Choosing a niche as a therapist can sometimes feel like a tough decision. There can be a fear of missing out and not being able to treat everyone who walks through the door (physical or virtual). In this post, let’s get into why we love specializing in OCD and shine a light on what some of our colleagues who specialize in OCD have to say about this rewarding niche.

From Generalist to Specialist

Meghin and Danielle both started out in a variety of settings, including community mental health, crisis work, and many more where they worked with whoever came through the door. If you were to ask either one, they would tell you that when they got their first experiences working with clients who have OCD, they were sold on their niche.

Natasha Moharter, LPCC, CPC, LCMHC, shares her experiences here:

• “Becoming an OCD specialist wasn’t on my radar when I first became a counselor. When I was first introduced to OCD treatment, I had just left a toxic corporate environment and was searching for anything that would keep me from returning to that kind of workplace. Then came an unexpected opportunity: paid training in Exposure & Response Prevention therapy (ERP), learning from experienced leaders, and a year of follow-up experience and training dedicated to treating clients with OCD. While I had both personal and professional experiences with OCD, it wasn’t something I felt drawn to at first.
  
• After completing the week-long ERP training, I began working with my first OCD client. My own struggles with anxiety and a strong sense of professional responsibility motivated me to dive deeply into learning everything I could about OCD and its treatment. I wanted to be effective, and even though I had been a counselor for several years, stepping into OCD treatment made me feel like I was starting fresh. Through trial and error, I found my rhythm in implementing ERP. Around this time I discovered I had ADHD, and ERP happens to work really well for my brain. It requires structure, creativity, and to be in the moment. I don’t often get bored in session as a result.”

The decision to specialize sets you apart. Instead of trying to be everything to everyone, you become the specialist that people seek out when they’re struggling with intrusive thoughts and compulsions. This is both professionally validating and deeply fulfilling, knowing that you’re helping people with one of the most misunderstood and debilitating mental health conditions. 

Seeing Lives Transform

Treating OCD is a front-row seat to some of the most incredible transformations in therapy. People with OCD often feel trapped in their minds, living in fear of their thoughts and stuck in exhausting cycles of rituals. ERP can give them their lives back, and you get to be part of that process.

Caryn Gill, LPC speaks to her experiences as a therapist guiding her clients through their recovery journeys:

“I see OCD recovery as truly embracing one’s own humanity, which includes risk, mortality, grief and loss, uncertainty and pain, but also all the beautiful and wonderful things too! It’s rewarding to help people come to terms with their full humanity and live more authentic and fulfilling lives instead of being chained to OCD’s version of life.”

There’s nothing quite like watching someone go from being consumed by their obsessions to confidently facing their fears. You’ll see clients who couldn’t leave their homes or engage in valued activities because of their fears start to live a life they deem worth living. Parents who were paralyzed by intrusive thoughts about harming their kids begin to bond with their children again. These are monumental changes, and being a part of that journey is profoundly rewarding.

It’s Personally Fulfilling

There’s a sense of fulfillment that comes from doing work that aligns with your values. Treating OCD and using ERP isn’t easy and it requires therapists to step outside of their own comfort zones. But knowing that you’re helping people live fuller, freer lives makes it all worth it.

According to Natasha:

• “Specializing in OCD has become incredibly meaningful to me. On a spiritual level, I see OCD treatment as fighting against the lies and distractions that pull us away from what truly matters. OCD hijacks intuition, convinces us of falsehoods, and creates a crushing sense of responsibility for things beyond our control. It targets what matters most and demands compulsions as a false solution to our worst fears. This process often comes with distressing thoughts, images, urges, and doubts that can cause profound shame. Left untreated, OCD can lead to isolation, depression, anxiety, and even an increased risk of suicide. The world is challenging enough without our own minds adding to the struggle.”
  

Want to Learn More?

If you’re considering focusing your practice on OCD and ERP, take the leap. Yes, it takes time and training, but the rewards professionally, intellectually, and personally are unmatched. Specializing allows you to hone your craft, deepen your impact, and be part of a growing movement to change how OCD is treated.

• “While ERP and OCD specialization aren’t for everyone, they’re worth exploring if you’re curious. It requires learning new skills, tolerating discomfort, and resisting the urge to engage in clients’ compulsions. The need for skilled OCD providers is immense, and there are excellent resources for training, consultation, and supervision. By helping clients face their fears and overcome OCD, you can empower them to live authentically and free from anxiety’s grip.” Natasha 

You don’t have to do it alone.

Training programs, consultation groups, and mentorship opportunities can help you build the confidence and skills you need to make the transition. Becoming an OCD and ERP specialist isn’t just a career move, it’s a chance to transform lives while doing work that lights you up. That’s something truly special.

If you want to learn more about the amazing therapists we spotlighted in this blog post, check out more information below.

Caryn Gill, LPC provides experiential training to therapists interested in specializing in ERP for OCD through her program OCD Therapist Gym. This service is designed to help clinicians hone their skills through experiential learning. Participants will have a chance to practice skills central to effective treatment in real time through hands-on methods like role-plays and reading “mock” session transcripts. Participants will also have the opportunity to provide, receive, and implement feedback from peers and the instructor to further develop their skills. 

Natasha Moharter,  LPCC, CPC, LCMHC, provides various workshop and educational opportunities for therapists including CEUs and the Learn OCD Lab. The CEUs through Learn OCD with Natasha Moharter focus on a variety of topics related to OCD, anxiety disorders and exposure and response prevention (ERP). The Learn OCD Lab offers consultations, workshops and courses, an online community, marketing meetings and support between training sessions to help therapists become specialists after they take initial training on OCD and ERP.

THRIVE. also has free resources and blog posts available that provide information on OCD and ERP.