Online OCD Therapy with Exposure and Response Prevention

Clinically reviewed by Karan Singh, Ph.D.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is more than a preference for tidiness. It’s a cycle of intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and the things you do to relieve the distress (compulsions), which can be visible, like checking or washing, or mental, like reviewing, praying, or reassurance-seeking. The first-line psychotherapy for OCD is Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), a form of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) recommended in clinical guidelines from the American Psychiatric Association and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).

What ERP looks like with us

  1. Assessment. We map your obsessions, compulsions, and avoidance.
  2. Building a hierarchy. Together you rank feared situations from manageable to hard.
  3. Exposures. Step by step, you face triggers without doing the compulsion, often live over video in your real environment (your kitchen, your car), which is one advantage of online ERP.
  4. Relapse prevention. You learn to run your own exposures.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is often combined with ERP to help with willingness and values.

OCD subtypes we work with

Contamination, checking, harm and intrusive thoughts, relationship OCD, scrupulosity (religious or moral), “just right” and symmetry, and health anxiety, among others.

Insurance and where we see clients

Our 45 clinicians are licensed across 20 states and work by secure video, with in-person sessions at our offices throughout the US. We accept Aetna (directly and through Headway), Anthem, and Carelon.

Start therapy

Fill out the request form or call (949) 229-5820, and we’ll match you with a licensed clinician who treats this concern.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does ERP work online? Research comparing video-delivered ERP with in-person ERP has found comparable results for many people, and video lets exposures happen at home.

How long is OCD treatment? It varies. Many people do weekly sessions for several months. Your clinician will review progress with you regularly.

Is ERP covered by insurance? ERP is billed as psychotherapy, so it’s generally covered like other outpatient therapy. We verify your benefits first.

Do you prescribe medication? No. Our clinicians provide therapy. We can coordinate with your prescriber.

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