Do ERP and I-CBT Mix? / Inference-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (ICBT)
In this video I answer 3 of the most common questions about how I-CBT, a newer treatment for OCD, relates to ERP, the most widely administered treatment for OCD. Many thanks to Carl Robbins, MS, LCPC, who first introduced me to the concept of Anxiety Sensitivity (discussed with Question 3).
I’m Mike Parker, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in private practice in Pittsburgh, PA.
💻My online self-help course for individuals with OCD provides a full overview of ICBT and can be purchased on my training website: https://www.icbttrainingonline.com
💻I offer comprehensive training options for clinicians wishing to learn how to administer ICBT for OCD: https://www.icbttrainingonline.com
☕OCD Space/Trust Yourself Mug Collection: https://www.redbubble.com/people/mikeypea1/shop?artistUserName=Mikeypea1&collections=4122715&iaCode=all-departments&sortOrder=recent
🎒OCD Space Tote Bags and Other Things: https://www.redbubble.com/people/mikeypea1/shop?artistUserName=Mikeypea1&collections=4122969&iaCode=all-departments&sortOrder=recent
🪑My private practice website: https://pittsburghtherapyocd.com
📖My self-help book (based on ACT and ERP treatment): https://www.amazon.com/dp/1736409131
🔗General resources for OCD treatment: https://iocdf.org/
🔗I-CBT specific resources: https://icbt.online/
Intro Music Credits:
Big Bird’s Date Night by Twin Musicom is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Artist: http://www.twinmusicom.org/
4 Comments
Been guilty of trying both together and in some cases it worked well. But I‘m with you, that it gets confusing and in most cases didn‘t work that well. As a heuristic I would say that icbt tackles the ocd from the „o“ side and erp tackles it from the „c“ side. (Like Seif & Winston wrote: the obsession is the thing that gives rise to anxiety and the compulsion is everything that tries to keep that anxiety in check and by that keeps it alive).
Icbt!!!!!
That was an excellent and much-needed video. I really appreciate your contribution to the community. I would, however, like to add a few reflections.
I fully agree that we should not indiscriminately merge therapeutic approaches, as each framework is built upon distinct mechanisms and principles. Nevertheless, this does not imply that we cannot learn from each of them and selectively integrate the elements that align, since many concepts hold universal similarities and resonate with broader principles of human cognition.
For example, if I experience an obsessive thought and i catch it how OCD trying to trick me so dismiss it as mere nonsense— and keep moving with my values as guiding light. what therapeutic label does that fall under? Is it ICBT, ERP, or ACT? In truth, it reflects all three, because it corresponds to natural human functioning, and every therapeutic approach must ultimately remain consistent with that foundation.
I have studied nearly every therapeutic approach in detail, yet I never follow any of them rigidly, step by step. I believe they are not meant to be applied in such a mechanical way. Instead, they should be read with the curiosity and discernment of a scientist of one’s own experience. After all, when we are exploring something we have personally lived through, who is better placed than ourselves to grasp its logic and discern what truly serves us and what does not.
Ultimately, the goal is to create our own unique model of recovery. Complete freedom comes when we take full ownership of our disorder—when we decide what to do, when to do it, and how to do it. Of course, our choices remain informed by the broader principles of effective treatments, but they are free from confinement to any single set of rules.
Is there an icbt book/workbook you can recommend?