About our Work

The Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) outpatient unit is a specialized treatment center at the Department of Psychology at the University of Muenster.
It was officially opened in February 2014 and provides evidence-based diagnostics and comprehensive psychotherapy for individuals suffering from BDD.

The methods used in our program include state-of-the art cognitive-behavioral therapy based on the treatment approach by Wilhelm, Phillipps and Steketee (2013).

Another major goal of our outpatient unit is psychotherapy research. Specifically, we investigate the effectiveness and underlying mechanisms of BDD therapy in order to further develop and optimize effective treatment interventions. In addition, we also conduct studies on the causes and maintaining factors of BDD.

The work of our outpatient unit is based on a long-standing cooperation and scientific exchange between Prof. Dr. Ulrike Buhlmann and Prof. Dr. Sabine Wilhelm, director of the Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders Program at Massachusetts General Hospital / Harvard Medical School.

You will find general information about BDD and therapeutic treatments as well as directions on how to contact us on the following pages.

Current Research

Please see the German version of this page for information about our current studies (here).