Online OCD treatment: ERP therapy and medication
Which online services treat OCD, which give exposure and response prevention (ERP) and whether every clinician is trained in it, which prescribe medication for OCD, and what each costs with insurance, with Medicaid or without, from their own pages. Every answer links to the page that states it.
32 services compared here say on their own pages that they treat OCD online. 28 give therapy for it and 13 of those name exposure and response prevention (ERP), the therapy guidance puts first for OCD; 2 say every clinician giving their OCD care is trained in ERP or OCD (Charlie Health and NOCD). 11 of the services that name ERP bill insurance in network, 4 name Medicaid. 14 say their clinicians prescribe medication for OCD, most often naming SSRIs.
28 services give therapy for OCD
Every service here whose own pages name OCD among what its therapists treat, grouped by what they say about exposure and response prevention (ERP): whether every clinician giving OCD care is trained in it, whether you choose one who lists OCD, whether ERP is named at all. General talk therapy is not ERP, so on a service that does not name it, ask for it by name.
ERP-trained cliniciansSay every clinician giving OCD care is trained in ERP or OCD (2)
| Service | What its pages say | Approaches named | With insurance | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlie HealthVisit site Intensive outpatientAges 8-64 AdultsTeensChildren | A virtual intensive outpatient program for OCD, delivered from home with individual, group and family therapy. Its virtual IOP for OCD is described as delivered by clinicians who specialize in OCD. | CBTDBTERP | Bills insurance in network Medicaid: states where intensive outpatient care is covered | No self-pay price published |
| NOCDVisit site OCD therapy AdultsTeensChildren | Live video therapy for OCD with ERP-trained therapists, for anyone age 5 and up, plus an adult intensive program. Its pages say every NOCD therapist has been trained to treat OCD. | ERP | Bills insurance in network | $120 (30 min), $180 (45 min), $240 (60 min) per session |
Choose an OCD specialistLet you choose a clinician who lists OCD or ERP (10)
ERP namedName ERP, without saying every clinician uses it (3)
| Service | What its pages say | Approaches named | With insurance | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bend HealthVisit site Pediatric care TeensChildren | Online care for kids and teens with OCD, listed among the concerns its programs support. | ERPCBTDBT | Bills insurance in network | The Coaching & Therapy plan is $399.99 per month, or pay with insurance; no separate OCD price is stated. |
| BrightlineVisit site Pediatric care TeensChildren Also prescribes | Child and teen OCD therapy using CBT with exposure and response prevention, with optional psychiatric medication management. | CBTERP | Bills insurance in network | Therapy ranges from $200–$350 and psychiatry from $225–$350; no separate OCD price is stated. |
| LifeStance HealthVisit site Therapy + psychiatry Ages not statedAlso prescribes | Therapy and psychiatric medication management for OCD, in person or by video. | ERPCBT | Bills insurance in network Medicaid: some plans; varies by state and provider | Psychiatric appointments usually cost $210 to $432 without insurance; no separate OCD price is stated. |
ERP not namedTreat OCD, but their pages do not name ERP (13)
Read from each service's own pages on Oct 21, 2026. 17 of these give therapy without prescribing. By approach: CBT 17, ERP 13, ACT 3, DBT 4, Mindfulness-based 3. A service that names an approach does not promise every therapist on it uses it, unless its pages say so. Prices are stated per session, per month or per plan, as each source states them.
Remote treatment, pooled. A 2016 meta-analysis found remote treatment for OCD was more effective than control and not meaningfully different from face-to-face treatment. ERP by video. A 2014 pilot randomized trial found videoconference-assisted ERP produced significantly greater reductions in OCD symptoms than the two control conditions, with outcomes similar to regular face-to-face ERP. Teens by telephone. A 2014 randomized non-inferiority trial found telephone CBT with exposure and response prevention was not inferior to standard clinic-based CBT for adolescents with OCD, at least in the midterm. Internet CBT, not settled. A 2022 randomized trial comparing internet CBT with face-to-face CBT for adults with OCD did not conclusively show that internet CBT was as good. NOCD's own data. A 2022 observational study by NOCD researchers reported a 43.4% mean reduction in OCD symptoms and a 62.9% response rate among adults treated with its video ERP.
Checking that a therapist gives ERP
- Ask about ERP by name: The International OCD Foundation suggests asking whether a therapist is familiar with ERP and being cautious of therapists who say they use CBT but will not be more specific.
- Ask how much of their work is OCD: The International OCD Foundation suggests asking what share of a therapist's practice involves OCD, and says over 25% likely means a specialty in OCD.
- Why it matters: The International OCD Foundation says most therapists do not receive training on OCD and related disorders in graduate education, so they must seek out additional training themselves.
