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Monday – Thursday: 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.50-minute sessionsLicensed in NCAccepting new patientsNathan Lovett, Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC) · NC Lic. # 000000(919) 555-0106
VertexDurham, North Carolina
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OCD and ERP

Exposure and response prevention for OCD

For adults whose obsessions and rituals take hours, or whose rituals happen only in the mind.

Sessions are a conversation first and practice second. Nathan listens, asks what the thoughts say and what you do about them, and then you plan practice together.

  • First, a map

    You list the thoughts, the triggers and the rituals, in your words, with Nathan.

  • Then small steps

    You choose the first step, usually a small one, and practice it in the session with Nathan beside you.

  • Between sessions

    A written plan for the week, if you want one. You decide how much to take on.

An open notebook and a tablet beside a cup of coffee on a dark wooden table

The method, and what it is not

How the work is done

  • The method

    Exposure and response prevention (ERP), a form of cognitive behavioral therapy: you face a feared thought or situation on purpose, in steps, and practice not doing the ritual that follows.

  • What this is not

    Not talk therapy about why you worry, and not reassurance. Nathan will not tell you the thought is fine, because that is the loop we are working on.

  • Length and pace

    Sessions run 50 minutes, usually weekly at first. Nathan sets the pace with you and does not promise a number of sessions or a result.

  • How it is paid

    You pay for each session yourself, and Nathan gives you the fee in writing before you start. A monthly receipt is available if your plan reimburses out-of-network care.

    How fees work

Questions

Three questions people ask

Do I have to tell you my worst thought?

Not at once. You decide what to say and when. Unwanted thoughts are what Nathan works with, and he will tell you how he works before you share anything.

What if my rituals are all in my head?

Mental rituals, like reviewing, praying or arguing with a thought, are part of OCD too, and ERP works with them. You will find out what they are as you map them together.

Can I take a break from practice?

Yes. You can pause or stop a step at any point, and you can ask to go slower.

Would you like to talk it through first?

A 15-minute call is a way to see whether we fit. It is not therapy, an evaluation or an assessment.

Write to usYour first session