What starting OCD therapy is really like, from someone who's been there

Albert Aguilar didn’t get diagnosed with OCD until he was 30. When he finally started exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy at NOCD, he felt overwhelmed, afraid, and convinced that his intrusive thoughts were too horrific to say out loud. But once Albert met his NOCD Therapist, he realized that he wasn’t alone after all. His therapist understood him and his OCD completely. And to his surprise, the symptoms that he believed he was doomed to struggle with forever became manageable with the right care and support. That experience left a mark on Albert, and it shapes the way that he supports NOCD Therapy Members as a Member Advocate today. When we asked Albert to host a Q&A on our Instagram stories, he jumped at the chance to answer questions about starting therapy—because he remembers what it's like to have those questions himself. In his Q&A, Albert opened up about: • What ERP really involves, and what makes it different from other types of therapy • Why taboo themes are safe to bring up with a specialized therapist • How ERP therapy can become more manageable over time • The most important thing he learned in therapy: treat yourself with grace If you’re curious about what starting therapy could be like for you, we hope Albert's answers can give you insight into the process. And if you’re ready to take the next step in your journey, you can book a free 15‑minute call with our team to get matched with a NOCD Therapist: https://learn.nocd.com/app-book-a-call