Therapy for OCD in Copenhagen: How ERP Works to Take Your Life Back

OCD can take up hours that you wanted to spend doing something else. You might be checking, washing, searching online, or going over the same question in your head. You get some relief, then the doubt returns and you feel pulled into doing it again.

You may recognise that the checking is excessive or that you’ve already answered the question. That doesn’t necessarily make it easier to stop.

In my work with OCD, we look closely at this pattern and practise changing how you respond. I use exposure and response prevention, or ERP, an established psychological treatment for OCD, usually delivered as part of cognitive behavioural therapy.

Understanding what keeps you stuck

OCD involves intrusive, unwanted thoughts, images, or urges, alongside compulsions you feel driven to carry out. The thoughts can focus on things that matter deeply to you: your family’s safety, your relationship, your beliefs, or whether you’re a good person.

Compulsions can be physical, such as repeatedly checking the stove or washing your hands. They can also happen in your mind. You might review a memory, analyse your intentions, repeat a phrase, or check whether you feel the “right” emotion.

For example, an upsetting thought about your partner might lead you to spend the evening examining your feelings. You find an answer that feels reassuring, but a few minutes later you wonder whether you were honest with yourself. The analysis starts again.

Understanding those less visible compulsions is an important part of treatment.

What does ERP involve and How does it Work for OCD?

The exposure part of ERP means approaching a thought, situation, or feeling that triggers your OCD. Response prevention means practising leaving out the compulsion you would usually use to deal with it.

If you repeatedly check a lock, an exercise might involve locking the door once and leaving while the urge to check is still there. If you mentally review conversations, it might involve noticing the urge to replay one and choosing to continue with your evening.

We choose exercises based on your symptoms and goals. I’ll explain the purpose of each one, and we’ll discuss what makes it difficult.

You may still feel anxious or uncertain during the practice. We work on your ability to continue without completing the ritual or finding an answer that feels completely convincing.

How we pace the work

ERP can be uncomfortable, so planning matters. We agree on a starting point that gives you something useful to practise and build from there.

Between sessions, you try the agreed exercises in daily life. When we meet again, we look at what happened. Perhaps you managed to resist checking but then sought reassurance from your partner. Perhaps an exercise was harder than expected, or you discovered a compulsion you hadn’t noticed before.

Those details help us adjust the plan. I want you to be able to tell me when something feels confusing, overwhelming, or unhelpful.

Intrusive thoughts you may find difficult to discuss

I work with OCD involving contamination, checking, fears of causing harm, relationship doubts, moral or religious concerns, and unwanted sexual thoughts. Intrusive thoughts can also occur after becoming a parent.

You may have seen the term “Pure O” used for OCD that appears to involve thoughts alone. Often, compulsions are present but happen internally, through reviewing, analysing, or trying to neutralise a thought.

You can describe these experiences in your own words. I’ll ask questions to understand what’s happening, including how you respond and how it affects your life.

What progress can look like

Progress might mean leaving home with less checking, spending less time analysing a thought, or returning to something you’ve been avoiding. We’ll connect the work to changes that matter to you and review how it’s going.

Treatment length varies. Some people also benefit from medication, which can be discussed with a doctor alongside psychological treatment.

If you’re looking for OCD therapy in Copenhagen, I offer ERP in English at Village Therapy, and I'm happy to talk to you more about how ERP works for OCD. You can contact me or book a free introductory call to discuss what you’d like help with.

For more information about recommended OCD treatments, see the NICE treatment guidance.