OCD Treatment in Ireland (Dublin & Online): Evidence-Based Therapy That Works

Most people who arrive on this page are looking for therapy or treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). You may already have tried counselling, read about Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), or searched online for answers, but OCD is a complex condition that needs a very specific, evidence-based approach to truly improve.

Important: OCD is highly treatable, but it’s crucial to get the right kind of help. This means working with approaches like CBT and ERP that retrain your brain’s response to obsessions – rather than just talking about your worries. Let’s start by looking at what effective OCD therapy entails, and why some approaches can fail.

The most evidence-supported psychological treatment is CBT for OCD with Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP). This page explains what that means in plain English, what to avoid, what treatment looks like in practice, and how to start.

New here? Start here:

• Start now: Start the OCD course (instant access • step-by-step)
• Not sure? Take the screening test 
• Understand OCD: What OCD is & why it sticks

Quick answers

Best therapy for OCD: CBT with ERP (often combined with ACT-style skills)
Online therapy: can work very well when ERP is delivered properly
Medication: can help as an adjunct for some people (via GP/psychiatrist)
How long it takes: varies; many people improve over weeks to months with consistent practice
Choosing a therapist: look for explicit ERP experience — not just “talk therapy”

What works (and what doesn’t) in treating OCD

I want to show you what actually works for OCD, what doesn’t, and why — because some approaches can unintentionally make the problem worse. This isn’t just opinion. I’m a Chartered Psychologist trained to doctoral level, and part of that training involved studying the international research and clinical guidelines that define which types of therapy are proven to help, and which ones have been shown to maintain or worsen symptoms. When I am doing my research to write this article, it reminds me of my professional training in psychology, a book in particular, called What works for whom? and this text basically tells those in training what particular therapeutic approach works for particular conditions.

Many people seeking help for OCD aren’t aware of this difference, so I’ll start by explaining how to recognise effective therapy and the kind of treatment that leads to recovery.

If you’ve tried general counseling or talk therapy that focused on analyzing your thoughts or childhood issues, you might have found that your OCD didn’t get better – you may have even felt more anxious. There’s a reason for this. Effective OCD treatment isn’t about endless talk or reassurance; it’s about changing your responses to the obsessive fears.

Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP): the core of effective OCD therapy

Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), usually done within a Cognitive Behavioural Therapy framework, is universally recognised as the gold-standard treatment for OCD. ERP is a structured, action-oriented therapy that teaches you to face your triggers without performing compulsions, so your brain can learn that you’re actually safe. Over time, this method breaks the OCD cycle by reducing the fear response and weakening the obsessive-compulsive urge. St Patricks is clear that, non-specific talk therapies or analytical psychotherapy are not effective for OCD– simply talking about your worries or seeking reassurance can keep the OCD loop alive. (For example, repeatedly comforting someone that “everything will be okay” may actually reinforce the obsession that something is wrong.)

International guidelines back this up: The HSE (Ireland’s Health Service Executive) and UK’s NICE recommend CBT with ERP as the first-line treatment for OCD. In practice, this means that if you’re seeking help for OCD, you should get therapy that actively works on exposure exercises and behavior change, rather than just venting feelings. To put it simply:

• What doesn’t work well: Unstructured talk therapy, endless analyzing of “why” you have these thoughts, or therapies that ignore compulsions. These can sometimes provide comfort in the moment but won’t reduce OCD symptoms – in fact, talking about your fears without facing them can feed the OCD cycle by giving obsessions more attention
• What does work: Structured CBT with ERP – a practical, step-by-step approach that helps retrain your brain’s response to obsessive thoughts. Effective OCD therapy focuses on changing behaviours and responses, not just thoughts You learn to face the obsession and resist the compulsion, with support and guidance, until your anxiety starts to fade. Progress is measured by real changes (like spending less time on rituals, regaining freedom in daily life) not just by feeling momentarily comforted.

