Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) is an evidence-based therapeutic approach used to treat OCD, PTSD, and other anxiety-related disorders.

ERP has two key components: exposure and response prevention. In the exposure phase, clients gradually confront situations, thoughts, or stimuli that trigger anxiety in a supportive environment. Exposures may be imaginal (vividly imagined scenarios) or in vivo (real-life triggers). Response prevention requires clients to resist engaging in compulsive behaviors triggered by exposures. Over time, with repeated exposures and the prevention of compulsions, clients experience a reduction in anxiety and distress. This process leads to habituation, where distressing thoughts or situations become less anxiety-provoking

ERP is the leading treatment for OCD due to its effectiveness in breaking the cycle of obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors.