Exposure and Response Prevention
ERP helps children regain control over their thoughts, reduce compulsive behaviours, and learn that anxiety doesn’t have to rule their lives.
ERP Therapy for Children at Mindsight: Helping Kids Face Fears and Break Free from Anxiety
Every child has fears. Some are afraid of the dark, some of falling sick, and others of making mistakes. But when fear begins to control how a child thinks, feels, or behaves when they start avoiding things, washing hands repeatedly, checking, or needing constant reassurance that’s when fear has turned into a cycle of anxiety or obsession. As a parent, it’s painful to see your child trapped in that loop. You try to comfort them, to say “It’s okay” or “Nothing bad will happen,” but the worry always comes back stronger and louder.
At Mindsight, under the expert care of Punit Dixit, an experienced child psychologist, we help children gently face these fears through a structured and science-backed method called Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) therapy. ERP helps children regain control over their thoughts, reduce compulsive behaviours, and learn that anxiety doesn’t have to rule their lives.
What Is ERP Therapy?
Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) is a specialized form of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) designed to help children who struggle with anxiety, phobias, or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
In simple words, ERP helps children face their fears safely and gradually, while teaching their brain that they don’t have to perform rituals or avoid situations to feel okay.
For example:
A child afraid of germs might wash their hands repeatedly to feel safe. In ERP, with gentle guidance, they might be encouraged to touch something slightly “dirty” – like a book or toy and not wash their hands right away. Over time, their brain learns that nothing terrible happens even if they resist the urge.
This breaks the cycle of anxiety → compulsion → short-term relief → stronger anxiety
How ERP Works at Mindsight
At Mindsight, ERP is never about pushing a child into fear. It’s about guiding them, step by step, with kindness, patience, and complete emotional safety. Punit Dixit has worked with many children who experience OCD, anxiety, or compulsive habits and every journey begins with understanding, not exposure.
Here’s how ERP is introduced and practiced:
1. Building Trust and Safety
Children first meet in a space that feels safe and comfortable. Before any exposure happens, Punit spends time helping the child understand how anxiety works that fear is a false alarm, not a real danger. Parents are part of these early conversations too.2. Creating a Fear Hierarchy
Together with the child, we create what’s called an “exposure ladder.” This is a list of situations that cause anxiety ranked from the easiest to the hardest. For example, a child afraid of contamination might start by touching a pencil on the floor (mild fear) before working up to touching a doorknob (higher fear).3. Gradual Exposure
The child begins facing fears from the lower end of the ladder. They’re gently exposed to the anxiety trigger while resisting the urge to perform their usual comforting ritual (like washing, checking, or asking for reassurance). Over time, their anxiety naturally decreases a process called habituation.4. Response Prevention
The “RP” part of ERP means helping the child stop the behaviours that reinforce anxiety. Instead of avoiding, escaping, or neutralizing their fears, they learn to sit with discomfort and let it pass. This teaches their brain that fear is temporary and survivable.5. Reinforcement and Practice
Each small success is celebrated. Children feel proud of their progress, and parents learn how to encourage practice at home not by forcing, but by cheering every little step
Non-Medication-Based Recovery
Focus on therapy, skill-building, and emotional regulation.
Child-Centered Approach
Programs specially designed for children & adolescents.
Led by Punit Dixit
Experienced OCD Psychologist with years of expertise in pediatric OCD.
Parental Involvement
Active participation and guidance for families throughout the journey.
A Real-Life Story
Take the story of 12-year-old Riya. She used to spend hours arranging her school bag until everything felt “just right.” If someone touched her things, she would panic and start over. At first, her parents thought she was just being particular. But over time, it began affecting her sleep, studies, and confidence.
At Mindsight, Riya began ERP therapy with gentle steps. She first practiced letting her books be slightly “out of order” for a few minutes without fixing them. Her anxiety would rise, but with breathing exercises and encouragement, she learned it would go down on its own. Slowly, those minutes turned into hours. Within weeks, she was spending less time arranging and more time laughing, playing, and studying.
ERP didn’t erase her fears overnight it taught her she was stronger than them.
“ERP doesn’t force bravery. It builds it – one small victory at a time.”
