What Is ERP?

Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) is a form of cognitive-behavioral therapy designed to treat anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and eating disorders. ERP helps individuals gradually face their fears (exposures) while resisting the urge to engage in compulsive or avoidance behaviors (response prevention).

For eating disorders, ERP is particularly effective in treating food-related fears, rigid eating rituals, compulsive exercise, or body-checking behaviors. Over time, ERP reduces anxiety and helps clients build tolerance and flexibility around eating and body image.

At Virtue Recovery, ERP is delivered by trained clinicians and integrated into individualized treatment plans for conditions like anorexia, bulimia, ARFID, binge eating disorder, and body dysmorphia.

5 Benefits of ERP for Eating Disorders

Reduces Food-Related Anxiety

Helps clients face feared foods or eating situations safely and gradually.

Decreases Rituals & Compulsions

Breaks the cycle of body-checking, calorie counting, or exercise compulsions.

Builds Tolerance to Distress

Strengthens resilience by reducing avoidance behaviors.

Encourages Flexibility

Helps clients develop more balanced and spontaneous eating habits.

Supports Long-Term Recovery

Reduces relapse risk by breaking the fear-compulsion cycle.

Do I Have an Eating Disorder?

If you’re concerned about your symptoms, click below to take our eating disorders quiz.

Treatment Options for Anorexia Nervosa

  • Creating a Fear Hierarchy
    Listing and ranking feared foods, situations, or rituals.

  • Gradual Exposures
    Step-by-step exposure to feared foods or behaviors in a safe setting.

  • Response Prevention
    Resisting the urge to engage in compulsions (e.g., purging, restricting, body-checking).

  • Therapist Support & Coaching
    Continuous guidance to reduce anxiety and reinforce new skills.

  • Integration with Other Therapies
    ERP works alongside CBT, DBT, ACT, and nutritional counseling for comprehensive care.

Luxury Treatment and ERP

Virtue Recovery provides ERP in a serene, supportive, and private environment. Clients benefit from chef-prepared meals, structured meal support, and holistic therapies that complement ERP’s evidence-based approach.

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Our Las Vegas Luxury Inpatient Eating Disorder Treatment Center

Our inpatient program incorporates ERP into daily treatment. Clients work with therapists to face food fears, reduce rituals, and build healthier eating behaviors while receiving 24/7 support.

This immersive setting is ideal for clients with severe food anxiety or compulsions who need structured care.

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Our Las Vegas Outpatient Eating Disorder Treatment Center

Our outpatient program provides ERP sessions for clients living at home. This allows individuals to practice exposures in real-world settings with professional support.

Outpatient ERP services include:

  • Individual ERP sessions

  • Meal support exposures

  • Response-prevention coaching

  • Group therapy integration

  • Relapse prevention planning

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Our Las Vegas Adolescent / Teen Inpatient Eating Disorder Treatment Center

ERP is especially effective for teens with food fears, ARFID, or body-checking rituals. Our Teen Inpatient Program incorporates ERP into developmentally appropriate therapy.

Program highlights include:

  • Age-tailored ERP exposures with therapist support

  • Family education to reinforce ERP strategies at home

  • Peer groups for shared exposure challenges

  • Academic support during treatment

  • 24/7 therapeutic and medical supervision

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Frequently Asked Questions

ERP reduces food anxiety, eating rituals, compulsive exercise, and body-checking behaviors.

ERP is a specialized form of CBT focused specifically on exposure to fears and prevention of compulsions.

Yes. ERP is highly effective for ARFID, helping clients face sensory or fear-based food avoidance.

Yes. ERP is safe and effective for adolescents, particularly when combined with family involvement.

Glossary of Terms for ERP Treatment

A therapy that helps reduce fears and compulsive behaviors.

Gradually facing feared foods, situations, or thoughts.

Resisting the urge to engage in compulsions or avoidance.

A structured list of feared situations ranked by difficulty.

Compulsively examining one’s body for perceived flaws.

Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder, often treated with ERP.

A therapy that addresses thoughts and behaviors, often used with ERP.

Repetitive behaviors done to relieve anxiety (e.g., purging, over-exercising).

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