Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) in Edina: Structured OCD Treatment That Works
In Edina, adults and teens dealing with OCD find structured help through Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) at our mental health clinic. ERP is a focused, evidence-based treatment for obsessive thoughts and compulsive rituals. Our licensed providers offer in-person and telehealth sessions, and we accept most major insurance plans. Cabot Psychological Services has served Edina since 2010 as a clinician-led practice.
Learn how working with a professional psychologist in Edina can support OCD treatment.
What Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) Treats
ERP directly targets the OCD cycle. Edina adults and teens caught in patterns of intrusive thoughts, checking, washing, counting, or avoidance can work through those cycles with a structured approach rather than managing symptoms alone.
OCD frequently shows up alongside perfectionism in high-achieving clients, and we see that pattern often in this area. ERP addresses it directly, treating contamination fears, harm obsessions, symmetry needs, and unwanted intrusive thoughts. We also use ERP for anxiety-driven compulsive patterns in adolescents and adults who may not recognize their behavior as OCD. Sometimes the presenting concern sounds like anxiety or rigid thinking, and the OCD piece only becomes clear once we’re further into assessment. Getting that distinction right shapes the entire treatment plan.
How ERP Sessions Are Structured at Our Edina Clinic
ERP at our Edina mental health clinic follows a clear sequence from the first appointment forward. The therapist begins with an intake assessment, then works with you to build a fear hierarchy, a ranked list of situations that trigger obsessions and compulsions.
Sessions then move through gradual exposure tasks at a pace you control. That is how the protocol works, not just a reassuring framing. Response prevention practice teaches you to sit with discomfort without performing the compulsion. It is genuinely uncomfortable at first and gets more manageable over time. Progress is reviewed regularly. In-person appointments are available at our Edina office, and HIPAA-compliant telehealth is available statewide in Minnesota. Our team includes PhD-level psychologists and licensed clinical social workers who deliver ERP with consistent structure.
Who Provides ERP at Our Edina Mental Health Clinic
Cabot Psychological Services is led by Amanda Mulfinger, PhD, LP, a licensed psychologist holding Minnesota License LP5029 and the practice’s president and owner. The clinic is clinician-led, not investor-owned. That distinction matters when you’re evaluating where to bring an OCD diagnosis.
The broader team includes licensed independent clinical social workers, licensed marriage and family therapists, and dual-licensed clinicians. That range of credentials is uncommon in a single outpatient clinic, and it is intentional. Clients in ZIP 55439 frequently carry BCBS, UnitedHealthcare, or Aetna through large nearby employers, and all of those plans are accepted here. You also build a named therapist relationship at this practice, meaning you see the same provider each session rather than rotating staff. Continuity matters for ERP specifically, because your therapist is tracking your progress through a structured hierarchy and needs to know where you are in it.
ERP for Children and Teens in Edina
ERP is the evidence-based first-line treatment for childhood OCD, as recognized by the National Institute of Mental Health, and therapists at our Edina clinic adapt exposure tasks to each child’s developmental stage. If your child performs rituals before school, refuses certain activities, or follows rigid routines that cause distress, those behaviors may point toward OCD rather than general anxiety. It is worth getting an assessment rather than waiting to see if they grow out of it.
Academic pressure in a high-achieving school district can intensify OCD-linked perfectionism in adolescents. Our therapists are experienced with childhood OCD treatment and adolescent ERP. For younger children not yet ready for traditional talk-based ERP, play therapy techniques are integrated into the treatment approach.
Insurance Coverage for ERP in Edina
Cabot Psychological Services accepts 10 major insurance plans, including BCBS, Aetna, UnitedHealthcare, Cigna, HealthPartners, Medicare, and Medicaid. That breadth is uncommon for a private psychology practice, and it reflects a deliberate decision to reduce access barriers for ERP in Edina.
Most clients in this area arrive with active commercial plans through large employers concentrated near Edina, including UnitedHealth Group, Target, and Medtronic. Medicare and Medicaid acceptance reflects compliance with federal billing standards, which matters for older adults and lower-income households in the area. Contact the clinic to discuss your insurance coverage before your first ERP session. Do not assume you are not covered before you ask.
