Started therapy & unsure 😔 ADVICE WOULD BE GREAT!!

I feel like my therapist knows my issues well enough by now, why haven’t we started erp or why hasn’t she given me any strategies to help when I’m triggered? I’ve had 4 sessions. She just says we have to stick to the method that she works by, but if I don’t know when we will start the work that actually helps me, how can I feel confident in sticking with the therapy? I am so unsure. I keep asking her but she never gives me an answer. It’s not too much to ask to know when the help will actually start is it?! If the next couple of sessions go by and we still haven’t talked about strategies or erp, I will get so anxious because I can only afford 12 sessions 😔 I don’t know what to do. People are saying to be patient and go with it, but I can’t trust it. I would have expected to start some sort of erp plan. If in the next couple of sessions we haven’t started it, what should I do? (I get really triggered by phrases like red flags or that doesn’t sound good in the comments, just objective advice would be so appreciated 🙏🏻)

Username: L11L11

Date posted: 28d ago

Hey, I felt exactly the same as you. My therapist was just letting me talk for about 3 sessions, she wasn’t giving me any reassurance about my situation other than she knew I could get through this. On our last session she started with ERP, I think it just took a while as I had a lot to say and she needed wanted to look at past events so she could have a better understanding. Could you maybe try asking again if you would be able to start ERP? Don’t give up❣️

Username: vasqueztimvasqueztim

Date posted: 25d ago

oh, i can totally relate to feeling anxious about therapy progress! i wish i could tell you something to make you feel better, but i don't want to provide reassurance to your OCD. it's like feeding a stray cat—if you keep feeding it, it'll just keep coming back, right? but i promise, you're not alone in this feeling! your OCD is just being extra annoying and loud today, trying to make you doubt everything. just do your best to not listen to it and keep communicating with your therapist about your concerns. you've got this! 🌟

Username: amy59amy59

Date posted: 25d ago

I’m so sorry you’re feeling uncertain and anxious about your therapy. I’ve been there so many times, feeling like I’m waiting for the help to truly begin. What’s helped me in these tough moments is to use a disengagement phrase, like “I’m choosing to trust the process,” and then refocus on what I was doing before. Please don’t be hard on yourself; living with OCD is so hard, and you’re doing your best in this messy mind. You deserve to feel confident in your therapy, so it might be helpful to have an open conversation with your therapist about your concerns and expectations. Remember, you’re strong enough to navigate this.

Username: wanda81wanda81

Date posted: 25d ago

I'm so sorry you're feeling unsure and anxious about your therapy process. It sounds like you're really eager to start ERP and get the support you need, which is completely understandable. I remember feeling similarly when I started therapy—wanting to dive right into the work that I knew could help. It's so hard to feel like you're waiting when you just want to start feeling better. I think it's important to have an open conversation with your therapist about your concerns. You deserve to know the plan and timeline for your treatment, especially given the limited number of sessions you have. Would it help to express how important it is for you to have a clear understanding of the therapy process and what to expect in the coming sessions? You have every right to advocate for your needs and feel confident in your treatment path. Remember, you are strong and capable of navigating this uncertainty.

Username: robert98robert98

Date posted: 25d ago

oh gosh, i totally get how you’re feeling! it’s so frustrating when you’re ready to dive into the work and it feels like things are moving slower than you’d hoped. i remember when i started therapy, i was so eager to jump into erp because i just wanted relief from my obsessions and compulsions. for me, it was all about my contamination fears—i was desperate to start tackling them head-on! but my therapist took her time to get to know me and my specific triggers, which at first made me anxious too. but here's the thing—sometimes therapists need those initial sessions to really understand the nuances of our OCD and to build a strong foundation before diving into erp. it's like laying the groundwork so the strategies can be even more effective! maybe you could try having another conversation with your therapist about your concerns and your timeline? i know it might feel uncomfortable, but being open about your worries could help create a plan that makes you feel more secure. hang in there! remember, you're not alone in this, and you're taking amazing steps by being proactive about your recovery! 🌟

Username: meglucymeglucy

Date posted: 22d ago

@robert98 Thanks so much 🙏🏻 how many sessions into therapy did you start erp? I’m so scared if I wait for erp to start, but it never starts? I’ve told her I want erp but what if I haven’t said it enough times, what if she goes on her own plan and she forgets I want erp? 😪 she is a cbt specialist who offers erp as one of the treatments but among lots of other treatments. Maybe I should get an erp specialist, I don’t know.

Username: Becca

Date posted: 6y ago

I was referred to CAHMS and the referral went through fast because of the severity how much my OCD affects my life. With my GCSEs coming up I need to get some help. We were supposed to see a doctor but they were called out to an emergency. Instead I saw a practitioner. I was mostly open about my OCD in the first appointment but we then we had some issues where she told my mum somethings about my OCD which were not required or that she was unaware of. This made me feel uncomfortable. I have had x4 1hr30 sessions with her. So far I have talked about some of my obsessions and intrusive thoughts to which she said that I just need to think less about. I often do things in 4s or 16s so she recommended I do them in 4s. I asked her what the structure was to be and she said that she’d do 3/4 more mindfulness sessions and see if it had helped. I need more than that but don’t know how to tell her that. Part of my OCD (like for most sufferers) is to think overly about other people’s thoughts and feelings. How would this make her feel? Etc When I explain my obsessions she takes notes and when I ask her to give me some coping mechanisms/ strategies she seems lost. She writes notes and says that this is a lot for a brain to go through, that I must feel tired. It’s no fault of her own, just lack of expertise in the area. She has particular interest in mindfulness - not anxiety and related disorders. I feel like she maybe does not want to admit this and is just continuing. I went for help but I am not receiving it. I want to get better, feel better but that might be months before she realizes it’s not helping. I want to speak to somebody else but the only person I have seen at CAHMS is her and I feel uncomfortable expressing this with her. Sorry this is long but does anyone has any advise on how to deal with this situation? What to say, suggest. Like I said, it causes me great distress if I help myself at others’ expense.

Username: Amanda1988

Date posted: 3y ago

Hello I am looking to start ERP on here with a therapist. I am quite nervous about it incase it doesn't work, I've had BWRT Therapy, CBT privately for months and I'm still horrified and scared of these thoughts. I haven't been officially diagnosed either which leads me down a horrible thought path.. but every therapist I have seen has said I have got harm ocd/pure o. Any advice on starting ERP? Thank you

Username: Zmanflex

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 23w ago

Need advice

I’ve only been in ERP therapy for a few weeks. Recently I feel frustrated like it’s not working. I know I probably need to give it more time and that it may take quite a while but I’m looking for advice here. My therapist is doing a good job but I feel like I need to be doing different exposures. Right now we’re working on things more specific for someone with triggers like putting a belt around my neck, holding my gun in my lap all while saying I’m going to kill myself or I’m going to shoot myself. I don’t have specific triggers though. Mine are more mental and I feel like I need exposures that are going to help me because I constantly say “I’m going to kill myself” or just “kill myself.” Does this make sense?

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Started therapy & unsure 😔 ADVICE WOULD BE GREAT!!

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