ERP
Gradually facing feared situations while choosing not to do compulsions, with support at every step.
OCD
OCD therapy for intrusive thoughts and the rituals that follow
OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder) can make your own mind feel like a trap. Specialized therapy can help you loosen its grip, step by step.
Where to begin
Intrusive thoughts do not define you
OCD involves unwanted thoughts, images, or urges, called obsessions, and actions or mental rituals, called compulsions, that try to relieve the distress. Compulsions can bring short-term relief but often keep the cycle going.
Many people live with OCD quietly for years. The thoughts can feel shameful, but they are common symptoms, not a reflection of who you are.
Understanding it
How OCD can show up
OCD takes many forms. Some people worry about contamination or harm. Others feel pulled to check, repeat, or seek reassurance. Some experience intrusive thoughts about relationships, morality, religion, or sexuality, with rituals that happen mostly in the mind.
OCD can also begin in childhood or appear during pregnancy and after birth. We work with teens, adults, and new parents.
Our approach
How we work with OCD
We combine Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) with skills that help you tolerate discomfort, so the work feels manageable.
Orientation
Mapping your obsessions, compulsions, and what keeps the cycle going.
Stabilizing
Building skills to ride out discomfort without reaching for rituals.
Processing
Facing fears gradually through planned exposures, at a pace you agree to.
Integration
Responding to OCD with more choice in daily life.
Modalities
Approaches we use for OCD
ACT
Learning to hold intrusive thoughts more lightly and move toward what you value.
Somatic support
Calming the body's alarm response, so exposures feel more tolerable and less overwhelming.
What support looks like
What you can expect from us
No judgment
Our therapists have heard intrusive thoughts of every kind. You can speak freely.
Consent at every step
You help plan every exposure. Nothing is sprung on you.
Specialized training
Several of our clinicians have training in ERP.
Room for the whole you
We also attend to the stress, grief, and relationships OCD affects.
Questions people ask
Questions about OCD therapy
Is it OCD or anxiety?
They overlap, and only an assessment can clarify. In general, OCD involves specific obsessions paired with compulsions. Your consultation is a good place to start the conversation.
Will ERP make things worse?
Anxiety often rises during an exposure, then eases. Your therapist plans steps carefully with you and will not push faster than you agree to.
Can you help with perinatal OCD?
Yes. Intrusive thoughts during pregnancy or after birth are common and treatable. See our perinatal and postpartum support page.
Begin
We're here when you're ready.
A free consultation can help you find an ERP-trained therapist.
Schedule a consultationUnion Square · Pleasantville · Online in NY, NJ & CT