Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) remains the gold standard for treating obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), yet many clinicians encounter barriers when applying ERP protocols to the complex and diverse nature of real-world cases. This workshop is designed to bridge the gap between research and everyday clinical practice by empowering therapists with practical, flexible strategies to enhance treatment effectiveness across a wide spectrum of OCD presentations.
Participants will receive a concise overview of OCD and ERP fundamentals, followed by in-depth guidance on case conceptualization and individualized treatment and intervention design. Special emphasis will be placed on the art of “flexibility within fidelity”—tailoring evidence-based interventions to each patient’s needs while preserving their core principles. The workshop will address common and complex clinical challenges, such as managing mental compulsions, addressing comorbid conditions, overcoming motivational obstacles, and engaging families in the treatment process.
Case examples, role-plays, and experiential exercises will highlight concrete skills and strategies to overcome common pitfalls and barriers, equipping clinicians with tools they can use immediately in their clinical practice. Attendees will leave with renewed confidence and practical skills to optimize outcomes for clients with OCD, even in the face of diagnostic complexity and treatment resistance.
https://frumtherapist.com/workshops/FromProtocol/viewFrom Protocol to Practice:
Mastering ERP for Complex OCD Presentations
Sunday, July 19, 2026, 6:00 PM EDT - 9:00 PM EDT
Presenter: Michael Friedman, PsyD and Liza Pincus, PsyD
Course Length: 3 Hours
This workshop Offers 3 Live Interactive Continuing Education Credits
Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) remains the gold standard for treating obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), yet many clinicians encounter barriers when applying ERP protocols to the complex and diverse nature of real-world cases. This workshop is designed to bridge the gap between research and everyday clinical practice by empowering therapists with practical, flexible strategies to enhance treatment effectiveness across a wide spectrum of OCD presentations.
Participants will receive a concise overview of OCD and ERP fundamentals, followed by in-depth guidance on case conceptualization and individualized treatment and intervention design. Special emphasis will be placed on the art of “flexibility within fidelity”—tailoring evidence-based interventions to each patient’s needs while preserving their core principles. The workshop will address common and complex clinical challenges, such as managing mental compulsions, addressing comorbid conditions, overcoming motivational obstacles, and engaging families in the treatment process.
Case examples, role-plays, and experiential exercises will highlight concrete skills and strategies to overcome common pitfalls and barriers, equipping clinicians with tools they can use immediately in their clinical practice. Attendees will leave with renewed confidence and practical skills to optimize outcomes for clients with OCD, even in the face of diagnostic complexity and treatment resistance.
Introductions and workshop goals and objectives
(10 minutes)
OCD & ERP Essentials
Overview of OCD symptom presentation.
ERP fundamentals and evidence base
(20 minutes)
Case conceptualization for OCD
Conceptual understanding of ERP
Functional assessment
Exposure design
(30 minutes)
Common pitfalls and how to address them
(20 minutes)
Flexibility within fidelity
Applied case conceptualization
Addressing complex presentations
Mental rituals, abstract obsessions/compulsions, etc.
(35 minutes)
Skills in action
Guided practice of functional assessment and exposure tailoring/design for complex presentations
Group role plays and case examples
(35 minutes)
Review and summary -
(15 minutes)
Q&A
(15 minutes)
