3 Everyday Locations To Practice ERP Therapy in Los Angeles
If you’ve been doing research on Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), then you may have already heard about Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) therapy. It is the most researched treatment for OCD and highly effective for many. It also works well in treating other conditions where there may be avoidance or safety behaviors, like social anxiety, generalized anxiety, panic disorder, etc. ERP works by gradually facing feared situations while learning to resist compulsions or safety behaviors.
OCD can really convince you of some inaccurate information. It can cause you to believe that the things you fear are more likely to occur than they really are. And it can cause you to underestimate your ability to cope with challenging feelings. ERP therapy teaches you that these outcomes may not be as catastrophic as you had once believed, and that you’re capable of coping without engaging in compulsions (even if the worst were to happen!)
One of the most important components of ERP therapy is practice in between sessions. You spend many more hours in the real world, so this is the way to really reinforce all the learning. Below are some everyday locations in Los Angeles where you can practice ERP, along with exposure ideas based on different OCD themes. These are just ideas- exposures should really be tailored to your specific fears and address your specific compulsions. Getting help from an OCD therapist in Los Angeles can help ensure that ERP is being applied in the most effective way.
Coffee Shops
If you enjoy coffee or cafe treats, then use this as an opportunity to head over to your favorite coffee shop and combine ERP with a tasty experience. Practicing ERP doesn’t have to be a chore. Coffee shops are great settings for practicing ERP therapy because you can encounter some everyday triggers in a fairly casual environment, either alone or with others.
Contamination OCD- Touch all kinds of surfaces like the counter, tables, display items for sale, bathroom handles, etc. Resist compulsions like handwashing or decontamination rituals, sanitizing immediately, mental checking, etc.
Perfectionism/ “Just Right” OCD- Order your usual drink with something slightly “off”, order something new without reviewing the full menu, sit with your items on the table in the “wrong way”, stir your drink in the opposite direction, etc. Resist compulsions like adjusting, fixing, checking, mental ruminations, etc.
Relationship OCD (ROCD)- Sit near couples or observe couples around you, bring your partner with you, scroll through social media content about relationships, look at photos or texts from your partner, etc. Resist compulsions like comparing, mental reviewing, seeking reassurance, etc.
Harm OCD- Listen to a crime podcast, read a triggering news article on your laptop, read an imaginal script of your worst case scenario in loops, keep your utensils in your hands while eating, etc. Resist taking excessive precautions, self-reassurance, checking, etc.
Coffee shop suggestions in the Los Angeles area:
Blue Bottle 1103 Abbot Kinney Blvd, Venice, CA 90291
Alfred Coffee 8428 Melrose Pl, Los Angeles, CA 90069
Urth Caffe- Melrose 459 S Hewitt St, Los Angeles, CA 90013
Caffe Luxxe- Brentwood 11640 San Vicente Blvd #101, Los Angeles, CA 90049
Espresso Cielo- Santa Monica 1431 2nd St, Santa Monica, CA 90401
Intelligentsia Coffee- Silver Lake 3922 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90029
Go Get Em Tiger- West Los Angeles 8253 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90046
Shopping Centers and Malls
Shopping centers and malls can be a great opportunity to practice ERP. There is a lot of flexibility and opportunity to vary the intensity of exposures. For example, going on a weekday morning will be a different experience than going on a weekend afternoons. Specific stores may be more triggering than others. There are escalators, balconies, railings, fountains, upper levels, and all sorts of unique structures exist in shopping centers/malls that could be used for various OCD themes.
Relationship OCD (ROCD)- Observe other couples as you walk or people-watch, browse through stores where couples might be shopping together (i.e. stores that offer wedding registries or home furnishing stores could be good), sit near a couple while you eat, etc. Call or text your partner if you’re not with them. Resist compulsions like comparing, checking feelings, analyzing your partner’s reactions or behaviors, reassurance seeking, etc.
Pedophilia OCD- Browse through stores where there will be children or teens (Lego, Disney, teen clothing shops, etc.), sit outside a store that caters to youth and observe the customers going in and out, sit near a family at the food court, hang out by the children’s play zones, etc. Resist compulsions like comparing, mentally analyzing, body scanning, etc.