14 services prescribe OCD medication online
Every service here whose own pages say its clinicians prescribe medication for OCD. The medicines shown are the ones its pages name for OCD; a service that names none still prescribes when its clinicians judge it appropriate. A prescription always follows a clinician's evaluation, never a purchase.
Read from each service's own pages on Oct 21, 2026. Prices are stated per visit, per month or per plan, as each source states them, and the medicine is usually paid at the pharmacy on top. Of these, Anywhere Clinic, BetterHelp, Brightside Health, Doctor On Demand, Headspace Care, LifeStance Health, Talkiatry, Talkspace, Thriveworks and PlushCare name Medicare.
Ketamine, which one service here prescribes for OCD: The FDA says ketamine is not FDA-approved for the treatment of any psychiatric disorder; its approved form, Ketalar, is an injection used as a general anesthetic and a Schedule III controlled substance.
What the FDA has approved for OCD
The OCD medicines on their FDA labels, with what each label approves it for and the ages it states, and what guidance says comes first.
How many of the 14 prescribers above name each kind of medicine for OCD: SSRIs 6, Clomipramine (Anafranil) 4.
First-line therapy
First-line medication
The American Psychiatric Association says SSRIs are the first-line medication treatment for OCD.
Therapy, medication or both
How long the medicines take
The antidepressant boxed warning
When weekly therapy is not enough
What each service here says on its own pages about more intensive OCD care (intensive ERP, an intensive outpatient program, partial hospitalization, residential treatment) and TMS, and what the FDA says about TMS for OCD. A service that does not mention them is not listed.
What the services say
- Say they give it (5)
Anywhere Clinic: Offers TMS, which it describes as FDA-cleared for major depression and OCD, in person at its Las Vegas clinic only (not by video).
Charlie Health: Its virtual IOP gives 6 to 12 weeks of intensive OCD treatment from home.
Mindful Care: Its TMS page recommends deep TMS for adults aged 22 to 86 diagnosed with OCD, given only at its West Hempstead, NY location.
NOCD: Its OCD intensive uses ERP and CBT in daily groups, without the disruption of hospitalization.
Within Health: Its enhanced PHP, delivered entirely remotely, offers care for co-occurring conditions including OCD.
Given, by kind: Intensive ERP 1, Intensive outpatient program 1, Partial hospitalization 1, TMS 2.
TMS for OCD
- FDA authorization: On August 17, 2018 the FDA permitted marketing of the Brainsway Deep Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation System for treatment of OCD.
- Who it is for: The FDA said the authorization gives patients with OCD who have not responded to traditional treatments another option.
- What the study found: In the FDA's review study, 38 percent of patients responded to the Brainsway device (more than a 30 percent drop in Y-BOCS score) versus 11 percent with a sham device.
- Ages: NIMH lists OCD among the conditions rTMS is FDA-cleared for, and says rTMS is not approved for youth under 15.
Conditions related to OCD, and care for kids and teens
Which services' own pages name each condition related to OCD, and which say they treat OCD in teens or children.
- Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) (1)
- Within Health
- Hoarding disorder (1)
- LifeStance Health
ERP for OCD with insurance, Medicaid, or without
The services above that name ERP and that a person can start on their own, by how they can be paid. Each answer is the same reading the site's plan pages use.
Bill insurance in network (11)
- Alma: Bills insurance in network
- Bend Health: Bills insurance in network
- BetterHelp: Bills insurance in network
- Brightline: Bills insurance in network
- Charlie Health: Bills insurance in network
- Grow Therapy: Bills insurance in network
- LifeStance Health: Bills insurance in network
- NOCD: Bills insurance in network
- Rula: Bills insurance in network
- SonderMind: Bills insurance in network
- Thriveworks: Bills insurance in network
Name Medicaid (4)
- Charlie Health: Medicaid: states where intensive outpatient care is covered
- Grow Therapy: Medicaid: most states, plan by plan
- LifeStance Health: Medicaid: some plans; varies by state and provider
- Rula: Medicaid: managed Medicaid for select states and insurers; therapy only
Publish a price without insurance (9)
- Bend Health: $199.99 per month
- BetterHelp: $70 to $100/week
- Brightline: $350 initial session, then $200 to $275 per ongoing session
- LifeStance Health: $210 to $432 per session
- NOCD: $120 (30 min), $180 (45 min), $240 (60 min) per session
- Rula: $150/session
- SonderMind: $100 to $250 per session
- Thriveworks: $200-$240 intake / $160-$195 follow-up
- Calmerry: $57/wk
Finding an ERP therapist, and free support
Free directories of therapists who treat OCD, free support groups, and free lines for information or a crisis. Each entry is verified on its own official page.
