Exposure & Response Prevention Therapy (ERP)

Key Takeaways:

Oasis Eating Recovery in Fresno, California provides specialized ERP therapy (Exposure and Response Prevention) for eating disorders, OCD, phobias, and anxiety. Services are offered at the outpatient, PHP, and IOP levels of care.
ERP therapy is evidence-based and clinician-led, helping clients face fears, reduce compulsive behaviors, and build healthier coping skills. Licensed mental health professionals deliver treatment with empathy and personalized planning.
Who is ERP therapy for? Adolescents, young adults, and adults struggling with anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, ARFID, OCD, social anxiety, or related conditions.
ERP is often integrated with CBT, EMDR, mindfulness, and family therapy at Oasis to support holistic recovery and long-term results.
What is ERP therapy? ERP is a type of CBT that gradually exposes individuals to feared foods, thoughts, or situations while preventing old rituals or avoidance, helping anxiety decrease over time.

Recovery is possible. And so are you

ERP Therapy in Fresno, California

Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) therapy is a highly effective form of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) designed to help people confront fears and reduce avoidance behaviors. Considered the gold standard for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and anxiety disorders, ERP has also become a valuable tool in the treatment of eating disorders, where food avoidance, fear-based rituals, and anxiety around mealtimes can take over daily life.

At Oasis Eating Recovery in Fresno, California, our ERP program near you is tailored for both adolescents and adults. Whether you or a loved one is struggling with OCD, phobias, social anxiety, or an eating disorder such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia, binge eating disorder, or ARFID, ERP provides a structured way to face fears and build healthier coping strategies.

Small steps still move you forward

Why Choose ERP at Oasis Eating Recovery?

Specialized clinicians: Experienced in ERP for both eating disorders and OCD.
Evidence-based care: Our interventions are grounded in decades of research.
Compassionate approach: ERP is always delivered with empathy, never force.
Focus on well-being: We don’t just target symptoms—we support self-esteem, confidence, and resilience.

Tiny steps lead to big changes

What to Expect in ERP Therapy Sessions

Every ERP program at Oasis is personalized. Our Fresno therapists collaborate with clients to create a plan that feels safe and manageable.

Assessment: Identifying triggers, rituals, and avoidance behaviors.
Planning exposures: Creating a hierarchy of feared foods, situations, or thoughts.
Response prevention: Building strength by resisting old compulsions.
Managing co-existing medical conditions like high blood pressure or diabetes
Integration: Using ERP skills at home, school, or in social settings.

ERP is typically a short-term, outpatient therapy, but its impact lasts far beyond treatment. Clients develop coping strategies that can be applied throughout life.

You don't have to earn rest or care

ERP as Part of Comprehensive Care at Oasis

ERP is most effective when combined with other evidence-based therapies. At Oasis Eating Recovery, ERP may be integrated with:

CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy): Addressing negative thought patterns.
Mindfulness practices: Reducing anxiety and stress through present-moment awareness.
EMDR: Helping process traumatic experiences that contribute to avoidance or compulsions.
Family therapy: Equipping loved ones to support ERP progress at home.

This integrated model allows our mental health professionals to create a truly personalized treatment plan for each client.

You’re already doing better than you think

How ERP Works

ERP helps individuals face the very triggers they’ve been avoiding, whether that’s a specific food, a social situation, or an intrusive thought. The process unfolds step by step with the support of a licensed mental health professional in Fresno:

Exposure therapy – Clients are gently exposed to feared foods, situations, or thoughts in a safe, controlled way.
Response prevention – Instead of engaging in compulsions (restricting, purging, reassurance-seeking, or rituals), clients practice new, healthier responses.
Coping strategies – Skills like mindfulness, grounding, and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) techniques help reduce distress.
Lasting change – Over time, anxiety naturally decreases, and clients learn that they can manage stressors without falling back into harmful patterns.

This approach has been shown through decades of evidence-based treatment research to improve outcomes for both eating disorders and mental health conditions like OCD.

You don't have to earn rest or care

ERP for Eating Disorders

While ERP is well known in the field of psychotherapy for treating OCD, it is equally powerful in addressing eating disorders, especially those marked by fear and avoidance. At Oasis, ERP is commonly used in the treatment of:

Anorexia nervosa: Helping clients gradually reintroduce avoided foods and reduce rigid eating rituals.
Bulimia nervosa: Confronting urges tied to purging and ritualized behaviors.
Binge eating disorder: Reducing avoidance and the cycle of emotional eating.
ARFID (Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder): ERP is central to our ARFID program, where clients are gently introduced to new foods and helped to overcome sensory sensitivities and fears such as choking.

By working with trained clinicians, clients build healthier eating patterns, restore nutrition, and improve overall well-being. ERP gives them tools to face mealtimes with less fear and more confidence.

Who We Treat

At Oasis Eating Recovery, we provide ERP for both adolescents and young adults, as well as adults who need ongoing care.

Adolescents: Teens may experience OCD, social anxiety, or eating disorders that interfere with school, friendships, and family life. ERP helps them face fears in real time, giving them confidence and healthier coping strategies.
Young adults: College life, career stressors, and life transitions often trigger anxiety, relationship issues, or disordered eating. ERP supports young adults in building resilience and self-esteem.
Adults: For those managing long-term eating disorders, OCD, or trauma-related symptoms, ERP provides structured support to disrupt entrenched avoidance and compulsive behaviors.

Recovery doesn’t require perfection, just presence

ERP Beyond Eating Disorders

Although eating recovery is our primary focus, ERP also helps with a range of mental health conditions:

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD): Facing intrusive thoughts without compulsions.
Phobias and social anxiety: Reducing avoidance of feared situations.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): Used alongside prolonged exposure therapy to address trauma triggers.
Compulsive behaviors: Breaking cycles of ritualized actions that interfere with daily life.

Many clients with eating disorders also live with co-occurring disorders such as OCD, trauma, or substance use issues. ERP is flexible enough to address both the eating disorder and related mental health challenges, supporting holistic recovery.

Outpatient ERP Therapy in Southern California

Unlike hospitals or residential centers, Oasis focuses exclusively on outpatient treatment. This means clients can receive high-quality ERP therapy while continuing with school, work, or family life. We do not offer inpatient treatment, but we do provide intensive outpatient (IOP) and partial hospitalization (PHP) levels of care when more structure is needed.

Our Fresno clinic serves individuals across Southern California, including clients from Los Angeles, San Diego, and surrounding communities seeking specialized ERP therapy. Both in-person therapy sessions and telehealth options are available to ensure access to care.

This isn’t the end of your story

Begin ERP Therapy in Fresno Today

ERP therapy offers hope for those struggling with eating disorders, OCD, and related anxiety disorders. At Oasis Eating Recovery in Fresno, California, our ERP program empowers clients to face fears, reduce compulsive behaviors, and build lasting freedom in their relationship with food, body, and life.

Call our treatment center near you today to learn more about starting ERP therapy with one of our compassionate providers. Recovery begins with the courage to take one step forward—and we’re here to guide you every step of the way.

Admissions Process

We know that asking for help takes courage. Getting in touch is the first step. We’re here for you, no matter what. Once submitted, our admissions team will be in touch within 24 hours.

Or call us directly to get started: (559) 245-6203

Comprehensive Treatment and Therapy

We create a comprehensive treatment plan to ensure continued healing and support with group therapy, nutrition, body image groups, individual/family sessions.