Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) can be extremely difficult for those who experience it. The best OCD treatment options to help reduce OCD symptoms are also very difficult! But once clients feel ready to jump into it, the best therapy for OCD is one of the most effective therapies we have in mental health.
Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP or ExRP) has become established as one of two main effective approaches for OCD. Research has robustly demonstrated its effectiveness as the sole established psychotherapy approach. (SSRIs are the other main effective option, with or without co-occurring ERP.) And research shows ERP is effective for both adult and child/adolescent populations!
ERP works by helping clients expose themselves to obsessive thoughts and sit with them. Clients learn to do this while preventing themselves from engaging in compulsions or other responses meant to neutralize distress that arises from those thoughts. Research finds that this method works because it retrains the brain to no longer assess certain situations as threatening.
For example, the individual comes to believe that simply having a sudden distressing thought about a family member dying does not some personal truth (“I am bad for thinking that.”). Or, one learns to not wash their hands after intrusive thoughts of contacting a pathogen. The client gradually realistically appraises the lower likelihood of contracting germs from a given surface.
ERP leads to major symptom reduction and can help cease obsessive thoughts altogether. Is there a way to train in ERP with my clients, you ask?? Okay, we can’t really tell if you’re asking that. So let’s call that potential “just a thought”.
But the answer is yes! There are trainings out there for our best OCD treatment. One well-established training geared for adults is by The Center for Anxiety and Behavior Therapy. Another Pennsylvania-based on-demand training by U.Penn. tackles ERP with youth clients. (Note training requirements for those not yet practicing under their own license.) Philly’s really bringin’ it for our ERP training needs!
OCD is so hard. Luckily there’s a highly effective research-based approach that can bring about real change for clients. Not to mention for therapist confidence!
