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Evidence-based therapy approach
Exposure & Response Prevention (ERP) in Bangladesh
ERP is the gold-standard therapy for OCD. It helps you face fears without the rituals, so anxiety fades on its own and the OCD loop breaks. Work with a licensed, ERP-trained psychologist online across Bangladesh, or in person in Dhaka.
★ 4.8 Google35,000+ sessions60+ licensed psychologists
ERP at a glance
- Typical length
- Often 12–20 weekly sessions
- Each session
- About 50–90 minutes; exposures can take longer
- Style
- Facing fears step by step without the ritual, at your pace
- Between sessions
- Short daily practice exposures
- Strongest evidence
- OCD of every kind, also health anxiety and phobias
- Format
- Online or in person; home exposures can be guided by video
Meet the psychologists →In plain language: OCD says “do the ritual or something bad happens.” ERP helps you face the fear and not do the ritual, so your brain learns the anxiety passes on its own and the feared disaster doesn’t come. Done gently, in small planned steps.
The basics
What is ERP?
Exposure and Response Prevention is a specialised form of CBT, and the most effective treatment for OCD.
OCD traps people in a loop: an intrusive thought triggers anxiety, so they perform a compulsion (washing, checking, praying in a fixed way, seeking reassurance) to feel safe. The relief is brief, so the loop repeats and grows. ERP breaks it in two parts: exposure — gradually and safely facing the feared thought or situation; and response prevention — not doing the compulsion. Each time, anxiety rises and then falls on its own, and the brain learns the ritual was never what kept you safe. It is structured, paced and always at your consent — never forced.
How ERP works
Climbing the fear ladder
You and your psychologist list feared situations and rate how anxious each one makes you, from 0 to 100. You start at the bottom and only move up when a step feels manageable.
- Build it togetherYour ladder uses your own triggers and ratings. The example here is for contamination fears.
- Stay without the ritualAt each step you stay with the trigger and skip the compulsion, until the anxiety falls on its own.
- Move up slowlyEach step gets easier with practice. You decide when to climb, and you never start at the top.
Based on exposure hierarchies used in exposure and response prevention for OCD (Foa and colleagues). Example steps only.
How it works
The core steps
Build a fear ladder
Ranking feared situations from easiest to hardest.
Exposure
Facing a trigger step by step, starting with the easiest.
Response prevention
Resisting the compulsion so anxiety can fall naturally.
Ride the wave
Learning anxiety peaks and passes without the ritual.
Climb the ladder
Moving to harder steps as confidence grows.
Why people choose it
What are the benefits?
Best evidence for OCD
ERP is the internationally recommended first-line OCD treatment.
Breaks the loop
Targets the mechanism that keeps OCD alive, not just symptoms.
Lasting results
Skills that keep OCD manageable long term.
Paced & consented
You control the steps; nothing is rushed or forced.
Gets time back
Rituals shrink and hours return to daily life.
Works online
ERP can be delivered effectively over secure video.
Choosing well
Is ERP right for me?
A good fit if you
- spend a lot of time washing, checking, counting, repeating prayers or asking for reassurance
- have intrusive thoughts that you try to cancel out or push away
- have religious or moral fears that feel impossible to settle, known as scrupulosity
- are willing to feel some anxiety for a short while in exchange for lasting relief
Another approach may suit first if
- you are in crisis or feel unsafe: call 999 or go to the nearest hospital
- OCD or depression is so severe that daily life has stopped: a psychiatrist can add medication alongside ERP
- the main difficulty is a traumatic memory rather than rituals: EMDR or trauma-focused CBT
- you have general worry without rituals or compulsions: CBT
Not sure? A psychologist will map your OCD loop with you first; nothing is faced until you agree to it.
Inside the work
What sessions involve
Understand OCD
Learning how the loop works, so it feels less frightening.
Plan exposures
Building your personal fear ladder together.
Practise
Facing triggers and resisting rituals, in and between sessions.
Consolidate
Building confidence and relapse-prevention skills.
Where it helps
What ERP can help treat
OCD
All themes — contamination, checking, taboo thoughts, symmetry, scrupulosity.
Health anxiety
Reducing body-checking and reassurance-seeking.
Phobias & anxiety
Facing specific fears and avoidance.
Panic
Reducing avoidance of feared situations.
Intrusive thoughts
Learning to let thoughts come and go without rituals.
Reassurance-seeking
Breaking the checking-and-reassurance cycle.
Who can help
Psychologists you can talk to about ERP
These licensed psychologists can assess whether ERP suits you and, if a specialist fits better, refer you to the right colleague. Not sure who to choose? We will match you.
Jinat Jahan
From ৳2,400
Nasim Billah
From ৳3,000
Syeda Faria Ehsan
From ৳2,000
Jannatul Naeem
From ৳2,000
Shaheen Nafisa Siddique
From ৳4,500
Sharmin Akter Shetu
From ৳2,400
Kamrun Nahar Khan
From ৳2,500
Mesbahul Islam
From ৳3,500BCPS-verified
Tamima Tanjin
From ৳3,500BCPS-verified
Salma Parveen
From ৳4,500BCPS-verified
Hazera Khatun
From ৳3,500BCPS-verified
Dr. Tarun Kanti Gayen
From ৳4,500BCPS-verified
Choosing safely
Questions to ask an ERP therapist
- What training and experience do you have in ERP for OCD?
- How will we build the exposure plan at my pace?
- What happens if an exposure feels too hard?
- Roughly how long might treatment take?
- Can ERP be delivered online for my needs?
- Can it be adapted to my language, faith and culture?
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Will ERP force me into scary situations?
No. ERP is gradual and always done with your consent, starting with the easiest steps. You stay in control of the pace.
Why can’t I just use normal talk therapy for OCD?
General talk therapy and reassurance can accidentally feed OCD. ERP is specifically designed to break the loop and has the strongest evidence for OCD.
Does ERP work for religious or taboo-thought OCD?
Yes. ERP is adapted respectfully to all OCD themes, including scrupulosity and intrusive taboo thoughts, with cultural and faith sensitivity.
Do I also need medication?
Many people improve with ERP alone; for some, medication from a psychiatrist alongside ERP helps. This is discussed with you.
Can ERP be done online in Bangladesh?
Yes, effectively, over secure video in Bangla or English. In-person sessions are available in Dhaka.
How much does a session cost?
Chum Wellness sessions start from BDT 1,000 and vary by psychologist. The exact fee is confirmed before you book.
Read more
Related articles & guides
Practical, Bangladesh-specific reading from the Chum blog on this topic.
Persistent Depressive Disorder (Dysthymia): Signs and HelpRead article →যৌন সমস্যা ও পর্ন আসক্তি: কারণ মনে, সমাধান থেরাপিতেRead article →Psychosexual Therapy in Bangladesh: When Sexual Problems Start in the MindRead article →Mental Health Stigma in Bangladesh: Breaking the SilenceRead article →What Is Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)? A Guide for BangladeshRead article →Founder and Entrepreneur Mental Health: A Bangladesh GuideRead article →
Ready when you are
The OCD loop can be broken
Tell us what the rituals or intrusive thoughts look like for you. We will match you with a licensed psychologist trained in ERP, online across Bangladesh or in person in Dhaka, and every step is agreed with you first.
