychiatry offers a full spectrum of inpatient and outpatient services, with specialized programs for anxiety, depression, and OCD-related disorders. All care is rooted in evidence-based practices and supported by leading-edge research, reinforcing Sunnybrook’s national role in advancing the treatment of OCD and improving outcomes for individuals across Canada.
Sunnybrook | Frederick W. Thompson Anxiety Disorders Centre
Part of the Hurvitz Brain Sciences Program, the Frederick W. Thompson Anxiety Disorders Centre is the only facility in Canada fully dedicated to the treatment, education, and research of obsessive-compulsive and related disorders. Established in 2013, the Centre offers a continuum of care—from outpatient consultations and group therapy to day programs and residential treatment for severe OCD.
The Thompson Centre specializes in cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), exposure and response prevention (ERP), and mindfulness-based approaches. It also supports care for conditions such as hoarding disorder, body dysmorphic disorder, trichotillomania, and skin-picking disorder.
In addition to clinical care, the Centre plays a national role in training healthcare providers and advancing research in areas like pharmacogenetics and neuromodulation, helping to shape the future of OCD treatment in Canada.
Continuum of Services
At Sunnybrook’s Frederick W. Thompson Anxiety Disorders Centre, care doesn’t end after a single program—it’s a full journey of recovery. The Centre offers a seamless continuum of services designed to support individuals at every stage of treatment and healing.
- Outpatient: Consultations and group programs including CBT, MBCT, and targeted supports for hoarding, BFRB, and body dysmorphic disorder
- Live-in and Day Treatment: Intensive services for individuals with severe OCD and complex comorbidities
- Intensive Outpatient: Step-down transitional care for continued support after intensive programming
- Aftercare: Long-term group-based recovery programs focused on maintenance and wellness
A Nationally Recognized Model of Care
From first contact to long-term aftercare, Sunnybrook offers a full spectrum of OCD services:
- Residential and Day Programs for severe and complex cases
- Expert psychiatric and psychological care
- Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) therapy
- Mindfulness-based interventions
- Innovative research in pharmacogenetics, rTMS, and focused ultrasound
Also supporting the next generation: Over 200 clinical learners trained annually.
A Permanent Home for the Thompson Centre
Support the Future of OCD Care in Canada
Paving the Way for the Future
Canada’s Only Residential Treatment Centre for OCD Is Expanding — We Need Your Help
The Frederick W. Thompson Anxiety Disorders Centre at Sunnybrook is home to Canada’s first and only dedicated residential treatment program for severe OCD and related conditions. As demand continues to grow, the Centre is preparing to expand its permanent facilities — and your support is vital.
With advocacy efforts, we can spark meaningful conversations about developing pilot projects for intensive treatment across the country, particularly in Western Canada, where we hope to see these initiatives take shape.
Why This Matters
Across Canada, people with OCD face a critical shortage of accessible, effective care.
- 70% of individuals go undiagnosed
- Only a fraction access gold-standard CBT
- Most psychiatrists don’t prescribe effective dosages
Sunnybrook is changing that narrative with a research-backed, life-saving model that has become a national example — one that could inspire new programs and partnerships across the country.
Location: Sunnybrook’s Bayview Campus, Toronto
Treatment Model: Residential, Day Treatment, and Step-down Care
The Thompson Centre’s Proven Impact
Through its evidence-based residential program, the Thompson Centre has already seen:
- 45% average reduction in OCD symptoms
- 38% improvement in quality of life
- Doubled program size thanks to government support
- Wait times cut in half — now between 10–12 months
But the demand still far exceeds current capacity. Expanding the Centre means more Canadians can access life-saving care, sooner.
How You Can Help
We invite donors, foundations, and organizations to be part of a pivotal movement in Canadian mental health care. Your contributions will not only help expand the Centre’s capacity, but they will also help raise national awareness, support pilot initiatives in underserved regions, and spark long-overdue collaboration to bring intensive OCD care to more Canadians.
Spotlight on Dr. Peggy M.A. Richter
Dr. Peggy M.A. Richter, MD, FRCP(C) is an internationally recognized expert in obsessive-compulsive disorder. As head of the Thompson Centre and director of the OCD Clinic at Sunnybrook, she has led the development of Canada’s only residential treatment program for severe OCD.
A Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto, her work focuses on the biological foundations of OCD and advancing new treatment approaches. Dr. Richter also collaborates with Connect 4 OCD to help raise awareness and expand access to evidence-based care across Canada.
Peggy M.A. Richter, MD, FRCP(C)
Head, Frederick W. Thompson Anxiety Disorders Centre
Director, Clinic for OCD & Related Disorders
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
Professor of Psychiatry
University of Toronto
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