OCD Therapy that Works: Exposure & Response Prevention
If you have repeating thoughts that feel out of place or hard to explain, and find yourself stuck in routines just to feel safe or certain, you’re not alone.
OCD can feel like a constant mental tug-of-war, leaving you confused, exhausted, and even ashamed. You might notice things like:
Needing to check the stove, door lock, or a text message again (and again)
Feeling like something bad will happen if you don’t repeat an action a certain way
Getting fixated on certain thoughts or sensations and not being able to let them go until something feels “right”
Struggling with doubt: What if something terrible happens? What if I hurt someone? What if I’m a bad person?
These experiences are more common than you think.
And they’re treatable.
What OCD Can Look Like
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is often misunderstood. It is more than just being clean, organized, or quirky. It’s a pattern of intrusive, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and the things you feel driven to do (compulsions) to make the anxiety go away.
Here are some common ways OCD might show up:
Intrusive thoughts about harming someone, being contaminated, or needing things to be “just right”
Checking appliances, locks, your memory, your body
Repetitive behaviors, such as cleaning, organizing
Mental rituals like counting, praying, or reviewing conversations
Avoiding people, places, or situations that might trigger anxiety
Seeking reassurance, like asking the same questions over and over or spending hours researching online
At its core, OCD is about feeling like something bad will happen, and doing things (mentally or physically) to try to prevent it. But the relief never lasts and the loop continues.
Even if you know the fear doesn’t make sense, it can still feel very real.
And that can be incredibly distressing.
The Gold-Standard Treatment: ERP
What Is ERP?
Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) is the most effective and researched therapy for OCD. It works by helping you gradually face the thoughts and situations that trigger anxiety without doing the things that OCD tells you you have to do.
That may sound intimidating, but it is collaborative, gentle, and completely tailored to you. We go step by step, at a pace that feels manageable, while helping you build tools to:
Reduce the power of intrusive thoughts
Feel less anxious and more confident
Break free from rituals, reassurance-seeking, or avoidance
Live your life more fully—without OCD calling the shots
What to Expect
We’ll start by getting really clear on how OCD shows up for you: your thoughts, your urges, your rituals.
Together, we’ll create a plan with clear, doable steps
You’ll learn how to gently challenge OCD’s demands, with support every step of the way
Over time, you’ll see that you can handle uncertainty, fear, and doubt and that you don’t have to obey OCD’s rules
ERP is active and focused on real change.
Sessions may include in-the-moment coaching, daily life strategies, and both in-session and between-session practices (that's realistic and designed for success).
How ERP Helps
OCD thrives on fear and avoidance. When we stop doing the things that temporarily reduce anxiety, like checking or avoiding, we create space for new learning:
That nothing terrible happens.
That you’re stronger than OCD wants you to believe.
That thoughts are just thoughts.
You’ll come to see OCD as something separate from you, not something that defines you.
The result? More freedom. Less fear. And more space for the life you want to live.
If you’ve been stuck in loops of anxiety and doubt, and nothing seems to help, ERP could be your way out of these exhausting cycles.