Dr. Melanie Santos is a clinical psychologist and the founder of the Chicago Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders. In these videos, we talk about how exposure and response prevention (ERP) differs from general CBT, how safety behaviors can get in the way of progress, and what thoughtful care looks like when treating OCD.
In this clip, Dr. Melanie Santos explores how subtle safety behaviors—like reassurance seeking or avoidance—can interfere with progress in OCD treatment. She explains how identifying and reducing these behaviors is a key part of ERP.
Dr. Melanie Santos describes the emotional ups and downs of OCD treatment and the importance of staying the course. She talks about how therapy can feel discouraging at times, but how sticking with it leads to meaningful change.
Dr. Melanie Santos explains how ERP works to treat OCD. She outlines how gradual, supported exposure to feared thoughts—without engaging in rituals—can reduce anxiety over time and restore a sense of control.
