If you’re looking for therapy that actually reduces OCD, health anxiety, panic attacks, or anxiety, the most effective approaches are Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and, for OCD, Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP).
I’m Dr Elaine Ryan (PsychD), a Doctor of Psychology with more than 20 years’ experience in CBT and ERP for OCD and anxiety-related conditions. I now make my teaching and practical materials available through structured self-help courses and evidence-based resources.
Choose the most appropriate next step:
- Learn how CBT and ERP work: Use the information below to understand these approaches and what to look for when choosing professional support.
- Start immediately with self-help: If you want to begin now, my structured online programmes teach practical CBT and ERP-based skills you can work through in your own time.
View My Online Courses | CBT Therapy | ERP Therapy | OCD Treatment | Health Anxiety Treatment | Anger Management | Anxiety Treatment | Panic Disorder Treatment | Social Anxiety | Agoraphobia
What I specialise in
Evidence-based therapy for OCD & anxiety (CBT + ERP)
CBT for anxiety disorders
CBT is a practical, structured therapy that targets the patterns that keep anxiety going — worry loops, avoidance, safety behaviours, panic cycles, and stuck habits — so you can feel better and function better in daily life.
ERP for OCD (and OCD-style anxiety patterns)
ERP is a form of CBT designed for OCD. Instead of trying to “get rid of” intrusive thoughts, ERP helps you retrain your brain by facing triggers without doing compulsions or safety behaviours — so the cycle loses fuel.
CBT works because it targets the processes that maintain anxiety. ERP is a type of CBT designed specifically for OCD and related patterns, where change happens through graded exposure and response prevention (learning to face triggers without doing the behaviours that keep the loop alive).
Who this is for
These approaches are commonly used to help adults with:
- OCD (including mental compulsions, reassurance seeking, rumination, intrusive thoughts)
- Health anxiety (checking, Googling, reassurance cycles)
- Panic attacks / panic disorder
- General anxiety and avoidance patterns
- Anger that’s driven by threat, stress, overwhelm, and reactive habits (skills-based CBT work)
Structured CBT and ERP typically involve:
- clarify what’s maintaining the problem (your specific cycle)
- agree a plan (skills + practice)
- practise the right interventions (CBT tools and/or ERP)
- track progress in real-world outcomes (time spent ritualising, avoidance reduced, life regained)
If OCD is part of the picture, ERP focuses heavily on identifying all safety behaviours (including subtle mental rituals) so your brain stops getting the “relief reward” that keeps OCD alive.
How treatment works
A stepped approach (start where you are)
Guidelines for OCD recommend a stepped-care approach, where people with milder impairment may begin with lower-intensity CBT/ERP options and step up when needed.
A stepped approach may include:
1) Start immediately (mild–moderate symptoms)
If your symptoms are mild to moderate — or you want to begin right away — start with a structured self-help programme that teaches CBT/ERP skills.
2) Seek individual professional support (moderate–severe, complex, or stuck)
If symptoms are severe, long-standing, or you have tried self-help without sufficient improvement, speak with your GP or a suitably qualified mental-health professional who can assess your needs and provide individual care.
Evidence-based approaches for OCD and anxiety
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
- Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) (CBT for OCD)
- ACT-style skills (when useful alongside CBT/ERP)
Therapy approaches explained on this site (informational guides)
My clinical focus in practice is OCD and anxiety-related conditions using CBT and ERP.
This website also includes informational explanations of many therapy models (e.g., EMDR, CAT, psychodynamic approaches, etc.) to help you understand what they are and when they’re typically used.