AN OCD TOOLBOX
ERP IN A BOX®
ERP in a Box® is a practical OCD toolbox designed to help you confront OCD and say no to compulsions. The tools inside provide education, prompts, and reminders to help you boss it back when OCD starts jabbering and makes its demands.
what's inside the ocd toolbox
The tools inside ERP in a Box® are designed to help you understand what OCD wants, recognize when it wants you to compulse, and practice saying no. Some cards teach. Some prompt. Some simply remind you: OCD doesn't get to make the choice for you.
How to Speak to OCD
OCD wants you to argue, reassure yourself, use logic, and prove that everything is "just right." The flashcards teach you a different way to respond: Shrug. Whatever. Who cares? So what? You don't have to win an argument with OCD. Learn to say, "It is what it is."
Practice Saying No
Scenario cards give you a chance to practice before OCD puts you on the spot. Practice responding to intrusive thoughts without giving OCD what it wants, using responses like, “That’s your problem, OCD, not mine.”
Help for Families
Families want to help, but don't always know how. Saying, “just knock it off” doesn't work—and reassurance feeds OCD. The family cards help loved ones recognize when OCD is asking them to participate in a compulsion and respond without giving OCD what it wants. Reminder cards like “This compulsion is a hoax” help plant a seed: compulsions aren't worth your time—and you don't have to give OCD what it wants.
what is erp
Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) means facing what OCD doesn't like without giving OCD the compulsion it wants.
Compulsions promise relief, certainty, or control. You may get some temporarily, but OCD always comes back wanting more. ERP gives you practice saying no instead of continuing to chase temporary relief, certainty, or control through compulsions.
ERP in a Box® helps you practice what to do when OCD wants you to compulse. Think of it like poison ivy. Scratching the itch feels good, but it spreads the problem. Compulsions work the same way. ERP means learning that you can feel the itch without scratching it.
A Quick Peek inside ERP in a Box®
Tools for Bossing it Back
Ideas for ERP
How to Speak to OCD
Role Play cards. OCD wants you to argue, reassure yourself, use logic, and prove that everything is fine. These tools help you practice a different response: Shrug. Whatever.
Family Tips
Learn how to help someone with OCD without offering reassurance or participating in compulsions.