EXPOSURE AND RESPONSE PREVENTION (ERP)​

LAKES CENTER IS NOW OFFERING EXPOSURE AND RESPONSE PREVENTION (ERP) THERAPY FOR OCD AND A VARIETY OF ANXIETY DISORDERS.
Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) is the gold standard treatment of OCD as well as for many Anxiety Disorders. ERP is an evidence-based treatment which can improve OCD symptoms up to a 47% under the guidance of an ERP trained therapist. The program we follow here at Lakes Center Mental Health Network can provide a significant improvement in a short period of time.

ERP is a special kind of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), working with thoughts, emotions, behaviors, and how they interact with each other. Treatment can free our patients from the ongoing toxic thought and behavior cycle, which is reinforced over time.
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As the name suggests, there are two main parts to ERP:
  1. Exposure:  We help our patients step outside of their comfort zone, as well as recognize and confront their triggers.
  2. Response Prevention:  We give our patients the tools to resist compulsions and disrupt the rituals, safety behaviors, and protections they use to calm their thoughts. They learn to accept uncertainty, resist the urge to perform the compulsions, and can even break the patterns of their OCD or Anxiety Disorders.
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Some of the most common disorders we treat with ERP are:
  • Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
  • Generalized Anxiety
  • Social Anxiety
  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
  • Hoarding Disorder
  • Tics / Tourette’s 
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WHAT IS OCD, AND WHY IS ERP SO SUCCESSFUL IN TREATING IT?
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is characterized by obsessive, recurring, unwanted, and intrusive thoughts, urges, or images. These can result in a person experiencing mild to severe anxiety, distress, uncertainty, and sometimes emotions such as panic, guilt, and shame. To try to reduce the anxiety, they often feel driven to perform repetitive behaviors and mental acts that can take on a ritualistic quality - these behaviors are called compulsions. Many who suffer from OCD are aware of these thoughts, urges, and behaviors, yet are unable to control them.
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With ERP therapy, our patients gain the insight to recognize these OCD triggers, thoughts, and compulsions. They learn to accept uncertainty, learn techniques to resist the urge to perform the compulsions, and can even break the patterns and cycle of their OCD.
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Here at Lakes Center, we have an ERP trained therapist ready to help break your cycle of intrusive thoughts and compulsive behaviors.
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If you struggle with compulsions but do not already have a diagnosis, we can schedule times for diagnostic testing to see if ERP would be right for you. Call (248) 859-2457 to set up an appointment, or fill out the Contact Form and we will contact you!
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If you need immediate in-person help, go to your nearest emergency room or call 911.
For free support via text: text the word HOME to 741741 to reach a trained Crisis Counselor through Crisis Text, or 988 to the 988 Lifeline.



Licensed Professional Counselor
Lakes Center Mental Health Network
The 6 Types of Basic Emotions and Their Effect on Human Behavior

There are many different types of emotions that have an influence on how we live and interact with others. At times, it may seem like we are ruled by these emotions. The choices we make, the actions we take, and the perceptions we have are all influenced by the emotions we are experiencing at any given moment.

Psychologists have also tried to identify the different types of emotions that people experience. A few different theories have emerged to categorize and explain the emotions that people feel.
Mental Health Tip:
Focus On Your Needs
Being effective socially doesn’t mean giving everything you have to others, especially if they don’t have your best interests in mind. University of New Hampshire Health Services notes a socially well person has assertiveness and the ability to be themselves in different company.
Mental Health Tip:
Nurture Your Friendships
Perhaps you’ve been spending too much time with one person, or you’ve been meaning to catch up with some old friends but just haven’t made the time. Well, now’s always a good opportunity to change this.
We provide comprehensive psychiatric and psychotherapy services for a vast array of mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, psychotic illness, borderline personality disorder, substance abuse/addiction, trauma related issues, relationship difficulties, life transitions, and behavior problems. Call (248) 859-2457 to set up an appointment.
Did you know? SPRAVATO® can have a rapid antidepressant response and is added on to an antidepressant and the rest of your regimen. It is the first new mechanism of action to treat depression that has come out in over 30 years. 
There is hope for treatment-resistant depression. Call (248) 859-2457 to set up an appointment.
We provide comprehensive DBT services to provide effective treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) and other disorders involving emotion dysregulation, including co-occurring substance use disorders, major depressive disorder, and individuals with history of trauma. At Lakes DBT Center, we believe that with effective evidence-based treatment and a caring and coordinated treatment team, clients can create a life they love.
New Group Sessions Starting Sept 13, 2023
Wednesdays 10:30 am - 12:00 pm, starting September 13, 2023
Lakes Center, 2300 Haggerty Road, West Bloomfield, MI 48323

This is a new adult outpatient therapy group treating depression and anxiety related mental health disorders. Click here for more information!
Licensed Professional Counselor

Heidi has a master's degree in clinical mental health counseling from Wayne State University. She also has a Bachelor's Degree in Agriculture with a minor in Horticulture! She has extensive experience with the perinatal mental health population not only through her own experience but also through training from Postpartum Support International, The Bloom Foundation, Postpartum Progress, Beaumont Parenting Program, and as a clinician at Nature’s Playhouse in Ferndale.


Clinical Social Worker

Linda is a Licensed Master Social Worker with 25+ years’ experience. She received her BSW from Michigan State (1979) and her MSW from Wayne State University (1994).
 
She works with a wide range of clients: female, male, as well as non-binary, from 18 years and up to seniors. Her experience has been varied, dealing with a wide range of issues.