OCD Therapy in Ireland: ERP, Clinical Hypnotherapy & RTT in Limerick, Cork, Dublin and Online

Practical, evidence-based help for intrusive thoughts, checking, handwashing and mental rituals – in person and ONLINE across Ireland

You might be sitting in your car outside work in Limerick, checking the handbrake again and again. Or standing in your kitchen in Cork, washing the same cup or your hands for the fifth time, skin sore but mind still shouting “not clean enough.” Maybe in Dublin your brain throws images at you that horrify you, and you are terrified to tell anyone in case they misunderstand.

If you recognise yourself in this, OCD may be part of your story. It is also treatable.

I am Claire Russell MSc, BSc, DipNT, Cl.Hyp, MNTOI, MICIP, GHR, a Registered Nutritionist, Clinical Medical Hypnotherapist, Counsellor, Psychotherapist and Advanced RTT Practitioner with more than 20 years of clinical experience. I work with adults and teenagers across Ireland who live with:

Obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) and intrusive thoughts
Anxiety, panic and chronic worry
PTSD and Complex PTSD
Addictions (alcohol, vaping, drugs, gambling, porn, food and sugar)
Gut and digestive problems (IBS, reflux, bloating, SIBO)
Hormonal issues (PMS, PMDD, perimenopause, menopause, thyroid)
Weight and metabolic health, binge eating and sugar dependence

OCD therapy, including ERP, Clinical Hypnotherapy, RTT, Counselling, Psychotherapy and Nutritionist services, is available:

In person: Adare, Newcastle West, Limerick, Abbeyfeale, Charleville, Kanturk, Midleton, Youghal, Cork, Dublin, Dungarvan, Waterford
ONLINE: from anywhere in Ireland, the UK, UAE, Australia and worldwide

1. Snapshot: What OCD Really Is (And Is Not)

OCD is not simply being tidy or particular. It is a cycle of:

Obsessions: intrusive thoughts, images or urges that feel unwanted and distressing
Compulsions: behaviours or mental acts done to try to neutralise fear, guilt or discomfort

Common themes I see in clinics across Limerick, Cork, Dublin and ONLINE include:

Contamination fears and handwashing
Checking locks, plugs, appliances, work emails, messages and bank transfers
Harm intrusive thoughts about children, partners, strangers or pets
Religious, moral or “am I a bad person?” worries
Needing things to feel “just right” or done in a particular order

Left untreated, OCD can significantly reduce quality of life, affecting work, study, relationships, social life and general happiness.

The key point: OCD is a recognised mental health condition with well-studied treatments. You are not weak, and you are not alone.

2. ERP: The Core Psychological Treatment For OCD

Most international guidelines now agree on one thing: cognitive-behavioural therapy that includes Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) is the leading psychological treatment for OCD.

What is ERP?

ERP (Exposure and Response Prevention) is a structured therapy that helps you:

Face the situations, thoughts or images that trigger your OCD
Practise not carrying out the rituals that usually follow
Discover that anxiety and discomfort naturally reduce even when rituals are not performed

Over the last few decades, ERP has transformed OCD from a condition once seen as “treatment-resistant” into one where many people see strong improvements.

How ERP Works – In Plain Language

Think of ERP as four building blocks:

Exposure
You gradually and safely face things that trigger your obsessions. This might mean:
- Touching doorknobs you normally avoid
- Writing or listening to a description of a feared scenario
- Bringing to mind an intrusive thought deliberately
Research shows that repeated exposure reduces the power of these triggers over time.
Response Prevention
Instead of doing your usual compulsion, you practise not doing it. For example:
- Touching a “contaminated” surface and not washing
- Leaving the house after checking the door once
- Allowing a distressing thought to be there without mentally neutralising it
Graded approach (hierarchy)
You do not start with the worst fear. Together we create a hierarchy that lists triggers from “easier” to “harder.” You begin with milder challenges, repeating them until anxiety drops, then move up step by step.
Habituation and new learning
As you repeatedly face fears without rituals, your brain learns:
- Anxiety rises, then falls, even if you do nothing
- You can tolerate uncertainty and discomfort
- Catastrophic expectations are often not realised
Studies suggest that this “new learning” and expectation violation are key mechanisms behind ERP’s effectiveness.

