ERP Therapy St. Paul

Stop OCD From Running Your Life

Finally get real relief from intrusive thoughts and compulsions. Expert ERP therapy from an OCD survivor who knows exactly what you’re going through and how to help you break free.

OCD Survivor Expertise

Published OCD Researcher

Gold Standard Methods

Your Pace Always

ERP Treatment St. Paul

Why ERP Works When Others Don't

Exposure and Response Prevention targets the exact mechanism that keeps you trapped. While traditional therapy can accidentally make OCD worse by providing reassurance, ERP breaks the cycle at its source.

You’ll learn to face your fears gradually while building real tolerance for uncertainty. This isn’t about analyzing your thoughts – it’s about changing how you respond to them through proven behavioral techniques.

The difference is dramatic. Instead of staying stuck in endless loops of worry and ritual, you develop genuine confidence in your ability to handle whatever your mind throws at you.

OCD Treatment Expertise

Why Most Therapy Makes OCD Worse

Here’s what most people don’t realize: traditional talk therapy can actually strengthen OCD symptoms. When therapists provide reassurance about your fears or help you analyze your thoughts, they’re feeding the exact pattern that keeps you stuck.

ERP works the opposite way. Instead of avoiding your fears or trying to make sense of them, you learn to face them head-on while building genuine tolerance for the unknown. This approach has decades of research behind it.

The real difference comes from understanding OCD from the inside. Having lived with severe OCD for ten years before finding freedom, I know exactly what it feels like to be controlled by intrusive thoughts. That lived experience, combined with specialized training, makes all the difference in your recovery.

ERP Therapy Benefits

The Freedom You'll Experience

ERP therapy doesn’t just manage symptoms – it gives you your life back completely.

You'll reclaim hours each day that used to disappear into compulsive behaviors and mental checking.
Intrusive thoughts become background noise instead of urgent commands that control your choices.
You'll rebuild damaged relationships and form new ones without OCD getting in the way.
Sleep comes naturally when your mind stops racing through obsessive worry cycles at night.
You'll tackle activities and opportunities you've avoided for months or years due to triggers.
Real confidence develops as you prove to yourself that you can handle uncertainty and discomfort.

Exposure Response Prevention

The Science Behind Your Recovery

ERP therapy has two essential parts working together. Exposure means gradually facing the thoughts, situations, or objects that trigger your OCD. Response prevention means resisting the compulsions you normally use to feel better.

We start with manageable challenges and build systematically. You’ll discover that anxiety naturally peaks and then drops when you don’t perform compulsions – a process called habituation that retrains your brain’s alarm system.

Research shows that completing 60 to 100 exposures with response prevention creates lasting change. We’ll develop your personalized exposure plan and practice these skills both in our sessions and through daily homework that builds real-world confidence.

You Don’t Have to Do This Alone

Support is here. Our counselors provide a safe space to talk, heal, and move forward—at your pace.

Common questions about Erp Therapy

How long does ERP therapy typically take to work?

Most people see substantial improvement after completing 60 to 100 exposures combined with response prevention, which typically takes several months of consistent work. The biggest factor in your progress speed is how willing you are to complete daily exposure practices between our sessions. Some people notice changes within the first few weeks, while others need more time to build confidence with the techniques. What matters most is your commitment to practicing the skills we develop together. Remember, we’re not just managing symptoms – we’re building lasting freedom from OCD’s control.

Will ERP therapy make my anxiety worse initially?

Yes, you’ll likely experience increased anxiety when starting exposures, and this is completely normal and expected. The goal isn’t to eliminate anxiety but to learn that you can handle it without resorting to compulsions. When you stay with an exposure and prevent your usual response, your anxiety will naturally peak and then decrease through habituation. This process teaches your brain that the feared situation is actually safe. While this temporary increase in discomfort can be challenging, it’s a clear sign that the treatment is working. We’ll always work at a pace you can handle, and you’ll never be forced into exposures you’re not ready for.

How is ERP different from regular talk therapy for OCD?

Traditional talk therapy focuses on discussing and analyzing your thoughts and feelings, which can actually make OCD worse by providing reassurance and reinforcing the obsessive cycle. ERP is action-based rather than discussion-based. Instead of talking about your fears, you gradually face them in controlled ways while learning to resist compulsions. This directly breaks the cycle that maintains OCD symptoms. Research consistently shows that ERP is far more effective than traditional therapy for OCD. While insight-oriented therapy might help with other issues, OCD requires the specific behavioral techniques that only ERP provides to create lasting change.

Can I combine ERP therapy with OCD medication?

Absolutely, and many people benefit from combining ERP therapy with medication, particularly SSRIs like fluoxetine, sertraline, or fluvoxamine. The combination can be especially helpful for people with severe symptoms or those who haven’t responded well to either treatment alone. However, research shows that ERP alone is often just as effective as medication, and the skills you learn in ERP tend to provide longer-lasting benefits. We’ll work with your prescribing doctor to ensure your treatments complement each other effectively. The most important thing is finding the approach that works best for your specific situation and goals.

What if previous therapy didn't help my OCD?

This is incredibly common, and you’re not alone in this experience. Many people come to us after previous therapy experiences that didn’t provide the relief they were hoping for. Often, this happens because they received general counseling or basic CBT rather than specialized ERP treatment. OCD requires specific expertise and techniques that many therapists aren’t trained in. As someone who personally recovered from OCD and specializes exclusively in this area, I understand both the clinical science and lived experience of what actually works. We’ll take a completely different approach focused on the proven methods that research shows are most effective specifically for OCD.

Do you offer virtual ERP therapy sessions?

Yes, we provide both in-person and virtual options to meet your needs. We offer in-person sessions at our downtown St. Paul office for local clients who prefer face-to-face treatment. We also provide virtual sessions for clients throughout Minnesota, Texas, and Wisconsin. Virtual ERP can be just as effective as in-person treatment, and many people find it more convenient and accessible. We’ll use a secure, user-friendly platform that you can access with just a few clicks. During your free consultation, we can discuss which format would work best for your situation, schedule, and personal preferences.

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