How ERP Breaks the OCD Cycle

OCD essentially tricks your brain into reacting as if there’s real danger when there isn’t. ERP helps retrain your brain’s alarm system. By facing an obsessive fear without doing the compulsion, you teach your brain that the anxiety will eventually come down on its own and that the feared consequence never happens (or isn’t as catastrophic as OCD insists). Over repeated practice, your anxiety response diminishes – the obsession becomes less scary and less frequent, and the urge to do compulsions weakens. In effect, ERP is helping your brain form new neural pathways that say, “I don’t need to panic or ritualize around this thought.”

For example, if someone has a contamination obsession (fear of germs causing illness) and a compulsion of excessive hand washing, a course of ERP would involve gradual exposure to “germy” situations (like touching a doorknob) and then preventing the washing ritual afterward. At first this is anxiety-provoking, but with coaching and repetition, the person learns that nothing terrible happens if they don’t wash immediately – the anxiety spikes and then falls. Over time, their urge to wash can drop dramatically. As the HSE describes it, ERP involves graded exposure – starting with easier challenges and moving to harder ones as you build confidence It may sound challenging, but people do get better with ERP and it has a strong success rate backed by research.

ERP in Practice

A key thing to know is that ERP therapy is done at your pace and with your informed consent. A qualified OCD therapist will never force you into a terrifying exposure unprepared or “throw you in the deep end.” Instead, you and your therapist will create a plan together, often making a list (hierarchy) of situations that trigger your OCD from least to most anxiety-provoking. You’ll start with something that causes manageable anxiety and practice the exposure exercise with full support. As you succeed with easier tasks, your confidence grows and you move up the list.

Therapists also use techniques to support you through ERP, such as teaching you anxiety-reduction skills (breathing, mindfulness) or cognitive strategies to handle the flood of fear and doubt. The motto is “challenging but not overwhelming” – ERP should push you enough to learn, but not so much that you feel unsafe. Many clients are surprised by how empowering ERP becomes; what once terrified you can turn into “no big deal” after repeated, skillfully guided practice.

Below you will find two articles I wrote to show you how to try some ERP exercises

• Practical ERP exercises
• First week of ERP

How ERP breaks the cycle

OCD essentially tricks your brain into reacting as if there’s real danger when there isn’t. ERP helps retrain your brain’s alarm system. By facing an obsessive fear without doing the compulsion, you teach your brain that the anxiety will eventually come down on its own and that the feared consequence never happens (or isn’t as catastrophic as OCD insists). Over repeated practice, your anxiety response diminishes – the obsession becomes less scary and less frequent, and the urge to do compulsions weakens. In effect, ERP is helping your brain form new neural pathways that say, “I don’t need to panic or ritualise around this thought.”

For example, if someone has a contamination obsession (fear of germs causing illness) and a compulsion of excessive hand washing, a course of ERP would involve gradual exposure to “germy” situations (like touching a doorknob) and then preventing the washing ritual afterward. At first this is anxiety-provoking, but with coaching and repetition, the person learns that nothing terrible happens if they don’t wash immediately – the anxiety spikes and then falls. Over time, their urge to wash can drop dramatically. As the HSE describes it, ERP involves graded exposure – starting with easier challenges and moving to harder ones as you build confidence. It may sound challenging, but people do get better with ERP, and it has a strong success rate backed by research.

The role of CBT and ACT in OCD treatment

While ERP is the central component, it doesn’t exist in isolation. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) provides the overall framework. In addition to exposure exercises, CBT addresses the thought patterns behind OCD. For instance, people with OCD often give excessive meaning to their intrusive thoughts (“Having this thought means I’m a terrible person” or “If I don’t do this ritual, something awful will happen”). A therapist may use cognitive techniques to gently challenge and reframe these beliefs. You learn that an intrusive thought is “just a thought,” not an indicator of reality or morality. This cognitive work complements ERP by reducing the terror associated with the obsessions.

