OCD Treatment (E/RP Therapy)
Break free from the cycle of obsessions and compulsions with structured, evidence-based support.a
OCD Treatment Using Exposure and Response Prevention (E/RP)
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) can be exhausting and isolating. Intrusive thoughts, mental images, or urges can feel out of control—and the rituals or behaviours you use to manage them may bring only brief relief before the anxiety returns. At Innova Psychology, we offer Exposure and Response Prevention (E/RP), a gold-standard, evidence-based treatment for OCD that helps you gradually face feared thoughts and situations while learning new ways to respond. Our goal is to help you reclaim time, energy, and peace of mind.
SPACE Treatment (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions)
SPACE Treatment (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions) is “a parent based treatment program for children with anxiety, OCD or related problems). Through this approach, parents and caregivers learn skills to help their child in fighting back against OCD, anxiety and related challenges. SPACE focuses on providing parents/caregivers with tools they may require to change their behaviours (i.e., supportive responding and reducing accommodations) to meet the needs of their child and reduce symptomology.
Circle of Security Parenting (CoSP)
Circle of Security Parenting (CoSP) - an attachment-based program helping parents understand and respond to their children's emotional needs to build secure, trusting relationships, focusing on being available for big feelings, managing challenging behaviors, and repairing ruptures, using a visual "Circle" to map caregiver-child needs for calm, happy, confident interactions
Psychiatry
Our psychologists have access to child and adolescent trained psychiatrists on a consultation or assessment basis, to provide recommendations to the client’s family physician for ongoing medication management. Discuss with your psychologist for further information.
Clear guidance on supports, accommodations, and strategies that fit your environment.
Personalized tools and evidence-based suggestions to help your child thrive day-to-day.
A deeper understanding of cognitive patterns to support confidence and informed decision-making.
Understanding OCD
What is OCD?
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder is a mental health condition characterized by:
Obsessions – Unwanted, intrusive thoughts, images, urges, or doubts that cause distress (e.g., “What if I’m contaminated?”, “What if I hurt someone?”, “Did I make a mistake?”).
Compulsions – Repetitive behaviours or mental acts performed to reduce anxiety or prevent a feared outcome (e.g., checking, washing, repeating, reviewing, reassurance seeking, mental “neutralizing”).
In OCD, obsessions and compulsions can become time-consuming, interfere with school or work, impact relationships, and create intense internal stress—even when you recognize that the fears may be exaggerated or unlikely.
Common themes in OCD include:
Contamination and cleaning
Checking (locks, appliances, safety)
Harm-related fears (fear of causing harm, being responsible for something bad happening)
Symmetry, order, or “just right” feelings
Intrusive taboo thoughts (e.g., sexual, religious, or violent content)
Reassurance seeking and mental reviewing
OCD is not simply being “neat,” “picky,” or “particular.” It is a treatable mental health condition—and ERP is one of the most effective forms of therapy for reducing symptoms.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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General talk therapy can be helpful for many concerns, but OCD often requires a more structure-specific approach. ERP directly targets the OCD cycle through planned exposures and intentional response prevention. While it is grounded in CBT, it is more active and behaviour-focused than supportive or insight-only approaches.
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Duration varies depending on symptom severity, co-occurring concerns, and how frequently you are able to attend sessions and practise at home. Some clients notice meaningful changes within a few months, while others benefit from longer-term support. Your therapist will discuss an approximate timeline after the initial assessment.
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OCD often impacts the whole family. For children, youth, and sometimes adults, we may involve family members or partners to:
Reduce unhelpful reassurance patterns
Support home-based exposures
Learn how to respond in ways that support your treatment goals
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An initial assessment can help clarify what you’re experiencing and whether OCD or another concern best explains your symptoms. Even if a formal diagnosis is uncertain, ERP-informed approaches may still be helpful in reducing distress and improving functioning.
What to Expect with E/RP at Innova Psychology
Whether you prefer the convenience of virtual sessions or the connection of meeting in person at our Calgary clinic, we’re here to support you every step of the way.
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We begin with a thorough assessment to understand:
Your specific obsessions, compulsions, and patterns of avoidance
How OCD is affecting school, work, relationships, and daily routines
Any co-occurring concerns (e.g., anxiety, depression, tics, autism spectrum traits)
Your goals for therapy
We’ll also provide education about OCD—how it develops, why it persists, and how ERP works to change the cycle.
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Together, you and your therapist will build an exposure hierarchy:
A detailed list of OCD triggers and situations, ordered from “least difficult” to “most challenging.”
This hierarchy becomes the roadmap for your ERP work.
We will also identify the rituals, avoidance behaviours, and reassurance patterns that currently keep OCD going, and plan how to reduce and replace them gradually.
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We then begin gradual exposure exercises, which might include:
Imaginal exposure (picturing feared situations in detail)
Virtual or video-based exposure
Real-life (in vivo) exposure practice, sometimes starting with very small steps
Each exposure is:
Planned in advance
Matched to your hierarchy
Done together with your therapist (and sometimes with structured home practice)
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ERP involves planned, step-by-step practice. Examples may include:
Touching objects you fear are “contaminated” and then delaying or reducing washing
Practising “imperfection” in tasks or emails and resisting checking or redoing
Writing and reading short scripts about a feared outcome without neutralizing them
Intentionally bringing to mind intrusive thoughts while refraining from mental rituals
Sitting with uncertainty about safety, relationships, or morality without seeking reassurance
Each exposure is:
Discussed and agreed on in advance
Matched to your hierarchy and goals
Practised in session and (when appropriate) between sessions
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Alongside exposures, we focus on:
Reducing rituals and safety behaviours (e.g., checking, repeating, mental reviewing, reassurance seeking)
Building skills to tolerate uncertainty, discomfort, and “not knowing”
Identifying and shifting unhelpful thinking styles that fuel OCD (e.g., over-responsibility, perfectionism, overestimation of threat)
We don’t aim to get rid of every intrusive thought—because everyone has them. Instead, ERP helps you change your relationship with those thoughts so they have less power over your life.
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As symptoms decrease and confidence grows, we will:
Practice exposures in everyday environments
Develop a clear plan to maintain gains
Identify early signs of relapse and strategies to respond effectively
The goal is to leave you with tools you can continue to use long after therapy ends.
Who Can Benefit from E/RP
E/RP can be helpful for:
Children and youth struggling with rituals, reassurance seeking, and avoidance that interfere with school or family life
Teens and adults experiencing time-consuming obsessions and compulsions impacting work, relationships, and daily functioning
Individuals who have been previously diagnosed with OCD or who suspect OCD may be present
Common OCD Presentations
Some of the areas we may support include:
Contamination & Cleaning OCD
Checking OCD (safety, mistakes, harm)
Harm OCD (fears about hurting others or oneself unintentionally)
Symmetry, Ordering & “Just Right” OCD
Intrusive taboo thoughts (sexual, religious, or moral concerns)
Purely Obsessional (“Pure O”) presentations with primarily mental rituals
Reassurance seeking and mental reviewing
If your experience doesn’t fit neatly into one category, that’s okay. Many people have overlapping or unique OCD themes. Our focus is on understanding your patterns and tailoring ERP accordingly.
GET STARTED
Fill out the form below and we’ll respond within one business day. You’re welcome to share as much or as little as you feel comfortable — we’ll meet you wherever you’re at and help you determine the right next steps.