Exposure and Response Prevention Therapy (ERP) is the “gold-standard” of treatment for obsessive compulsive disorder. But, what is it?

It can be scary to engage in a therapy method that involves approaching your fears and thinking about them in a less threatening way. The idea of doing this may even feel impossible. A strategic plan to confront uncomfortable thought patterns, feelings, objects and situations can sound daunting. So why is this the “gold standard” and who benefits from this?

ERP treatment is specific to your needs. The plan is created between yourself and the therapist. It is a step-by-step plan made with your therapist as your copilot, meaning that the approach is gradual and not meant to be overwhelming. The goal is to increase resilience to face discomfort, at your pace. If the planned exposures feel too easy, it means progress has been made and it’s time to move to the next step of the plan. More often than not, clients assume they will feel far more anxious than they do approaching these fears. It is an incredible thing to witness someone leave these sessions feeling empowered and learn to apply these skills to everyday life.

An incredibly important part of ERP is response prevention. This is the area in which you and your therapist will create a plan to reduce or delay compulsive behaviors. Sometimes this means setting boundaries with family or friends. Sometimes it requires setting boundaries with yourself and holding yourself accountable. At times we utilize creative tools to redirect, post-pone and limit the compulsions.

Exposure therapy is helpful with OCD and when phobias intersect with compulsive behaviors and this is because it provides opportunity to see that the fears and worries are not only unlikely to happen, but the anxiety is much more tolerable that we realize. In fact, overtime, the anxiety experienced will decrease. ERP provides a specific plan to help you get back into engaging with life! It is meant to help you gain confidence, build resilience and learn the tools to confront the curveballs that life throws at us.

The most important thing to remember is that this treatment is at your pace, with your voice heard and valued every step of the way. If this isn’t the experience you’ve had elsewhere, let us gain your trust and show that this treatment is not only safe and guided in a manageable way but effective for long-term symptom reduction.

Ask us at Lux Behavioral Health if Exposure and Response Prevention Therapy is right for you!