Another helpful approach is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), which many OCD specialists integrate alongside ERP. ACT focuses on teaching you to accept the presence of intrusive thoughts without fighting them and to commit to value-driven actions (instead of compulsions). In OCD treatment, ACT techniques can build your tolerance for uncertainty and distress. For example, if an obsessive doubt hits (“What if I left the stove on?”), ACT encourages a mindset of allowing that uncertainty to be there (“I may never be 100% sure, and that’s okay”) while you continue with your day. This mindset supports ERP because resisting compulsions inherently means accepting some uncertainty.

In summary, the best practice therapy for OCD usually combines these elements:

• ERP – repeated, supervised exposure to fears with prevention of rituals (the core of treatment).
• CBT (Cognitive techniques) – understanding and reshaping distorted beliefs about the obsessions (e.g., inflated responsibility, need for absolute certainty).
• ACT (Acceptance strategies) – learning to live with uncertainty and anxious thoughts without letting them drive your behavior.

Using these evidence-based approaches, OCD treatment teaches your brain a new way to respond. It’s not a quick fix or a pleasant chat – it’s more like taking your brain to the gym. But it works: studies and clinical experience show ERP-based therapy can significantly reduce OCD symptoms for the majority of people who complete treatment. In fact, one large review found about 75% of people who stick with CBT/ERP therapy improve substantially, many to the point where OCD no longer controls their life. (Even if OCD isn’t “cured,” it can often be managed so well that it feels like a minor issue or fades entirely.)

A brief definition: what OCD is (and what it isn’t)

For a complete in depth overview of obsessive compulsive disorder, please see my Guide to OCD.

OCD involves:

• Obsessions: intrusive thoughts/images/urges that create distress
• Compulsions: behaviours or mental rituals aimed at reducing distress or preventing feared outcomes

OCD is not “being tidy” or liking order. It’s an anxiety-driven cycle that can consume time, energy, and attention — even when you know the fear doesn’t make sense.

If you’re not sure whether what you’re experiencing is OCD (or a related anxiety pattern), a specialist assessment can clarify it quickly.

What to Expect from OCD Therapy

Beginning therapy for OCD can feel daunting – you might be nervous about confronting your fears or unsure how talking to someone will help. Understanding the therapy journey can ease a lot of that anxiety. Here’s what OCD treatment typically looks like in practice when you work with a specialist in Ireland (whether in Dublin or via online sessions):

1. Assessment and Understanding Your OCD: In the first session(s), your therapist will get to know you and the specific nature of your OCD. This involves discussing the obsessions and compulsions you experience, when they started, and how they affect your life. You’ll talk about your goals for therapy – for example, being able to drive freely on the motorway without intrusive harm thoughts, or reducing your hand-washing to a normal level. The therapist may ask what you’ve tried so far and what has or hasn’t helped. This is a safe space: no obsession is “too weird” or shocking – trained OCD therapists have heard it all, and everything you share is confidential and free of judgment. The aim is to map out the OCD cycle in your life: what triggers your anxiety, what thoughts come up, what rituals you do, and how it all keeps going.

2. Psychoeducation: A good therapist will spend time educating you about how OCD works. They’ll explain (in understandable terms) why OCD causes such intense anxiety and why doing compulsions, though it provides short relief, actually makes the condition worse in the long run. You’ll learn about concepts like exposure and response prevention, the role of avoidance, and the importance of uncertainty. This knowledge itself can be empowering – many people feel relieved to learn there’s a logical, brain-based explanation for their condition and a clear roadmap to treat it. At this stage, you might also discuss why past therapies or strategies didn’t help (for instance, just talking about fears or seeking reassurance doesn’t rewire the brain’s response). This sets the stage for the active work to come and ensures you and your therapist are on the same page with the approach.