What To Expect In ERP-Focused Work

Early sessions
We take time to understand your obsessions, compulsions, triggers, history and any co-existing problems (such as trauma, addictions, gut or hormonal issues). We then build your personalised hierarchy and explain ERP in detail.
The middle phase
We work through ERP tasks together, in session and as home practice. Anxiety may initially increase, which is expected. With repetition, it tends to level off more quickly and at lower levels. Randomised controlled trials show that ERP can significantly reduce OCD symptoms compared with minimal or no treatment.
Duration
For many adults, structured ERP is often offered over roughly 12–20 sessions, sometimes longer if OCD is severe or complicated by other difficulties.

You remain in control throughout. We go at a pace that stretches you but does not overwhelm you.

3. Beyond ERP: How I Blend ERP, Hypnotherapy, RTT, Counselling & Nutrition

ERP is the backbone. Around that backbone, I add targeted tools that help people in real life actually do the work.

Clinical Medical Hypnotherapy with ERP

Recent meta-analytic work suggests that hypnosis can be a useful adjunct for some mental and physical conditions, particularly for anxiety and pain. Evidence is still developing, so I use hypnotherapy to support, not replace, ERP and CBT.

In OCD treatment across Limerick, Cork, Dublin and ONLINE Clinical Medical Hypnotherapy, hypnosis, RTT and other hypnotherapy modalities can help you:

Lower general anxiety so ERP feels more manageable
Rehearse ERP steps in a focused, calmer state
Strengthen more helpful beliefs such as “I can cope with uncertainty”

Rapid Transformational Therapy (RTT) – using RTT with ERP

RTT combines hypnotherapy with cognitive and behavioural elements. In practice, people often find it helpful to:

Explore and shift deep-seated beliefs (for example, “I must never make a mistake” or “If I think it, it will happen”)
Loosen rigid patterns that feed compulsions
Reduce shame, self-criticism and old emotional scripts

RTT does not replace ERP; it is used alongside it to help you engage more deeply with the behavioural work.

Counselling & Psychotherapy for OCD and ERP

OCD rarely exists in a vacuum. Therapy often includes:

Processing past stress, bullying, loss, trauma or chronic criticism
Looking at relationship patterns and communication
Working with co-existing anxiety, depression, addictions or burnout
Supporting couples where OCD has affected closeness and intimacy

Registered Nutritionist Support & Gut-Brain Health for OCD

We now have growing evidence that the gut microbiota and nutritional patterns are linked with anxiety and mood. More recent analyses suggest that targeted probiotics, prebiotics and synbiotics can modestly reduce anxiety and depressive symptoms in some groups.

In OCD and ERP sessions, we may:

Look at your blood-sugar balance, caffeine, alcohol and processed foods that may drive anxiety, and OCD symptoms
Support IBS, reflux, bloating, constipation or diarrhoea
Check for nutritional gaps relevant to brain and hormone function
Explore food patterns linked to comfort eating, bingeing or restriction, along with sugar addictions, food addictions etc

Again, nutrition is not a stand-alone cure for OCD, however combined with our targeted Therapy with ERP it can help your nervous system feel less volatile, which makes ERP and OCD therapy much easier to tolerate.

