Exposure & Response Prevention
(ERP) in San Diego
ERP IN SAN DIEGO
Exposure & Response Prevention (ERP) - the gold standard OCD treatment
To help you treat your OCD, I use a modality called Exposure & Response Prevention (ERP), commonly recognized as the gold standard for OCD treatment. As the name would suggest, together we’ll work on exposing you to your triggers in a safe environment and then try different tools to help you prevent your usual response.
With time, this can get your brain to weaken its automatic fear response and the OCD will slowly lose its power. Bit by bit, you’ll start to feel more confident and even if the thoughts never go away completely, they’ll stop controlling your every move.
THE BENEFITS OF ERP
Why choose Exposure & Response Prevention for OCD?
Reduce the power of intrusive thoughts and compulsive urges so they interfere less with your daily life.
Increase your tolerance to be able to handle uncertainty and face your fears and triggers without unhealthy coping.
Improve your day-to-day functioning and reclaim time for the activities and people that matter most.
Build long-term confidence, resilience and mental clarity that supports your overall well-being and mental health.
What you can expect from Exposure & Response Prevention in San Diego
HOW THIS WORKS
To begin with, we’ll get a clear picture of your OCD - your symptoms, your triggers, your fears and your history. Once we’ve identified the specific patterns that the OCD uses to hook you, we’ll create your personal “fear ladder” or “fear hierarchy” which is basically a list of your triggers from least to most difficult. This list then becomes the roadmap we use for your treatment - starting with the least scary trigger and only working our way up when you feel comfortable.
In sessions, we won’t just be talking about your thoughts, obsessions and compulsions, we’ll actively practice exposures together in the room, imagine certain scenarios or make plans for you to safely try real-life exposure & prevention between sessions.
Most people begin to see meaningful change within 8-12 sessions of consistent ERP therapy. Many will continue the therapy for a minimum of 3-6 months or even longer in order to strengthen their new habits and skills as well as explore deeper layers of their OCD. We’ll consistently check in on your progress to make sure you are getting the right amount of care, without keeping you in therapy unnecessarily.
Everything you need to know about starting therapy with me
FEES & FAQs
Head over to my FAQ page to find all the practical information about working with me, such as what to expect, costs, the insurance providers I accept, my working hours, etc.
Take your first step towards healing
Finding a therapist that really gets you can be tricky - I know! You never know if you’ll actually click with someone until you can speak to them. To help make that process easier for you, I offer a free 15-min online consultation so you can meet me, ask questions and decide for yourself if the vibe is right.