3. Developing a Plan (Your Fear Hierarchy): Together with your therapist, you will create a graded list of exposure exercises tailored to your obsessions. This is often called a hierarchy. You brainstorm various situations that trigger your OCD, then rate them by the level of anxiety they provoke. For example, if you have contamination OCD, touching a public doorknob without washing might be high on the list, whereas touching your own kitchen counter might be lower. If you have intrusive harm thoughts, perhaps holding a plastic butter knife is only mildly stressful, but holding a sharp kitchen knife next to someone rates very high. By laying these out, you both have a clear structure for therapy. You’ll typically start with lower or middle level challenges that are significant but achievable. This collaborative planning ensures that you’re comfortable with each step and know what’s coming. Nothing will be sprung on you suddenly – you’ll always agree on what exposure to do and when.

4. Exposure Exercises and Skills Practice: This is the core of therapy – the part where you practice facing fears and resisting compulsions. In session, the therapist might guide you through an exposure exercise. For instance, a person with a fear of someone breaking in might deliberately leave a door slightly unlocked for a short time under the therapist’s guidance (if that’s on their hierarchy), and practice refraining from the checking compulsion while noticing that anxiety rises and falls. A person with obsessive blasphemous thoughts might write out the “worst case” sentence that scares them and read it aloud, while practicing not doing any mental neutralizing prayer. During these exercises, your therapist provides coaching, encouragement, and techniques to cope. You might use breathing techniques to ride out the anxiety spike, or your therapist might prompt you to recall the facts you learned (“Remember, this feeling will peak and pass. You’re teaching your brain right now.”).

After the in-session practice, you’ll also be given homework to do on your own. This could mean repeating the same exposure daily between sessions. Homework is vital – OCD is with you in real life, not just in the therapy office, so real progress happens by consistently applying these skills outside of sessions. Your therapist might have you keep a log of your practices, any challenges that came up, and successes you achieved. Each week, you review how it went, troubleshoot any difficulties, and then step by step, move to the next challenge when ready. Throughout this process, you’ll also be learning tools to manage anxiety and uncertainty without reverting to rituals. This can include mindfulness techniques (to observe thoughts without reacting), strategies from ACT to handle doubt, or simply new habits to replace old compulsive routines.

5. Monitoring Progress and Adjusting: As therapy continues, you and your therapist will track your progress. Perhaps your rating of anxiety for a certain trigger has dropped from an 8/10 to a 3/10 after a few weeks – a great sign that habituation is occurring. Maybe you’ve reduced a ritual from 1 hour a day to 10 minutes, or you’ve done something you avoided for years (like driving on a busy road, touching your baby without washing repeatedly, etc.). Celebrating these wins is important! It reinforces that the therapy is working and motivates you to keep going. If something isn’t improving, the therapist will collaborate with you on tweaking the strategy – maybe breaking an exposure into smaller steps, or addressing a sneaky safety behavior that slipped in (like using hand sanitizer as a “cheat” – which they’ll help you phase out). Therapy is individualized, so this is the stage where it’s fine-tuned to your needs. You’ll also discuss when to move to more challenging exposures as you build confidence.

6. Relapse Prevention and Maintenance: As you near the end of the planned sessions, therapy will focus on how to maintain your gains. OCD can be chronic for some people, meaning the tendency for intrusive thoughts might not vanish forever – but with the skills you’ve learned, you can manage it so it doesn’t disrupt your life. The therapist will help you identify any remaining areas of vulnerability and create a plan to handle future setbacks. This might include booster sessions later on, or a list of practices to keep up (like purposely doing a challenging exposure once in a while to “keep the muscle strong”). Many therapists schedule a follow-up a few months after the main therapy ends, to check in on how you’re doing and reinforce strategies as needed. By this point, you should feel like you have a toolkit to handle OCD flare-ups and the confidence that you’re in control, not the OCD.

How Long Does OCD Treatment Take?

One of the most common questions is: “How long until I get better?” The honest answer is it varies from person to person, depending on factors like the severity of your OCD, how long you’ve had it, and how consistently you can engage in therapy. That said, there are some general expectations we can discuss.

