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Evidence-based therapy that helps individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder confront fears and break the cycle of compulsions.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is more than intrusive thoughts or quirky habits—it’s a chronic, often debilitating condition that traps people in cycles of fear and ritual. Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) is a structured, research-backed form of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) designed specifically to help people with OCD break free from these cycles.
ERP works by gradually helping you face the thoughts, images, or situations that trigger your anxiety (exposure), while learning to resist the urge to engage in rituals or avoidance behaviors (response prevention). Over time, this reduces the intensity of the obsession and the distress that comes with it—without relying on compulsions for relief.
At the Behavioural Wellness Clinic, ERP is at the core of our OCD treatment approach. Backed by decades of clinical research, it’s been shown to be more effective than medication alone and is considered the frontline treatment for OCD by leading institutions worldwide.
OCD often convinces you that unless you complete a specific ritual—like washing your hands, counting to a certain number, or mentally reviewing a past event—something bad will happen. These compulsions feel necessary in the moment, but they only reinforce the anxiety in the long run.
ERP doesn’t try to convince you that your fears are irrational. Instead, it helps you test those fears through lived experience. By facing the thoughts and situations that trigger your OCD—and resisting the rituals that follow—you teach your brain a powerful new lesson: you can tolerate uncertainty, and nothing terrible happens when you stop the compulsions.
This isn’t exposure for shock value or forced confrontation. It’s done gently, with care, and at a pace that you and your therapist set together.
Working with your therapist, you’ll create a personalized list (called a “hierarchy”) of anxiety-provoking situations, ordered from least to most distressing. These situations are directly tied to your obsessions and the compulsions they trigger.=
For example:
With support and guidance, you’ll approach each situation without engaging in compulsions. Over time, your brain learns that the anxiety fades naturally and the feared outcomes don’t occur, even without the rituals.
ERP also includes tools to help you manage urges, track progress, and understand your thought patterns. You’ll build tolerance for uncertainty, reduce avoidance, and regain control over your life.
It’s natural to feel nervous about starting ERP. But you won’t be doing it alone. At the Behavioural Wellness Clinic, our therapists are highly trained in delivering ERP in a respectful, supportive, and compassionate way. Whether your OCD revolves around contamination, harm, relationships, perfectionism, or taboo thoughts, this treatment can help.
Ready to reclaim your time, energy, and peace of mind?
Let’s take that first step—together.