Biography
Dr. John D. Otis is a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in health psychology, with a focus on chronic pain management, anxiety disorders, and comorbid conditions such as PTSD and substance use disorders. He is a Clinical Pain Psychologist in the Spinal Cord Injury Service at the VA Boston Healthcare System. Concurrently, he holds appointments at Boston University as a Research Associate Professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences and Director of the Behavioral Medicine Program at the Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders (CARD).
With over 25 years of experience, Dr. Otis has published numerous scholarly articles and book chapters about pain throughout the lifespan, with a focus on the development of innovative approaches to pain management tailored to specialized patient populations including veterans and individuals with complex medical comorbidities. His federally funded research, supported by grants from the VA, NIH, and other agencies, focuses on cognitive-behavioral approaches to chronic pain, genetic and psychosocial risk factors for post-amputation pain, and integrated treatments addressing pain alongside unhealthy alcohol use and other co-occurring conditions such as posttraumatic stress disorder.
Dr. Otis has been recognized for excellence in teaching and mentorship, receiving the 2016 Stanley L. Robbins Award for Excellence in Teaching and the Challenger Award from Boston University. He continues to advance evidence-based behavioral medicine and psychological pain management for both veteran and civilian populations through clinical practice, research, supervision, and education.