OCD treatment is not an overnight fix, but many people start to notice small improvements within a number of weeks of consistent therapy. Significant, life-changing improvement often occurs within a few months of dedicated work. Clinical guidelines and research suggest that a typical course of CBT with ERP for OCD might involve around 10 to 20 weekly sessions for moderate casesocdireland.org. In fact, about 75% of those who fully commit to these ~10–20 sessions experience a substantial reduction in symptomsocdireland.org – for example, their compulsions might reduce to a manageable level and their anxiety decreases significantly.

For some individuals, progress comes faster; for others, slower. Milder or more recent-onset OCD might respond in a shorter number of sessions. Severe or long-standing OCD (or OCD complicated by other conditions like depression) can take longer, often several months to a year of ongoing work. It’s important not to compare yourself too much with others – OCD isn’t a race, and even small steps forward are meaningful.

Here are a few more points on timing and duration:

• Early Phase (Weeks 1–4): You’re learning and laying groundwork. Many people feel a bit better just by understanding OCD and having a plan. You might start a few small exposures and notice “wins,” which builds hope.
• Middle Phase (Around 2–3 months in): This is where a lot of change happens if you’re doing regular exposures. You might suddenly realize you’re spending far less time on rituals, or an obsession that used to paralyze you now only mildly bothers you. By the 10th session (usually around 3 months if weekly), many patients see at least 50% improvement in their symptom severity, according to studies. Some may even feel almost back to normal on good days.
• Later Phase (3+ months): If your OCD was very entrenched, continuing therapy beyond 3 months can further chip away at it. Some people do up to 4-6 months (16-24 sessions) or more. It really depends on your needs and financial/logistical situation. The goal is lasting change, not rushing the process. If you have multiple OCD themes or very high anxiety, more practice over time helps cement your progress.
• Maintenance: Once symptoms are under control, you might step down to biweekly or monthly sessions, or just occasional check-ins. As a rule of thumb, after a successful course of therapy, many clinicians recommend follow-up booster sessions for up to 6 months to a year. This helps prevent relapse and keeps you confident in your self-managed skills.

And what about relapse or setbacks? It’s possible that stress or major life changes in the future could cause some OCD symptoms to resurface. This doesn’t mean treatment didn’t work – it means OCD is a chronic condition for many, and periodic tune-ups are normal. The good news is that if OCD pops up again, you now know exactly what to do. Many people find they can self-manage small flare-ups using the techniques they learned, and if needed, they come back for a few booster sessions to get back on track. The relapse rate after ERP therapy is significantly lower than with just medication alone, especially if you continue to apply the principles and maybe do occasional refreshers. Think of it like physical therapy for an injury – you might need to keep doing your exercises now and then to stay strong.

Bottom line: Expect to commit a few months to the process. You’ll likely see gradual, steady improvement, and with persistence, many people reach a point where OCD is no longer a daily struggle.

Your OCD Treatment Options in Ireland

If you’re seeking OCD help in Ireland, what are your options? Thankfully, there are multiple avenues for support – from professional therapy to self-help and medical treatment. Here we outline the main OCD treatment optionsavailable, so you can consider what fits your situation best (often a combination is ideal):

