About OCD & ERP

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Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a mental health disorder that affects people of all ages and walks of life, and occurs when a person gets caught in a cycle of obsessions and compulsions.

Obsessions are unwanted thoughts, images, or urges that may be extreme or disturbing. The obsessions are accompanied by uncomfortable feelings such as fear, disgust, doubt, or a feeling that things have to be “just right.” These obsessions occur over and over again and feel outside of the person’s control.

Compulsions are repetitive behaviors or mental acts that are meant to temporarily relieve unpleasant feelings that people with OCD feel driven to perform in response to an obsession. 

The most effective and evidence-based treatment for OCD is a type of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) called Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP). 

ERP therapy involves working with a licensed mental health professional (such as a psychologist, social worker, or mental health counselor). I use ERP to help you face your fears through “exposure” without doing your compulsions —the “response prevention.”

I will teach you how to manage your OCD thoughts, images, and urges so they eventually stop bothering you as much. This lets you overcome your fear responses and regain the control that OCD tries to take away. 

For more information:

iocdf.org 

For support and resources from the Peace of Mind Virtual Community:

iocdf.org/peaceofmind

For more information for kids and teens:

OCDinKids.org

For more information for families:

iocdf.org/families

For more information about anxiety/OCD in school: anxietyintheclassroom.org

For online community support:

HealthUnlocked.com/my-ocd

For information about living with OCD: iocdf.org/living-with-ocd