Exposure & Response Prevention · Telehealth across New York City
OCD Treatment in NYC
Evidence-based ERP therapy for adults and teens with obsessive-compulsive disorder — delivered by video anywhere in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island.
Request a consultation How ERP worksWhen your mind won't let it go
OCD is rarely what people assume. It isn't about being tidy. It's the thought that shows up uninvited and feels urgent, dangerous, or wrong — and the exhausting work you do to make it go away.
“What if I hurt someone and didn't realize it?”
“I've checked the stove six times and I still don't feel sure.”
“I need to know — for certain — that I love my partner.”
“If I don't do it until it feels right, something bad will happen.”
You may already know the thoughts don't make sense. That's what makes OCD so isolating. The checking, washing, confessing, researching, and mental reviewing bring a moment of relief, then the doubt returns louder. That cycle is treatable, and you don't have to keep living inside it.
OCD presentations I treat
OCD attaches to whatever matters most to you. Treatment is tailored to your specific obsessions and compulsions, including the ones that are hard to say out loud.
Harm OCD
Intrusive images or fears of harming others, losing control, or having caused an accident.
Contamination OCD
Fears of germs, illness, chemicals, or "feeling dirty," with washing, cleaning, or avoidance.
Relationship OCD (ROCD)
Persistent doubt about your feelings, your partner, or whether the relationship is "right."
Sexual orientation & identity OCD
Distressing doubt about orientation or gender identity, treated with care and without pathologizing identity.
Scrupulosity & moral OCD
Fear of sinning, lying, being a bad person, or having done something unforgivable.
"Pure O" & mental compulsions
Rumination, mental reviewing, neutralizing, and reassurance-seeking that no one else can see.
Just-right & symmetry OCD
Repeating, arranging, or redoing until something feels complete.
Real-event & checking OCD
Replaying past events or checking locks, appliances, messages, and memories for certainty.
How ERP treats OCD
Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) is a form of cognitive behavioral therapy and the first-line, gold-standard psychological treatment for OCD. Rather than arguing with intrusive thoughts or chasing certainty, ERP helps you approach feared thoughts and situations in a gradual, planned way — while practicing not performing the compulsion.
Over time, your nervous system learns that you can tolerate anxiety and uncertainty without rituals. The thoughts lose their urgency, and the hours spent on compulsions return to your life.
What treatment looks like
- Comprehensive assessment. We map your obsessions, compulsions, avoidance, and the impact on daily functioning, using standardized measures such as the Y-BOCS to track progress.
- Understanding the OCD cycle. You learn how obsessions, anxiety, and compulsions reinforce one another, so the plan makes sense from the start.
- Building an exposure hierarchy. Together we create a personalized list of challenges, from manageable to difficult. Nothing is done without your agreement.
- Exposures in and between sessions. We practice during sessions and design between-session practice for the places OCD actually shows up — your apartment, commute, workplace, or relationships.
- Relapse prevention. You leave treatment with the skills to recognize OCD's new disguises and respond on your own.
Learn more about ERP from the International OCD Foundation.
Specialized OCD therapy anywhere in New York City
Finding a clinician who is specifically trained in ERP can be difficult, even in a city as large as New York. Through secure telehealth, you can access specialized OCD treatment without commuting across boroughs or fitting sessions around train delays.
Telehealth also lends itself well to ERP: many exposures are most effective when practiced in your real environment, rather than in an office.
Serving clients in: Manhattan (Upper West Side, Upper East Side, Harlem, Midtown, Chelsea, the Village, Lower Manhattan) · Brooklyn (Park Slope, Williamsburg, Bushwick, Crown Heights, Bed-Stuy) · Queens (Astoria, Long Island City, Jackson Heights, Forest Hills) · The Bronx · Staten Island · and throughout New York State.
Affirming care for LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC clients
OCD often targets identity, relationships, faith, and belonging. For LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC clients, it can be hard to separate OCD doubt from the stress of navigating spaces that weren't built for you. As a queer, Latinx clinician, I offer a space where your identity is respected as a given, not a symptom, and where cultural context is part of the treatment plan.
About your therapist
I'm Ricardo Despradel, LMHC, a licensed psychotherapist specializing in OCD and anxiety-related conditions. Alongside my clinical work, I train other clinicians in evidence-based practice.
My approach is structured and collaborative, warm and direct. You'll always know what we're working on and why.
Start OCD treatment in NYC
If OCD is taking up your time, your attention, or your peace, you don't have to wait until it gets worse. Reach out for a consultation to discuss your concerns and whether ERP is a good fit.
Request a consultationFrequently asked questions about OCD treatment
How do I know if it's OCD or general anxiety?
Both involve worry, but OCD is defined by intrusive, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) paired with behaviors or mental acts performed to neutralize them (compulsions). If you find yourself checking, seeking reassurance, mentally reviewing, or avoiding in order to feel certain or "right," OCD may be part of the picture. A thorough assessment can clarify the diagnosis.
What is ERP, and is it effective?
Exposure and Response Prevention is a specialized form of CBT and the most well-researched psychological treatment for OCD. It involves gradually facing feared thoughts and situations while resisting compulsions, which reduces the power of obsessions over time. Clinical practice guidelines recommend it as a first-line treatment.
Is online OCD therapy as effective as in-person treatment?
Research indicates that ERP delivered by video can be effective for many people with OCD. Telehealth also allows exposures to take place in the environments where symptoms actually occur, such as your home or daily routines.
How long does OCD treatment take?
It varies with symptom severity and individual goals. Many clients begin noticing meaningful change within the first few months of consistent weekly ERP. We review progress regularly using standardized measures so you can see how treatment is working.
Can you treat intrusive thoughts without visible compulsions ("Pure O")?
Yes. Most people with "Pure O" do have compulsions — they're just mental, such as rumination, reviewing, praying, or self-reassurance. ERP targets these mental rituals directly.
Do you work with teens?
Yes. I work with teens and adults. For adolescents, treatment typically includes family involvement to reduce accommodation and support progress at home.
Do I need to live in New York City?
Telehealth sessions are available to clients located anywhere in New York State at the time of session, as well as in other states where I'm licensed. Reach out to confirm availability for your location.