ERP Therapy in Long Island

Starting ERP therapy can feel intimidating, but knowing what to expect makes the process easier. At Mindset Psychology, our ERP program begins with a comprehensive intake and assessment. We’ll get to know your symptoms, your triggers, your past experiences with therapy, and how anxiety is impacting your day-to-day life.

​Next, we’ll develop an exposure hierarchy—a list of the situations, thoughts, or feelings that create anxiety, ranked from least to most distressing. Together, we’ll work through this hierarchy using gradual, controlled exposures. You’ll start with something manageable, and over time, build confidence in your ability to tolerate increasingly difficult exposures. This is where healing begins.

​Exposures may be situational (like touching a doorknob without washing), mental (like visualizing a feared scenario), or emotional (like allowing yourself to feel a feared emotion without numbing or distracting). Every step is intentional. Nothing is forced. Each exposure is followed by response prevention—resisting the compulsive behaviors or mental rituals you’ve relied on to feel “safe.” The goal is not to erase anxiety but to retrain your nervous system and learn that anxiety naturally rises and falls.

In between sessions, you’ll be encouraged to practice at-home exposures. You’ll also track progress, reflect on what you’re learning, and discuss roadblocks in therapy. As you move through the process, you’ll start to notice measurable changes: less anxiety, fewer rituals, more presence in your daily life.

​We also incorporate emotional regulation techniques, mindfulness, and cognitive reframing to support you along the way. If your symptoms are severe or you’ve avoided treatment for a long time, we provide additional stabilization strategies to ensure that ERP therapy is effective and sustainable for you.