Why Talk Therapy Isn’t Enough for OCD (And What Actually Helps)
If you’ve tried therapy before for OCD and felt like it didn’t work, you’re not alone. Many people come to ERP (Exposure and Response Prevention) feeling discouraged, confused, or even ashamed—wondering why traditional therapy hasn’t helped them feel better.
Here’s the truth:
It’s not because you weren’t trying hard enough.
It’s not because you’re too anxious or too stuck.
It’s because OCD needs a different kind of approach.
What is traditional talk therapy?
Traditional talk therapy can be incredibly helpful—for the right problems. In many forms of therapy, the focus is on:
Processing emotions
Exploring the past
Gaining insight and self-awareness
Talking through fears or frustrations
For things like grief, trauma, self-esteem, or relationship challenges, this kind of support can be incredibly healing. It gives you space to reflect, feel seen, and make meaning.
But OCD doesn’t operate in the same way.
Why talk therapy often falls short for OCD
OCD isn’t just about feeling anxious—it’s about the behaviors we do in response to that anxiety.
Here’s where things get tricky:
In a traditional therapy setting, you might spend a lot of time talking through your fears—looking for clarity, reassurance, or the “right” way to think about things.
But if you have OCD, those very efforts can become part of the problem.
You might leave sessions feeling better in the short term… only to have the same thoughts come back an hour later.
Why?
Because OCD isn’t something you can talk yourself out of.
You have to behave your way out of it.
That means resisting compulsions, tolerating uncertainty, and teaching your brain that it doesn’t have to obey everything OCD wants you to do.
So what actually works? Enter: ERP
Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) is the gold standard treatment for OCD—and for good reason.
In ERP, you learn to face the situations, thoughts, or feelings that trigger your anxiety (exposure) and resist the rituals or safety behaviors that OCD urges you to do (response prevention).
Over time, this retrains your brain to recognize that:
You can handle discomfort without fixing it
You can survive not knowing
You don’t have to do the things OCD makes you feel like you have to do
It’s active, it’s challenging, and it works.
ERP isn’t just about insight, it’s about change
In ERP, we don’t just talk about your OCD. We work together to do something different. We slowly build your ability to sit with uncertainty, reduce compulsions, and reclaim your choices.
Think of it like physical therapy for your anxiety.
We’re not just discussing what hurts—we’re building new strength and flexibility.
If you’ve tried therapy before and it didn’t help…
Please know this: You’re not out of options.
You just might not have had the right approach yet.
I specialize in helping people with OCD and anxiety using ERP. If you’re curious about what this kind of therapy looks like—or you’re just ready for something that actually works—I’d love to connect.
I offer a free 20-minute consultation call so we can talk more about what you’re going through and see if we’d be a good fit.
You can reach out at kayla@therapywithkayla.com.
You don’t have to keep spinning in circles. Let’s take a new kind of step forward—together.