In-Person and Telehealth ERP Options Serving Edina
Clients at our Edina clinic choose their session format appointment by appointment. In-person visits are available at our Edina office, with a second physical location in Minneapolis and HIPAA-compliant video therapy available to any client statewide in Minnesota.
Minnesota winters from November through March make consistent attendance genuinely harder, and we have seen missed sessions slow ERP progress more than clients anticipate. Telehealth removes that barrier without changing the treatment. ERP delivered via video follows the same structured protocol as in-person sessions, including fear hierarchy work and response prevention practice adapted for remote delivery. If getting to the office every week is the obstacle, the telehealth option is there.
Frequently Asked Questions About ERP in Edina
Is ERP available for my child or teenager in Edina?
Cabot Psychological Services offers childhood OCD treatment and adolescent ERP at the Edina clinic, with therapists who adapt exposure tasks by the child’s age and developmental readiness. For younger children not ready for talk-based sessions, therapists integrate play therapy techniques into the ERP process. Parents concerned about rituals, refusal behaviors, or rigid routines can contact the clinic to discuss whether ERP is the right starting point.
Does insurance cover ERP therapy at your Edina clinic?
Cabot Psychological Services accepts BCBS, Aetna, UnitedHealthcare, Cigna, HealthPartners, Medicare, and Medicaid for ERP and other mental health services. Contact the clinic before your first session to confirm your specific coverage. Clients with commercial plans through large area employers typically find their ERP sessions covered under outpatient mental health benefits.
Can I do ERP sessions online instead of coming into the Edina office?
HIPAA-compliant telehealth ERP is available statewide in Minnesota through Cabot Psychological Services, and clients choose between in-person and video sessions on an appointment-by-appointment basis. The ERP protocol used remotely is the same structured approach used in the Edina office, including fear hierarchy building and response prevention practice.
How many ERP sessions does it typically take to see results?
The number of ERP sessions needed varies depending on OCD severity, the complexity of the fear hierarchy, and how consistently the client practices response prevention between appointments. No fixed session count applies to every client. Therapists at our Edina clinic build the fear hierarchy during early sessions and review progress at regular intervals to adjust the pace. Your therapist will discuss realistic expectations during the intake assessment.
What is the difference between ERP and CBT for OCD?
ERP is a specific technique within Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), focused directly on exposure tasks and preventing compulsive responses rather than addressing the broader range of thinking patterns that CBT covers. CBT for OCD includes thought restructuring and psychoeducation, while ERP zeroes in on the exposure and response prevention cycle that produces the most direct reduction in compulsive behavior. Both are offered at our Edina mental health clinic, and your therapist will assess which approach fits your presentation.
How do I get started with ERP at your Edina mental health clinic?
Getting started with ERP at Cabot Psychological Services begins with contacting the clinic to request an intake appointment. During intake, a licensed provider assesses your OCD presentation and discusses your symptom history. From there, the therapist builds a fear hierarchy with you in the early sessions. In-person appointments at the Edina office and HIPAA-compliant telehealth sessions are both available, and your therapist will confirm the format that fits your situation before the first session.
Our Insurance Partners
We accept most major insurance plans to make care accessible
Cabot Clients Say
"Sessions with Amanda are empowering."
Sessions with Amanda are empowering. She is a deeply kind therapist who has helped me to process, heal, and develop as a person.
"I have been a client of Cabot since the inception in 2010"
I have been a client of Cabot since the inception in 2010; my experience with the therapists and administrative staff have always been positive. I trust them and have referred both family and friends to Cabot and all have come back thanking me for the referral and have benefited from the caring and compassionate work of the Cabot staff.
"Cabot provides a welcoming and safe environment"
Cabot provides a welcoming and safe environment for those who may be struggling or need additional support. Each time I come for an appointment I am welcomed with a smile and hello not only from my therapist but others who pass through the waiting room.
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