Harm OCD- Walk through crowded areas, hold a heavy item as you shop through stores, go to a culinary store and browse through the sharp culinary items, stand near others while on escalators or near a balcony on an upper floor, etc. Resist compulsions like monitoring body movements, self-reassurance, clutching items close to you, mental reviewing, etc.
Contamination OCD- Take elevators with others, touch high contact public surfaces (i.e. escalator rails, elevator buttons, door handles, shopping cart handles, etc.), use public restrooms, eat in the food court, try on clothes in fitting rooms, etc. Resist compulsions like excessive hand washing, decontamination, using protective barriers, checking, etc.
Perfectionism/ “Just Right” OCD- Walk in a way that feels “wrong”, keep your items out of order, buy something without looking for the perfect item, shop while wearing your outfit imperfectly, put items back in a not perfect way, etc. Resist compulsions like checking, fixing, doing things over again, comparing, etc.
Shopping Mall suggestions in the Los Angeles area:
The Grove 189 The Grove Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90036
Westfield Century City 10250 Santa Monica Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90067
Glendale Galleria 100 West Broadway, Glendale, CA 91210, USA
The Americana 889 Americana Way, Glendale, CA 91210
Santa Monica Place 395 Santa Monica Place, Santa Monica, CA 90401
Third Street Promenade 1351 3rd Street Promenade, Santa Monica, CA 90401
The Bloc 700 W 7th St, Los Angeles, CA 90017
Westfield Topanga 6600 Topanga Canyon Blvd, Canoga Park, CA 91303
Movie Theaters
Movie theaters can be fun places and provide great opportunities for ERP practice. You’ll encounter shared spaces with strangers, unpredictable movie content, seating arrangements, etc., which can be great for exposure work. But do find a movie that you want to watch and perhaps some companions that you enjoy spending time with. ERP works best when exposures are aligned with that’s important to you, like engaging in a fun activity and connecting with important people.
Sexual Orientation OCD (SO-OCD)- Watch a movie around relationship themes (if LGBTQ+ themes are triggering, you can find movies at Queer Film Los Angeles), observe couples of the SO that you are doubting, stay connected to romantic scenes in movies, etc. Resist compulsions like scanning for arousal, comparing, mental rumination, analyzing, testing emotions, etc.
Contamination OCD- Keep your hands on the arm rests, rest your head on the seat, touch seats as you’re walking down the aisle, eat with your hands, use the public restroom, sit next to a stranger, etc. Resist compulsions like hand washing rituals, decontamination, using protective barriers, avoiding proximity with others, etc.
Relationship OCD (ROCD)- Watch a romance movie, notice attractive actors, attend an evening show when couples are likely to be on dates, observe couples in the lobby, sit next to or near another couple, go to the movies with your partner, etc. Resist compulsions like mentally comparing, analyzing, testing emotions, etc.
Pedophilia OCD- Watch a movie with child actors, sit near a family with children, go early in the day when there is a greater likelihood of children attending, hang around the snack or game areas in the lobby where children or teens are likely to be, etc. Resist compulsions like checking for groinal response, mental neutralization, analyzing, etc.
Movie Theater suggestions in the Los Angeles area:
Alamo Drafthouse Cinema Downtown Los Angeles 700 W 7th St Ste. U240, Los Angeles, CA 90017
Laemmle Glendale 207 N Maryland Ave, Glendale, CA 91206
The Landmark Westwood 1045 Broxton Ave #2803, Los Angeles, CA 90024
Regal LA Live & 4DX 1000 W Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90015
New Beverly Cinema 7165 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036
Nuart Theatre 11272 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90025
Hope a few of these ideas make your OCD journey a little smoother! And keep in mind that these exposure ideas are suggestions- it is always best to engage in ERP that is tailored to you and your specific fears. An OCD therapist can guide you in that process so that you’re targeting the right thing and getting the most of out your practice.
If you want some more ideas, be sure to check out 3 Everyday Locations to Practice ERP Therapy in San Francisco (these could be applied no matter where you live!)