- Who
- Anyone looking for an OCD therapist, support group or medication prescriber
- What it gives
- A searchable directory of therapists, support groups and prescribers, including teletherapy with a therapist licensed in your state; listings are self-reported, and the IOCDF verifies licensure
- How to start
- Enter your location in the directory search at iocdf.org/find-help
- Who
- People with OCD facing insurance obstacles: no in-network provider, a denied claim, an appeal
- What it gives
- Tips, resources and self-advocacy tools for getting OCD care covered (guidance, not care)
- Cost
- Free
- How to start
- Start from the IOCDF's page on navigating insurance for OCD care
- Who
- Anyone
- What it gives
- Crisis counseling by call, text or chat (not therapy)
- Cost
- Free
- How to start
- Call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org
Medicaid is the single largest payer for mental health services in the United States.
- Who
- People enrolled in their state's Medicaid program
- What it gives
- Coverage that pays for mental health care
- How to start
- Apply through your state's Medicaid agency, or ask your plan which online providers it covers
- Who
- Anyone, for themselves, family or friends
- What it gives
- Emotional support, mental health information and resources from trained staff (not a crisis line, not therapy)
- Cost
- Free
- How to start
- Call 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) or text NAMI to 62640, Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET
- Who
- People with OCD or related disorders, and their families and caregivers
- What it gives
- Support groups and treatment groups for OCD and related disorders, and volunteer-run online groups moderated and occasionally visited by therapists who treat OCD (support, not therapy)
- How to start
- Search the IOCDF Resource Directory for a group, or pick one from its online groups table
- Who
- People with hair pulling, skin picking and other body-focused repetitive behaviors
- What it gives
- A directory of independent, peer-led support groups (support, not therapy)
- Cost
- Free
- How to start
- Browse the directory and filter by state or virtual groups
About OCD and online care
OCD is a condition in which a person has unwanted, intrusive thoughts, images, or urges (obsessions) and feels driven to perform repetitive behaviors or mental rituals (compulsions) to relieve the resulting distress. The cycle can consume significant time and interfere with daily life.
How online care helps
Online therapy is a strong fit for mild-to-moderate OCD when it delivers Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), which translates fully to video and can even be more effective at home, where a person's real triggers live. Its limits matter: OCD that is severe, involves meaningful suicidality, or has not responded to standard outpatient care may need intensive outpatient or residential programs, and medication requires a prescriber. Generic supportive talk therapy is not the same as ERP, so confirm the specific approach before starting.
Approaches with evidence
- Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) the proven first-line, most effective psychotherapy for OCD; gradually reduces rituals by facing triggers without responding
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) the broader framework ERP sits within; the ERP component is what carries the evidence for OCD
- SSRIs (medication, via psychiatry) first-line medication, often at higher doses than for depression; needs a prescriber and works well alongside ERP
What to look for
- Confirm the service offers ERP by name, not just general CBT or talk therapy.
- Check whether psychiatry is included if you may need or already take an SSRI.
- Ask how they handle severe or treatment-resistant OCD, including referral to intensive or residential care.
- Verify the assigned therapist has specific OCD and ERP training and experience.
Sources
- NIMH: An estimated 1.2% of U.S. adults had OCD in the past year, and lifetime prevalence among U.S. adults was 2.3%.
- International OCD Foundation (IOCDF): Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) is the proven, most effective, first-line therapy for OCD in adults, children, and adolescents.
Online OCD treatment, answered
- Can you get ERP therapy for OCD online?
- Yes. 13 services here name exposure and response prevention (ERP) among the therapy they give by video. 2 say every clinician giving their OCD care is trained in ERP or specialized in OCD: Charlie Health and NOCD. 10 let you choose a clinician who lists OCD or ERP. On the others, ask for ERP by name when you are matched. The American Psychiatric Association says exposure and response (ritual) prevention (ERP), a type of CBT, is the first-line therapy for OCD.
- Which online OCD therapy takes insurance?
- 11 services here that name ERP bill insurance in network: Alma, Bend Health, BetterHelp, Brightline, Charlie Health, Grow Therapy, LifeStance Health, NOCD, Rula, SonderMind and Thriveworks. 4 of them name Medicaid: Charlie Health, Grow Therapy, LifeStance Health and Rula. What you pay depends on your plan's copay or deductible; each service's page and your insurer confirm it.
- Does NOCD take insurance, and what does it cost without it?
- Yes: NOCD's own pages say it bills insurance in network. Its pages do not name Medicaid as accepted. Without insurance: $120 (30 min), $180 (45 min), $240 (60 min) per session. Its service page lists the plans it names, with the page that states each one.
- Can you get OCD medication online?
