Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is frequently misunderstood, misdiagnosed, and improperly treated in clinical practice. This workshop provides mental health professionals with an evidence-based overview of OCD, including symptom presentation, diagnostic considerations, common subtypes, differential diagnosis, and treatment approaches. Special emphasis will be placed on Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), the gold-standard behavioral treatment for OCD. Participants will learn how OCD operates through cycles of intrusive thoughts, anxiety, compulsions, avoidance, and reassurance-seeking behaviors. The training will explore how compulsions can become covert, how therapists may unintentionally accommodate OCD symptoms, and how shame and stigma impact treatment engagement.

This workshop will introduce the theoretical foundations and practical implementation of ERP, including hierarchy development, exposure planning, response prevention strategies, habituation versus inhibitory learning, and managing treatment barriers. Ethical and cultural considerations, common clinician mistakes, and adaptations for various populations will also be discussed. Through case examples, experiential exercises, and clinical discussion, participants will gain practical tools to assess OCD symptoms, conceptualize cases, and implement ERP interventions within their scope of practice.