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Repose

ERP

Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), at a pace you choose

ERP is a well-studied approach for OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder). It helps you face fears step by step while resisting compulsions, with steady support.

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Overview

What ERP is

In ERP, you and your therapist build a list of situations that trigger obsessive fears. You then practice facing them, starting small, while choosing not to do the compulsions that usually follow. Over time, the brain can learn that anxiety rises and falls.

ERP is collaborative. You help decide every step, and nothing is done to you or without your agreement.

What we help with

What ERP is used for

ERP is a first-line approach for OCD, including contamination fears, intrusive thoughts, checking, "not quite right" feelings, relationship doubts, and scrupulosity. It can also support related concerns such as health anxiety and some phobias.

At Repose, ERP can be paired with somatic skills and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), which help you tolerate discomfort.

Common concerns

  • OCD
  • Intrusive thoughts
  • Checking
  • Contamination fears
  • Health anxiety
  • Relationship doubts
  • Scrupulosity
  • Perinatal OCD
An ERP for OCD session at Repose

Who this is for

For people ready to loosen OCD's grip

ERP can be a fit if compulsions or avoidance take up time, energy, or peace of mind. You do not need to feel brave before starting. Your therapist will help you build readiness first, and you will move at a pace you choose.

Available in person and online.

Learn more
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Step by step

Every exposure is planned together, never sprung on you.

Consent and pacing are part of every session.

Schedule a consultation

How we work

How ERP is structured

Understanding the cycle

Mapping obsessions, compulsions, and what keeps them going.

Building a ladder

Ranking situations from easier to harder, together.

Practicing exposures

Facing fears while choosing different responses, with support.

Your role

What ERP asks of you

  • Be honest about compulsions

    Including mental ones, which are easy to miss.

  • Practice between sessions

    Much of the change happens in daily practice.

  • Expect discomfort

    Discomfort is part of learning. You will not face it alone.

A person standing, composed and ready

What to expect

  1. Step 1

    Preparation

    Learning about OCD and building skills to tolerate discomfort.

  2. Step 2

    Process

    Working up the exposure ladder at a pace you agree to.

  3. Step 3

    Integration

    Responding to triggers with more choice in daily life.

  4. Step 4

    Ongoing

    Planning for setbacks and new triggers as life changes.

Questions people ask

Questions about ERP

Will ERP make my anxiety worse?
Anxiety often rises during an exposure, then settles. Your therapist will plan steps carefully and help you stay grounded. You will not be pushed faster than you agree to.
What if my obsessions are thoughts I am ashamed of?
Intrusive thoughts are common in OCD, and they do not reflect who you are. Your therapist has heard it before and will respond without judgment.
Can ERP be done online?
Yes. Many exposures can be practiced by video, sometimes in the very places OCD shows up at home.
How is ERP related to CBT?
ERP is a specific form of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). See our CBT page.

Begin

When you're ready, we'd be glad to talk it through.

A free consultation can help you find an ERP-trained therapist.

Schedule a consultation

Union Square · Pleasantville · Online in NY, NJ & CT