Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)
ERP is the primary therapeutic modality used in the treatment of OCD. It is widely known as the gold-standard treatment for OCD.
ERP is much different from traditional talk therapies. It is a structured, collaborative process that involves facing your fears in order to learn that you can handle them, that the feared outcome is not as likely as the OCD would like you to believe, that the intrusive thoughts do not make you a bad person. We start with smaller fears or find smaller steps towards a bigger fear. I will never ask you to do something I wouldn’t do myself. Little, by little you will learn that you can handle all of the things OCD told you you couldn’t.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
ACT is a modality often used hand-in-hand with ERP. A major goal of ACT is changing your relationship with your thoughts, rather than pushing them away or trying to stop thinking them. ACT also focuses on identifying your values and using your values to guide your choices, rather than allowing fear to take hold.