- Yes. 14 services here say on their own pages that their clinicians prescribe medication for OCD by telehealth, after an evaluation and only when they judge it appropriate. By name: SSRIs (6), Clomipramine (Anafranil) (4). The medicines approved for OCD are not controlled substances, so the federal limits on prescribing controlled substances by telehealth do not apply to them. NIMH says antidepressant treatment for OCD can take 8 to 12 weeks before symptoms begin to improve, and OCD may need higher doses than are typically used for depression.
- Which medicines are FDA-approved for OCD?
- sertraline (Zoloft), fluoxetine (Prozac), fluvoxamine, paroxetine (Paxil) and clomipramine (Anafranil). Sertraline: OCD in adults, and in children and teens 6 to 17 (and major depressive disorder, panic disorder, PTSD, social anxiety disorder and PMDD). Fluoxetine: OCD, acute and maintenance treatment, studied in children and teens 7 to 17 as well as adults (and major depressive disorder, bulimia and panic disorder). Fluvoxamine: OCD, studied in children and teens 8 to 17 as well as adults; the extended-release capsules are studied in adults only. Paroxetine: OCD in adults only; not approved for children (and major depressive disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder and PTSD). Clomipramine: Obsessions and compulsions in OCD, its only labeled use; for children, studied in ages 10 to 17. Which one fits is a prescriber's decision.
- How much does online OCD therapy cost without insurance?
- Prices are stated in different units, so compare them on each service's page. Among the services that name ERP and publish a price without insurance: Bend Health: $199.99 per month; BetterHelp: $70 to $100/week; Brightline: $350 initial session, then $200 to $275 per ongoing session; LifeStance Health: $210 to $432 per session; NOCD: $120 (30 min), $180 (45 min), $240 (60 min) per session; Rula: $150/session; SonderMind: $100 to $250 per session; Thriveworks: $200-$240 intake / $160-$195 follow-up; Calmerry: $57/wk.
- Is there online OCD treatment for kids and teens?
- 9 services here say on their own pages that they treat OCD in teens or children: Bend Health, Brightline, Charlie Health, Equip, Little Otter, NOCD, Rula, Talkspace and Within Health. The Anafranil label carries the antidepressant boxed warning: antidepressants increased the risk of suicidal thinking and behavior in children, adolescents and young adults in short-term studies. A parent or guardian usually has to consent; the teens and kids page lists each service's ages and consent rules.
- Does online ERP work as well as in person?
- A 2016 meta-analysis found remote treatment for OCD was more effective than control and not meaningfully different from face-to-face treatment. A 2014 pilot randomized trial found videoconference-assisted ERP produced significantly greater reductions in OCD symptoms than the two control conditions, with outcomes similar to regular face-to-face ERP. A 2014 randomized non-inferiority trial found telephone CBT with exposure and response prevention was not inferior to standard clinic-based CBT for adolescents with OCD, at least in the midterm. A 2022 randomized trial comparing internet CBT with face-to-face CBT for adults with OCD did not conclusively show that internet CBT was as good. A 2022 observational study by NOCD researchers reported a 43.4% mean reduction in OCD symptoms and a 62.9% response rate among adults treated with its video ERP.
- What if weekly therapy is not enough for OCD?
- 5 services here say they give more intensive OCD care: Anywhere Clinic: Offers TMS, which it describes as FDA-cleared for major depression and OCD, in person at its Las Vegas clinic only (not by video); Charlie Health: Its virtual IOP gives 6 to 12 weeks of intensive OCD treatment from home; Mindful Care: Its TMS page recommends deep TMS for adults aged 22 to 86 diagnosed with OCD, given only at its West Hempstead, NY location; NOCD: Its OCD intensive uses ERP and CBT in daily groups, without the disruption of hospitalization; Within Health: Its enhanced PHP, delivered entirely remotely, offers care for co-occurring conditions including OCD. On August 17, 2018 the FDA permitted marketing of the Brainsway Deep Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation System for treatment of OCD. The FDA said the authorization gives patients with OCD who have not responded to traditional treatments another option. In the FDA's review study, 38 percent of patients responded to the Brainsway device (more than a 30 percent drop in Y-BOCS score) versus 11 percent with a sham device. NIMH lists OCD among the conditions rTMS is FDA-cleared for, and says rTMS is not approved for youth under 15.
- How do I know whether a therapist does ERP?
- The International OCD Foundation suggests asking whether a therapist is familiar with ERP and being cautious of therapists who say they use CBT but will not be more specific. The International OCD Foundation suggests asking what share of a therapist's practice involves OCD, and says over 25% likely means a specialty in OCD. The International OCD Foundation says most therapists do not receive training on OCD and related disorders in graduate education, so they must seek out additional training themselves.