• Specialist OCD Therapy (CBT/ERP): Working one-on-one with a mental health professional who specializesin OCD is one of the most effective routes. In Ireland, this might be a clinical psychologist, counseling psychologist, or cognitive-behavioral therapist with specific training in treating OCD. Some psychiatrists and psychotherapists also have OCD expertise. The key is that they use CBT with Exposure and Response Prevention, as discussed earlier. You can find such specialists in private practice (for example, in Dublin or other major cities) or sometimes through clinics. Sessions are typically weekly for about an hour. This personalized therapy provides structure, accountability, and expert guidance – crucial for many people to successfully overcome OCD. (In the next section, we’ll talk about how to choose a qualified OCD therapist in Ireland.)
• Online OCD Therapy: If you’re not in a city or prefer not to commute, online therapy is a highly viable option. Many OCD specialists in Ireland offer therapy via secure video calls. In fact, online OCD therapy can be just as effective as in-person – and for some situations, even more effective. For example, doing ERP from your own home can be beneficial for home-based triggers (your therapist can guide you to face fears right in the environment where they occur). Irish clients have the advantage of accessing OCD experts anywhere in the country (or even abroad) without travel. So if the best-fit therapist for you is in Cork or Galway and you’re in Dublin (or vice versa), you can still work together. Online therapy also enables continuity if you travel or have a busy schedule. All you need is a private space and an internet connection. Many people in smaller towns around Ireland use online sessions to get specialist help that isn’t available locally. The process of online ERP is very similar – you’ll still do exposures (sometimes the therapist might have you point your webcam at an activity, or they might screen-share materials). Don’t worry that it’s less personal; therapists are adept at building the same supportive rapport through video. The evidence and clinical experience show OCD therapy works well online, so this option greatly expands access to treatment.
• Self-Help and Support Groups: In addition to or sometimes before/after formal therapy, self-help strategies can play a role. Some individuals start with self-help if their OCD is milder, or use it as an adjunct to therapy. Self-help can include reading books on OCD (preferably ones based on CBT/ERP principles), completing self-guided online courses or workbooks, or using mobile apps designed for OCD treatment. For example, there are OCD workbooks that walk you through creating exposure hierarchies and teach cognitive techniques. My own online OCD course is one such resource that provides video modules and exercises you can do at your own pace.
• Medication (Adjunct to Therapy): Medication is another important treatment pillar for OCD, usually used in conjunction with therapy or in cases where therapy alone isn’t fully effective. The most common medications for OCD are a type of antidepressants called SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) – examples include sertraline, fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, paroxetine, and citalopram. These medications, when taken at sufficient doses, can help reduce OCD symptoms for many people by altering serotonin levels in the brain. They don’t “cure” OCD, but they can lower the intensity of obsessions and anxiety, which can make doing therapy easier. Typically, you would get medication through your GP or a psychiatrist. Your GP can prescribe an SSRI for OCD, though often psychiatrists manage more severe cases or when multiple medications are considered.
• Public vs Private Services: In Ireland, you can seek OCD treatment through the public healthcare system (HSE) or privately. The public route typically starts with visiting your GP. Your GP can refer you to a community mental health team. In some areas, there are Clinical Psychologists or Cognitive Behavioural Therapy specialists within the HSE who can provide therapy, or Clinical Nurse Specialists in CBT for OCD. However, availability is hit-or-miss; some regions might not have an OCD specialist on staff, and wait times can be long due to demand. If your symptoms are very severe (for example, requiring hospitalisation), there are psychiatric services and even a specialized inpatient OCD program in certain hospitals (like St. Patrick’s in Dublin). For most people with moderate OCD, the reality is that private therapy is the more accessible option to get ERP treatment without a long wait. Many choose to see private therapists (paying per session, or using health insurance if it covers psychology). The HSE website and OCD Ireland provide guidance but do not list specific therapists. OCD Ireland suggests using directories like the BABCP register or CBT Ireland to find accredited CBT therapists who know ERP. If cost is a barrier, consider some of the self-help routes above while you’re perhaps on a waiting list, or speak to your GP about any low-cost counseling services (just be sure they offer CBT/ERP for OCD, not general counseling). Also, a few charities and training institutes in Ireland offer therapy on a sliding scale with trainee therapists (again, ensure proper supervision in OCD methods).

How to Choose an OCD Therapist in Ireland

Choosing the right therapist for OCD is crucial – the effectiveness of treatment hinges on the therapist’s knowledge of OCD-specific techniques. In order to give you the best choice available, and not just assume you want to work with me, I am going to explain how to choose a therapist that can treat your OCD properly.

