Exposure and Response Prevention therapy (ERP) is a form of psychotherapy that’s well supported, and commonly used for the treatment of OCD. It falls under the broader category of cognitive behavioral therapy, and is considered the gold-standard psychological treatment for OCD.
In the course of ERP, the client will be exposed to the sources of their anxiety, obsessions, and compulsions. This means that the client will gradually face the thing or situation that he/she fears. As the client is exposed to their triggers, they will practice refraining from their compulsive behaviors. This gradual approach means that with each stage the client will become less afraid of what was troubling them and learn by experience that no disaster occurs when they stop the compulsive behavior/s. This will break the cycle of avoidance and the reinforcement of anxiety.
This type of therapy deliberately creates anxiety for the purpose of getting better, but at a level the client is ready to tolerate. It takes courage to begin ERP, but participants usually find that exposures aren’t as difficult as they had imagined. And as their fears fade and they experience success, they get a boost in confidence that motivates them to continue with more difficult exposures.
Clients who struggle with OCD CAN get their lives back! ERP works!