Exposure Response Prevention (ERP) for OCD
OCD can make it difficult to feel in control of your life. Wise Mind Counseling provides ERP for adults experiencing OCD in Green Bay, Door County, and throughout Wisconsin via telehealth.
How ERP Can Help
ERP helps you change the cycle that keeps OCD going. Unwanted thoughts, fears, doubts, and compulsive behaviors can take up significant time and energy and interfere with the things that matter most. Instead of trying to eliminate unwanted thoughts or make anxiety go away, you learn to respond differently when OCD shows up. In ERP, you’ll learn how to allow discomfort without urgently resolving it with compulsions. The goal is to help you live your life without OCD running it.
How ERP Works
You and your therapist work together to identify situations, thoughts, or feelings that trigger OCD. You will gradually practice approaching them (exposure) without relying on compulsions, avoidance, reassurance, or other behaviors used to feel safe (response prevention). Over time, you can build confidence in your ability to experience uncertainty and discomfort without relying on compulsions.
ERP can be used to treat many forms of OCD, including:
- Contamination fears and excessive washing or cleaning
- Harm-related fears
- Intrusive or unwanted thoughts
- Relationship OCD
- Religious or moral scrupulosity
- Checking and reassurance seeking
- “Just right” or symmetry concerns
- Sexual or identity-related intrusive thoughts
- Health-related fears
- Mental compulsions, rumination, and repeated analysis
- Fear of making a mistake or being responsible for harm
You don’t have to be comfortable with your thoughts for treatment to work. ERP can help you learn to respond differently to unwanted thoughts and uncertainty without allowing OCD to control your choices.
Common Questions about ERP for OCD
Is ERP too difficult: ERP can be challenging at first. You are facing fears and going against old patterns, which can temporarily increase anxiety. The goal of ERP is not to eliminate unwanted emotions, but to help you learn that you can experience anxiety, uncertainty, and discomfort while continuing to live a meaningful life. ERP is a highly effective treatment for OCD when practiced consistently and with appropriate guidance.
Do I have to face my worst fear right away: Not always. ERP can be introduced gradually, allowing you to build confidence as you practice facing situations that trigger anxiety. In some cases, people may choose to begin with a more challenging fear, but there is no single right way to approach ERP. You and your therapist will work together to identify exposures that are challenging enough to promote progress while still being manageable.
What is an example of ERP: In a nutshell, approach what OCD tells you to avoid while reducing or removing compulsions and allowing the uncertainty about the outcome.
Example: Harm OCD
1. Identify fear:
Someone has an intrusive fear that they might accidentally hurt someone while driving.
2. Identify compulsions:
Repeatedly check, avoid driving, or ask others for reassurance.
3. Identify overall feared consequence:
Harm to others
4. Practice the Exposure:
An ERP exercise might involve driving, without repeatedly checking or seeking reassurance, and while allowing anxiety and uncertainty to be present (“Maybe I could make a mistake. I don’t need to get 100% certainty before I continue driving.”)
ERP Therapist in Green Bay
Green Bay Location:
321 Saint George Street
Green Bay, WI, 54302
Door County Location:
217 N 4th Avenue
Sturgeon Bay, WI 54235
Exposure Response Prevention Resources
Anxiety and Depression Association of America
International OCD Foundation
NOCD