Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)

Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)

Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) is a practical approach for working with OCD and anxiety. It involves gradually facing the thoughts, feelings or situations that trigger anxiety (the exposure), while choosing not to respond in the usual ways, such as checking, avoiding or seeking reassurance (the response prevention). To help prepare for this, I use person-centred counselling to help develop our therapeutic relationship and ACT to 'de-fuse' thoughts in a way that makes them feel less threatening.

At first, this can feel uncomfortable but with practice, you begin to see that anxiety can rise and fall on its own, without needing to act on it. This helps break the cycle that keeps anxiety going. ERP is done step by step, at a pace that feels manageable, and with support throughout.