OCD TREATMENTS.COM
EXPOSURE & RESPONSE PREVENTION THERAPY  
A SERVICE OF NEW LIFE COUNSELING

Many people have difficulty finding effective therapy for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) either for themselves or for a loved one.

Therapists frequently avoid working with clients with OCD because the effective treatment methods do not fit nicely into a series of one-hour visits to the therapist's office. Let's face it, OCD is a difficult condition to treat and many therapists are inexperienced with effective treatment procedures and actually make things worse for the client.
Treatment research developments have now demonstrated that the best treatment response is obtained when OCD is treated using a Cognitive Behavioral perspective employing a process of Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP).


Chris McBee, a Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) from the state of Montana focuses his practice upon the delivery of ERP treatment of OCD to his clients within the setting which they experience the most difficulty. This is frequently the client's home but may also be a workplace, school, or public location. Many states will allow a non-resident treatment professional to provide treatment within their states provided that the professional is appropriately licensed within their own state of residence to provide treatment and that the treatment provided does not exceed a specific length of time (usually 30 - 60 days). Chris will travel to your location provided that your state is one which allows him to practice temporarily in that state.

Nothing within this website is intended as a solicitation for business within those states not allowing temporary practice of non-resident mental health treatment professionals similar to that described within Montana Code 37-23-201 (4e).

TREATMENT PERSPECTIVE
The Cognitive/Behavioral Perspective


Cognitions are just thoughts.  The COGNITIVE part of this approach to therapy involves the exploration and understanding of cognitive (thought) patterns which are typical among people with OCD and also those patterns which may be unique to a specific individual with OCD.   As a greater awareness and understanding of those patterns is developed, useful cognitive tools or skills are learned which help the person with OCD to regain control over their compulsive behaviors.

The BEHAVIORAL part of the therapy focuses upon the modification of specific undesirable behaviors through the process of Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP).  ERP tasks or exercises (exposures) are designed collaboratively between the therapist and the client so that the person with OCD can develop abilities to tolerate the experiences which cause them anxiety.  With the help of the therapist, they exercise their learned cognitive skills to manage the anxiety without doing the compulsive behavior (response prevention). The skills are practiced until the anxiety diminishes to a level which does not seem troubling.
Typically, the Exposure and Response Prevention exercises are repeated on a schedule so that the person with OCD becomes habituated to the anxiety producing situation and no longer feels the necessity to perform the compulsive behaviors.