Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) for OCD

When OCD Runs the Show

Living with OCD can be exhausting. Intrusive thoughts show up without warning, and the rituals feel like the only way to quiet them. You might know they don’t truly help, yet the urge to do them is so strong that life starts to revolve around them. That stuck feeling is exactly why Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) was created. It is the leading therapy for OCD, and it gives you a way to break free step by step.

What Is ERP?

Exposure and Response Prevention is the most effective treatment for OCD. It works by helping you gradually face fears while resisting the compulsions that usually follow. Over time, you discover that anxiety rises and falls on its own, feared outcomes are far less likely than OCD suggests, and you are more capable than the disorder lets you believe.

What ERP Looks Like

ERP is structured but collaborative. Together, we create a plan that feels challenging but doable. In a session, you might:

  • Imagine or write about a feared situation

  • Practice touching or approaching something you usually avoid

  • Notice the urge to complete a ritual, and learn how to sit with that urge without giving in

Your therapist stays with you through the process, helping you track what happens in your mind and body. Step by step, the fear loses its grip, and the rituals start to feel less necessary.

At Apex Therapy, ERP is:

  • Gradual: Always matched to your pace and goals

  • Supportive: You are never asked to do something unsafe or without guidance

  • Tailored: Adapted to your unique OCD themes, whether common or misunderstood

What You Can Expect

With ERP, many people notice they:

  • Spend less time caught in rituals or mental loops

  • Feel calmer and more in control of daily life

  • Carry less shame about intrusive thoughts

  • Reclaim energy and relationships once consumed by OCD

Why Choose Apex Therapy for ERP?

ERP is effective, but it can feel intimidating when you are starting out. That is why the therapist you work with matters. At Apex, you will work with someone who has advanced ERP training and experience treating the full range of OCD themes, including the ones that are often hardest to talk about. Sessions are structured and supportive, with a focus on helping you move at your own pace. Our goal is to create a space where you feel respected, understood, and equipped to do the work that leads to lasting change.

Take the First Step

You’ve done enough surviving.
Let’s start living again.


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Start ExRP