What Makes ERP at Mindsight Different
ERP therapy can be challenging, which is why the therapist’s approach matters as much as the method itself. At Mindsight, Punit Dixit ensures that every child feels emotionally supported throughout the process.
ERP sessions are:
Child-centred: Therapy moves at the child’s pace, never faster than they’re ready for.
Collaborative: Parents are trained to support ERP practice at home without over-reassuring or accidentally reinforcing fears.
Creative and Play-based: Exposure tasks are turned into fun challenges, games, or stories so that therapy feels empowering, not scary.
Empathetic and Safe: The goal is to make courage feel natural not forced.
ERP at Mindsight is not about eliminating anxiety altogether. It’s about helping children live full, joyful lives even when anxiety shows up.
The Science Behind ERP (in Simple Terms)
ERP is built on the concept of habituation when the brain learns that anxiety naturally decreases if we stop feeding it with avoidance or rituals.
Here’s how it works scientifically:
When a child avoids a feared situation, the brain learns that avoidance = safety.
When they face the fear without escape, the brain slowly realizes the fear isn’t dangerous.
Over time, this rewires the brain’s fear centre (the amygdala), making anxiety weaker and less frequent.
In children, this process is simplified through creative metaphors like “teaching the brain to stop sending false alarms” or “training the worry monster to get smaller.”
What ERP Helps With
ERP therapy is highly effective for:
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Phobias (like fear of germs, dirt, or illness)
Generalized anxiety and worry cycles
Panic attacks and intrusive thoughts
Avoidance behaviours (like checking, reassurance-seeking, or rituals)
According to the International OCD Foundation, ERP has a success rate of 70–80% when consistently practiced one of the highest among all psychological treatments for anxiety and OCD.
Final Thoughts
Fear is not a sign of weakness it’s a normal part of being human. But when fear starts limiting a child’s world, ERP therapy can open that world up again.
At Mindsight, under the compassionate guidance of Punit Dixit, ERP therapy helps children step out of fear’s shadow and rediscover life’s light. Each session is a step toward courage gentle, guided, and filled with hope.
“ERP doesn’t take fear away, it gives children the power to walk past it.”
At Mindsight, we help children unlearn fear, build courage, and find freedom one brave step at a time
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Mindsight Manager is India’s first online platform dedicated to child-focused OCD recovery. We use Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Exposure & Response Prevention (ERP) – the world’s most trusted, non-medication treatments for OCD – guided by compassionate, trained child psychologists.
“CBT sessions at Mindsight Manager changed how our son thinks and feels – all without medicines.”
Frequently asked Questions
Can’t find the answer you’re looking for? Please chat to our friendly team or write us an email at info@mindsightmanager.com
What are the warning signs of OCD in my teenager, and when should I seek professional help?
Look for excessive, upsetting obsessions (unwanted thoughts/images) and rigid compulsions (rituals like repeated checking or washing) that take up significant time or cause distress.
How do I know if my teen's excessive screen time is actually a technology addiction?
It crosses the line when the screen use is out of control (inability to stop or cut back) and actively causes problems like poor grades, sleep disruption, or social isolation. We provide counseling to help adolescents and families establish healthy boundaries and address any underlying anxiety driving the excess screen use.
What kind of therapy is most effective for teen anxiety, and what does treatment involve?
The most effective treatment is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), focused on changing negative thought patterns and behaviors. Treatment involves: 1) Skill building (coping techniques), 2) Exposure work (safely facing fears), and 3) Parent guidance on how to best support your teen.
How do I talk to my teenager about seeing a psychologist without making them resistant?
Approach it as a way to gain “life skills” or a “coach” for managing stress and worry. Focus on the benefits to them and give them a voice in the process. We prioritize building a trusting, non-judgmental, and confidential space where teens feel respected and motivated to participate.
Do you treat co-occurring disorders, such as anxiety alongside addiction or depression?
Yes. We take a holistic approach to co-occurring issues (dual diagnosis). Since anxiety or depression often drive substance use, we create a single, integrated, and personalized treatment plan that addresses both the primary addiction and all underlying mental health concerns simultaneously.