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Exposure and response prevention (ERP) is a type of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) that is used to treat anxiety disorders, particularly obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). ERP is considered the “gold standard” treatment for OCD and has been found to be highly effective in reducing symptoms.
ERP involves exposing clients to anxiety-provoking situations, objects, or thoughts (known as exposures) and then preventing them from performing their usual compulsive behaviors (known as response prevention). The idea behind ERP is to help individuals with OCD learn to tolerate the anxiety caused by their obsessive thoughts and resist the urge to perform compulsive behaviors. Two terms that you might hear related to ERP are “inhibitory learning” and “habituation”. Inhibitory learning is essentially learning that the “worse case scenario or feared consequence” does not always happen. (You can teach an old dog new tricks). Our brain has a wonderful feature called “neuroplasticity” that allows us to learn new things and change behaviors! Habituation simply refers to the fact that the anxiety of fear you feel cannot last forever and will eventually decrease.
This type of therapy works by gradually exposing clients to increasingly challenging anxiety-provoking situations while preventing them from performing their usual compulsive behaviors. This process is done in a hierarchical manner, with individuals beginning with relatively mild exposures and gradually progressing to more challenging exposures as they become more comfortable and confident.
ERP has been found to be highly effective in reducing OCD symptoms, with many individuals experiencing significant improvements in their symptoms after just a few weeks of treatment. ERP has also been found to be effective in reducing symptoms of other anxiety disorders, such as social anxiety disorder and specific phobias. Additionally, the skills learned in ERP can be applied to a variety of situations, making it a versatile and effective treatment option.
As a therapist, I have received years of training and education in exposure and response prevention and can help guide clients through treatment. Although ERP can initially seem scary, intimidating, or confusing; I make sure to take the time to educate my clients about how/why it works and detail the process before we begin. I want to make sure my clients feel empowered and supported through their journey. Struggling with OCD can be an exhausting, terrifying, and isolating experience, and I want to help. Send me a message or call me if you’d like to know more or start working with me.
