Professor David Veale

FRCPsych, FBPsS, Hon FBABCP, MPhil, BSc, MD

I am a Consultant Psychiatrist in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy at the South London and Maudsley NHS Trust and Nightingale Hospital London in Marylebone. I am a Visiting Professor at the Department of Psychology, King’s College London.

I am associated with the Overcoming OCD practice, which specialises in cognitive behaviour therapy for OCD and related disorders.

I specialise in obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), health anxiety and a specific phobia of vomiting (emetophobia). I am also interested in the rapid treatment of depression using Wake and Light Therapy and nutritional psychiatry including the gut microbiota.

I see private out patients remotely over video or face to face either at the Nightingale Hospital in Marylebone or in my rooms in Muswell Hill, North London. There is a wait list for routine assessments. If you wish to book an appointment with me please contact my PA Natalie on 020 3137 9911 or use this form. Details of obtaining a private assessment are here.

The Nightingale Hospital

I am a Consultant Psychiatrist at the Nightingale Hospital where I see private patients.

The quickest way of booking into the next available appointment, is to phone my secretary, Natalie on 020 3137 9911. You can also email her using this form.

The South London and Maudsley NHS Trust

I am a Consultant Psychiatrist in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy at the Centre for Anxiety Disorders and Trauma (CADAT) at the Maudsley Hospital and at the Anxiety Disorders Residential Unit (ADRU) at the Bethlem Royal Hospital (pictured). Both units are part of the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. Our team provides a specialist service for adults with anxiety disorders and trauma. Details of obtaining an NHS appointment with a member of my team are here. ADRU can also admit private patients.

Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neursocience, KCL

I am a Visiting Professor in the Department of Psychology at the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, where I teach and conduct research.

Research

A selected list of publications is here.

Teaching

I provide teaching workshops on OCD, body dysmorphic disorder, single case experimental designs, death anxiety and emetophobia.

Books

I have co-authored several self-help books, book chapters and a treatment manual. Details of my books are listed here.

BDD Foundation

Patron

I am proud to be a patron and ex-trustee of the BDD Foundation, a charity for individuals of Body Dysmorphic Disorder and their carers. It aims to educate and reduce suffering from BDD and to raise vitally needed funding for research.

You can read more about BDD here.

OCD Action

Past Trustee

I was one of the founders of OCD Action in 1993. I am a past Chair and trustee. This charity aims to reduce suffering for those with obsessive compulsive disorder and to provide valuable information and support.

Emetophobia Action

Trustee

I was one of the founders of Emetophobia Action in 2020 and continue to be trustee of the charity. The focus of this charity is on those suffering from a specific phobia of vomiting so that the condition and how to treat it become better understood.

Friends of the Anxiety Disorders Residential Unit (FADRU)

Trustee

I was a founder of the charity in 2019 and continue to be a trustee of the Friends of The Anxiety Disorders Residential Unit. This is dedicated to improving the experience of residents at the unit. We had a grant from Lottery Fund to set up an allotment to grow our own food and to open a popup restaurant, GUTS, run by the residents.

The British Association for Behavioural & Cognitive Psychotherapies

Honorary Fellow

The BABCP is the lead organisation for CBT. I was made an Honorary Fellow of the BABCP in 2016. I was President of the BABCP from 2006-2008 and Hon. Treasurer from 1996-1999. I remain as Chair of the Research Fund sub-committee and Fellowship sub-committee. I was previously accredited by the BABCP as a cognitive behaviour therapist.

NICE Guidelines for OCD and BDD

I was a member of the NICE Guideline development group for the treatment of OCD and BDD in 2006. The guidelines can be downloaded here. I was Chair of The NICE Evidence Update for OCD in 2013, which can be downloaded here.

World Health Organisation ICD-11

I was a member of the group that revised the diagnostic guidelines for ICD-11 for Obsessive Compulsive and Related Disorders for the World Health Organisation. Sadly, our Chair, Professor Dan Stein died in 2025.

British Psychological Society

Fellow

Royal College of Psychiatrists

Fellow

I am a Fellow of the British Psychological Society and a Fellow of the Royal College of Psychiatrists. Very few psychiatrists have achieved a Fellowship in both psychiatry and psychology.

Editorial Board of Journals

I am a member of the Editorial Board for the journals Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy; The Cognitive Behaviour Therapist. I am a past member of the Editorial Board of Behaviour Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry and the Journal of Obsessive Compulsive and Related Disorders. I am a past Associate Editor and Editorial Board member of Body Image.

Centre for Environmental Therapeutics

I am on the Board of Advisors for the Centre of Environmental Therapeutics.

This charity is dedicated to promoting effective treatments that utilize natural elements including light and air for conditions such as depression, mania and insomnia.

Bedlam

I play baritone and tenor sax with my 15 piece band Bedlam. Our next gig is at the Water Rats on on Friday 13th November 2026. I will provide a link to buy tickets later this year.