The goal of ERP is teach your brain new ways of responding to distress

ERP is a type of behavioural therapy that encourages you to come into contact with thoughts, objects, situations, or images that cause anxiety whilst resisting the urge to engage in compulsive behaviours that provide temporary relief.

The goal of ERP is to teach your brain new ways of responding to distress so that you're no longer held back by obsessional thoughts or irrational fears. 

Whilst this all sounds very uncomfortable, and initially ERP does require some commitment, here at Brightside we do ERP in a graded way. You and your therapist will identify a hierarchy of fears and starting with a lesser fear, you will gradually work your way up the hierarchy. You will only move to the next stage of the hierarchy once your brain has learnt that the current fear that you’re working on is not an actual threat.

ERP is most commonly used in the treatment of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder 

ERP is used alongside other approaches such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy or Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. These approaches will give you the tools to manage the anxiety-related thoughts differently and to ‘surf’ the urges to engage in compulsive behaviours.

ERP is most commonly used in the treatment of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, but it can also be helpful in other types of anxiety disorders such as Health Anxiety, where compulsive behaviours like checking and reassurance seeking are common.