• Look for CBT Training and ERP Expertise: Ensure the therapist is trained in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and specifically mentions Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) for OCD. This might appear on their website bio as specialties in anxiety/OCD or training certificates. OCD Ireland advises that any practitioner treating OCD should have at least 2-3 years of training in CBT and ideally be accredited with relevant professional bodies. In Ireland, many skilled OCD therapists are clinical psychologists (often with a Doctorate in Psychology) or counselling psychologists/psychotherapists with CBT specialization. Some might be behaviour therapists by background. Titles can vary, so focus on their approach: do they clearly state they use ERP or evidence-based OCD treatment? If a therapist does not mention these or seems to use only generic talk therapy, that’s a red flag that they may not be right for treating OCD.
• Check Credentials and Memberships: Verify if the therapist is accredited or a member of a recognized body. For CBT specialists in Ireland, relevant ones include the BABCP (British Association for Behavioural & Cognitive Psychotherapies) – many Irish CBT therapists are certified through BABCP – or CBTI (Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy Ireland)Membership in the Psychological Society of Ireland (PSI), especially in the Clinical or Counselling Psychology division, is another quality indicator (though you’ll still want to ensure they specialize in CBT/ERP). Being on the CBT Register UK & Ireland (which BABCP maintains) is a strong sign of proper training. In short, those letters and memberships show the therapist has undergone specific training and abides by professional standards.
• Experience with OCD Specifically: CBT is a broad field; not every CBT therapist has deep experience with OCD. Don’t hesitate to ask the therapist directly about their experience treating OCD. Good questions: “How many clients with OCD have you treated?” “What is your approach for OCD – do you use ERP?” A seasoned OCD therapist will likely have treated many cases and can describe their approach confidently. If someone says they use CBT but then talks vaguely about just positive thinking or doesn’t mention exposure work, they might not have the right focus. Remember, as the patient you have every right to screen for fit. OCD is particular, and a therapist who understands the nuance (for example, the difference between accommodating vs challenging compulsions) will make a huge difference.
• Avoid Questionable or Unsupported Methods: Unfortunately, there are some providers who advertise “OCD treatment” but use methods not backed by evidence – such as certain types of hypnosis, excessive childhood regression therapy, or alternative remedies instead of CBT/ERP. Be cautious of any practitioner promising a quick cure or who downplays ERP. While adjunct techniques like mindfulness, ACT (which we discussed), or medication can complement treatment, ERP should be front and centere. If you encounter a therapist who advises pure talk therapy, or says something like “We’ll just explore your past traumas and your OCD will resolve,” you might want to seek a second opinion. (Trauma-focused therapy has its place if you also have PTSD, but it’s not a primary treatment for OCD.) Also be wary of anyone who guarantees 100% cure – ethical, experienced therapists will be hopeful and optimistic but also realistic that there’s no instant magic cure.
• Consider Logistics and Personal Fit: Practical matters include location (or availability of online sessions), cost per session (and whether they’re covered by your health insurance, if you have one), and scheduling. Many therapists in private practice have a fee – in Dublin, for example, private session fees might range from €80-€130 per session, depending on the provider’s qualifications. Some insurers cover sessions with chartered psychologists or accredited psychotherapists, so check your plan. Beyond logistics, personal rapport is important too. In your first session or two, gauge how comfortable you feel with the person. Do you feel heard and understood? Is the therapist able to explain concepts in a way that clicks with you? Do they seem genuinely invested in helping you improve? Therapy is a collaboration, so you want someone you can trust and work well with. If something feels off – for instance, if the therapist doesn’t seem to “get” your fears or you feel judged – it’s okay to look for someone else. There are many compassionate OCD specialists out there, and you deserve the right match.
• Resources for Finding Therapists: To actually find names, you can use a few strategies. The OCD Ireland website suggests checking the BABCP register (which you can do online by location or specialty) or the CBTI directory Psychology Today’s online therapist finder is another place where you can filter for “OCD” and location “Ireland” or “Dublin” etc., though you’ll still need to vet their profiles for mention of ERP/CBT. Your GP might know of local psychologists who specialize in OCD, especially if they’ve referred other patients. Also, word of mouth or OCD support communities could provide referrals (keeping confidentiality in mind). When you contact a prospective therapist, feel free to ask questions about their approach before booking – most will be happy to briefly answer, knowing clients are looking for the right fit.

FAQ’s