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Exposure and Response Prevention Therapy (ERP)

Exposure and Response Prevention Therapy (ERP): Break Free from Anxiety and Fear

  • Do you go out of your way to avoid certain places, objects, or situations due to overwhelming fear or anxiety?
  • Do intrusive thoughts push you to engage in rituals or compulsions to feel safe or in control?
  • Do you feel like your daily Life is Limited by fears you know are irrational—but can’t shake?
  • Are you exhausted from constantly battling your mind or avoiding triggers that others handle with ease?

If any of these sound familiar, Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) therapy may be the solution you’ve been searching for. ERP is a highly effective, evidence-based approach to treating Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), social anxiety and phobias, helping people reclaim their lives from the grip of fear and anxiety.

Living with OCD: The Invisible Battle

Living with OCD can feel like your mind is constantly under siege. You might know that your fears don’t make logical sense, yet you feel powerless to stop the compulsions. You may spend hours each day stuck in mental loops, trying to neutralize distressing thoughts or prevent feared outcomes. The anxiety is exhausting, and the shame can leave you feeling isolated. Often, people with OCD suffer in silence for years, believing that no one else could understand what they’re going through.

Whether your OCD shows up in physical rituals—like hand-washing or checking—or in mental compulsions such as counting or seeking reassurance, the emotional toll is very real. It’s more than just being “a little obsessive.” OCD is a serious condition, but it’s also one that can improve dramatically with the right support and evidence-based treatment.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Therapy

What is Exposure and Response Prevention Therapy (ERP)?

Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) is a specialized form of therapy designed to treat anxiety disorders—especially OCD and specific phobias.

In ERP, individuals are very gradually and repeatedly exposed to the thoughts, images, objects, or situations that trigger their anxiety (exposure), while refraining from engaging in the usual anxiety-reducing behavior or ritual (response prevention).

Over time, the brain learns that these feared stimuli are not actually dangerous, and that anxiety naturally decreases even without the use of safety behaviors or compulsions. This is known as habituation, and it’s one of the reasons ERP is so effective at breaking the cycle of fear and avoidance.

Conditions Commonly Treated with ERP:

  • Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
  • Health Anxiety
  • Panic Disorder
  • Social Anxiety
  • Specific Phobias (e.g., fear of flying, driving, germs, animals, or needles)
  • Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), when avoidance is a major component

You Can Take Back Control

If you’re ready to move forward with less doubt and greater confidence, we invite you to call (248) 563-0587 for a free consultation or schedule an appointment online.

(248) 563-0587
(248) 563-0587
Book Appointment

Key Components of ERP

ERP is structured, collaborative, and tailored to each client’s unique needs. Here are the core components that make up this powerful therapy:

  1. Assessment and Psychoeducation
    Before treatment begins, we help you understand how your anxiety operates—how avoidance or compulsions are maintaining your symptoms—and how ERP will help. We build a solid therapeutic relationship based on trust, transparency, and support.
  2. Hierarchy Development
    We’ll work with you to create a personalized list (called an exposure hierarchy) of feared situations, from least to most distressing. This roadmap guides your therapy and ensures that exposure progresses in manageable steps.
  3. Exposure Practice
    You’ll begin facing your fears gradually starting with lower-intensity situations and building up. These exposures can be in-person, imaginal, or interoceptive (triggering internal sensations of anxiety, like a racing heart).
  4. Response Prevention
    Rather than engaging in compulsive behaviors or avoidance, you’ll learn to tolerate the discomfort and allow anxiety to rise and fall naturally. This is where true healing begins.
  5. Skill Building and Resilience
    Along the way, you’ll build emotional regulation tools and cognitive flexibility to support long-term change. Our therapists empower you to face future fears with confidence—not just cope but thrive.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Therapy

Importance of ERP

OCD and phobias often trap people in a cycle of fear and avoidance. While compulsions and safety behaviors may provide temporary relief, they reinforce anxiety in the long term. The brain never has a chance to learn that the feared outcome is unlikely—or that it can handle the distress.

ERP breaks this cycle by directly confronting fear, not avoiding it. Decades of research have shown that ERP is the gold standard treatment for OCD and one of the most effective interventions for anxiety disorders.

Why ERP Works:

  • Teaches your brain that feared outcomes are unlikely or tolerable
  • Helps you develop tolerance to uncertainty and distress
  • Replaces avoidance with courage and confidence
  • Leads to lasting neurological and behavioral change

Many people see meaningful improvements within 2 weeks of consistent ERP treatment. Even better, the gains are often long-term, especially when paired with continued practice and relapse prevention.

Our Therapeutic Approach

Why Choose Us for ERP?

At New Perspective Counseling, we understand that starting ERP can feel overwhelming—especially if you’ve been avoiding feared situations for months or even years. That’s why we approach ERP with care, structure, and empathy every step of the way.

Here’s what makes our ERP program different:

  1. Specialized Training in OCD and Anxiety Disorders
    Our licensed therapists are specially trained in Exposure and Response Prevention, and we stay current with the latest research and best practices. You’ll work with a clinician who truly understands the nuances of OCD, phobias, and related conditions.
  2. Personalized, Collaborative Treatment Plans
    ERP is not one-size-fits-all. We tailor the pace and content of exposures to your unique fears and goals. You’ll feel challenged—but never pushed beyond your readiness. Your therapist is your guide, teammate, and support system.
  3. Flexible Outpatient Services
    We offer in-person and teletherapy ERP sessions during the day , evening and even on weekends, making it easier to fit therapy into your life. Whether you’re a student, working professional, or parent, we help ERP work for your schedule.
  4. Whole-Person Support
    Our team is trauma-informed and integrates mindfulness, compassion-focused techniques, and values-based interventions when appropriate. We understand the emotional toll of anxiety and meet you with nonjudgment, not just clinical tools.

Start Your Journey Toward Freedom

Exposure and Response Prevention Therapy can change your life. Whether you’ve been battling OCD for years or recently started avoiding situations due to fear, there is hope—and help.

You don’t have to be ruled by anxiety, rituals, or avoidance any longer. With ERP, you can retrain your brain, face your fears, and reclaim your peace. Contact us to schedule an appointment.

(248) 563-0587
(248) 563-0587
Book Appointment