Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) in Calgary
Gold-standard OCD treatment to help adults reduce anxiety, break compulsions, and regain confidence in daily life
Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) in Calgary is the gold-standard treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and other anxiety-related conditions. ERP helps you gradually face feared thoughts, situations, or sensations while learning not to rely on compulsions, checking, reassurance, or avoidance.
At Clear Minds Psychology, ERP is delivered with compassion, structure, and evidence-based expertise. Therapy is paced carefully so that treatment feels manageable, supportive, and effective.
If you’re considering ERP therapy, a brief consultation can help you determine whether this approach feels like the right fit.
What Is Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)?
Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) is a specialised form of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and is considered the gold-standard treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
ERP works by helping you gradually face feared thoughts, situations, or triggers without performing the compulsions or avoidance behaviours that usually follow.
It has two main parts:
Exposure -You face feared situations, thoughts, images, or sensations in a gradual and controlled way
Response Prevention – You resist the urge to perform rituals, checking, reassurance-seeking, or avoidance behaviours
With repeated practice, your brain learns that anxiety can reduce naturally without compulsions. Over time, the fear becomes less powerful and daily life feels more manageable.
ERP helps reduce fear, increase confidence, and restore daily functioning.
ERP vs General Anxiety Treatment
While many therapies help reduce anxiety, ERP is specifically designed for OCD and compulsive anxiety patterns.
- Traditional anxiety therapy may focus on reducing distress or challenging thoughts
- ERP focuses on learning to tolerate uncertainty and reducing compulsive responses
Instead of trying to eliminate intrusive thoughts, ERP helps you respond differently to them.
This creates lasting change by teaching your brain that anxiety can pass without rituals, avoidance, or reassurance.
If you’re unsure whether ACT therapy could be the right fit for you, speaking with a psychologist can help clarify your next steps.
How ERP Therapy Works
Creating an Exposure Plan
In your first sessions, we will:
- Explore your symptoms, triggers, and compulsions
- Identify avoidance patterns and reassurance behaviours
- Create a fear hierarchy, ranking triggers from least to most distressing
- Begin gradual exposures at a pace that feels manageable
ERP is collaborative and tailored to your specific symptoms and goals.
What ERP Can Help With
ERP therapy in Calgary is highly effective for:
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
- Contamination fears
- Checking compulsions
- Health anxiety
- Intrusive thoughts
- Relationship OCD (ROCD)
- Harm OCD
- Scrupulosity
- Hoarding disorder
- Phobias
- Panic-related avoidance
- General anxiety patterns involving reassurance or avoidance
ERP is especially helpful when fear and compulsions are interfering with daily life.
What to Expect from ERP Therapy
ERP therapy is structured, active, and focused on real-life change.
A hierarchy, ranking your fears from least to most anxiety-provoking, is created to help guide you through treatment. Starting with least-anxiety provoking fears, you may practise exercises such as:
- Touching a doorknob without washing hands immediately
- Leaving home without repeated checking
- Reading words or phrases that trigger anxiety without performing rituals
- Sitting with uncertainty without seeking reassurance
Between sessions, you will practise exposures in everyday life to strengthen progress and build confidence.
ERP can be delivered effectively both in person and through online therapy sessions. You can learn more about how online therapy works here.
How Long Does ERP Therapy Take?
ERP is usually a short- to medium-term treatment.
Many clients attend between 12–20 sessions, depending on:
- Symptom severity
- Number of fears and compulsions
- How long OCD has been present
- Consistency with practising exposures between sessions
- Frequency of appointments
Many people begin noticing improvement within the first few sessions.
Considering ERP therapy?
A brief consultation can help you understand how these approaches apply to your specific situation.
Benefits of ERP Therapy
ERP can help you:
- Reduce anxiety and intrusive thoughts
- Break compulsive behaviours and avoidance patterns
- Improve daily functioning and independence
- Build confidence in handling uncertainty
- Strengthen emotional resilience
- Create long-term change beyond therapy
Choosing ERP therapy in Calgary can help you move beyond fear and reclaim your peace of mind.
For more information, read my blog “Understanding ERP for OCD Calgary: How Exposure and Response Prevention Can Help”. I explain what ERP is, how it works, and what to expect in OCD treatment.
Who I Work With
I work primarily with:
- Adults (18+)
- Seniors
- Individuals experiencing specific fears or phobias
- Individuals across Calgary and Alberta
My practice focuses on individual therapy. If you are seeking couples or family therapy, I can help direct you to appropriate resources.
If this sounds like your situation, you’re welcome to reach out to explore whether ERP therapy may be helpful.
Professional Credentials
- Registered Psychologist, Province of Alberta (College of Alberta Psychologists)
- Master’s Degree in Counselling Psychology (MACP), Yorkville University
- Advanced training in EMDR, Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART), and Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)
- Member of Psychologists’ Association of Alberta (PAA) and IS-ART
- Contributor, Alberta Senior Living Magazine — Spring Mental Health Check-In: Managing Anxiety, SAD Transitions & Light Exposure
About the Psychologist
Michelle Fox is a Registered Psychologist in Calgary with over 30 years of experience supporting adults and seniors. She provides evidence-based ERP therapy for OCD and anxiety, helping clients reduce compulsions, build confidence, and regain freedom from fear-based patterns.
Learn more about Michelle Fox, Registered Psychologist in Calgary.
FAQ: ERP Therapy in Calgary
What is ERP therapy for OCD?
Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) is a specialised form of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and is considered the gold-standard treatment for OCD. It helps reduce obsessions and compulsions by gradually facing fears without performing rituals or avoidance behaviours.
Is ERP the best treatment for OCD?
Yes. ERP is the most effective evidence-based psychological treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder and is recommended as the first-line therapy for OCD.
Does ERP therapy make anxiety worse before it gets better?
ERP can feel uncomfortable at first because it involves facing fears rather than avoiding them. Anxiety may increase temporarily, but this helps your brain learn that it can reduce naturally without compulsions.
Can ERP be done online in Calgary and Alberta?
Yes. ERP can be highly effective through secure online therapy as well as in-person sessions. Online therapy is often helpful because exposures can be practised in your everyday environment.
How long does ERP therapy for OCD usually take?
Many people attend between 12–20 sessions, although this depends on symptom severity, the number of compulsions involved, and how consistently exposure work is practised between sessions.
What types of OCD can ERP therapy help with?
ERP can help with contamination OCD, checking OCD, harm OCD, relationship OCD, health anxiety, intrusive thoughts, mental compulsions, and other anxiety-related avoidance patterns.
How do I get started with ERP therapy in Calgary?
Getting started is simple. You can book a free 15-minute consultation to discuss your concerns, ask questions, and determine whether ERP feels like the right fit.
If you decide to move forward, we will schedule an initial session where we review your symptoms, identify patterns of obsessions and compulsions, and set goals. From there, we develop a structured ERP-based treatment plan, guiding you step by step toward reducing compulsions and managing intrusive thoughts.
Book a Free Consultation
If you are considering ERP, a brief consultation can help you determine whether this approach feels like the right fit.
Clear Minds Psychology offers ERP therapy in Calgary and online across Alberta, offering structured, evidence-based support tailored to your needs.
You can book a free consultation to discuss your concerns and next steps.