4. Life After OCD: Real-World Examples From some of our clients in Ireland

Names have been changed for confidentiality, and their stories reflect patterns I see often in my private rooms and clinics

Sinead, 30, Cork – contamination and checking

Sinead, working in Cork city, was washing her hands until they bled and checking the front door and hob repeatedly each night. Along with disordered eating habits, Sinead also struggled with IBS, gut issues and with comfort eating. We used:

ERP for contamination and checking rituals
Hypnotherapy to reduce anticipatory anxiety
Counselling and Psychotherapy to unpack perfectionism and fear of criticism
Nutritionist support to stabilise blood sugar and help soothe gut symptoms

Over time, her washing reduced to normal levels, checking took minutes rather than an hour, eating habits and IBS settled, and she returned to social events she had avoided.

Tom, 37, Limerick – harm intrusive thoughts, alcohol and burnout

Tom from Limerick was experiencing graphic harm intrusive thoughts about his partner and young child. He drank heavily in the evenings to “numb” his mind. Using ERP for intrusive images, RTT and psychotherapy around guilt and responsibility, plus gradual changes to alcohol and diet, he reported:

Reduced frequency and intensity of intrusive thoughts
Less need for reassurance
Lower alcohol intake
Better sleep and more energy for family life

Eimear, 42, Dublin – moral obsessions, perimenopause and low mood

Eimear in Dublin had long-standing moral and religious obsessions, as well as perimenopausal symptoms and low self-worth. ERP targeted mental rituals and reassurance seeking. Psychotherapy explored her history of criticism and pressure to be “good.” Nutrition support focused on mood, sleep and hormonal stability.

After a period of work, she described feeling “less at war” with her thoughts, more connected in her relationship and better able to distinguish OCD from her own values.

No therapy can promise identical results, but these examples from our clients show how ERP has been, and can be combined with other approaches in a way that fits adult and teenagers real lives and lifestyles.

5. Medication, OCD & Combined Care

Many people in Ireland receive a combination of medication and CBT with ERP. Meta-analyses show that:

SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) are more effective than placebo for OCD, with modest effects overall
Higher SSRI doses may be more effective for some people, and side effects also increase
Adding CBT/ERP to medication clearly improves outcomes, whereas adding medication to good-quality CBT may add less benefit

I do not prescribe or alter medication. If needed, I encourage you to work closely with your GP or psychiatrist so that psychological therapies, medication, mental health, emotional health and physical health care plans are coordinated for OCD

6. OCD and ERP Frequently Asked Questions (OCD FAQ)

Is ERP always necessary for OCD?
For most people, some form of ERP is very helpful and is now frequently recommended in international guidelines as a first-line psychological treatment. The ERP pace and style is tailored to you, your needs and your lifestyle.

Is ERP available with you in-person and ONLINE?
Yes. ERP-informed OCD therapy is available in person in Adare, Newcastle West, Limerick, Abbeyfeale, Charleville, Kanturk, Midleton, Youghal, Cork, Dublin, Dungarvan, Waterford, and ONLINE across Ireland.

Will ERP force me to do things I am not ready for?
No, We agree and gradually increase these exercises together. The idea is to stretch your comfort zone in planned steps, not to overwhelm you.

How do hypnotherapy and RTT fit with ERP, CBT and OCD evidence-based care?
ERP and CBT remain the core evidence-based treatments. Hypnotherapy and RTT are used as supportive tools to help reduce anxiety, shift unhelpful beliefs and make it easier to stick with your ERP plan.

Can you help if I also have ADHD, Hormone issues, GUT issues, Anxiety, Stress, Overwhelm, PTSD, Trauma, Addictions, drug addictions, food or eating difficulties?
Yes. Many clients present with mixtures of OCD, ADHD, PTSD/Complex PTSD, Drug addictions, alcohol or gambling issues, binge eating, IBS, GUT, digestion, hormonal problems and burnout. We plan our work so that these are addressed together, ongoingly throughout your care.

Is OCD therapy suitable for teenagers and children?
In many cases, yes, with parental or guardian involvement depending on age. There is good evidence that Nutrition with Therapy, and CBT/ERP helps young people with OCD. Teenagers and children respond well with a combination of clinical medical hypnotherapy, ERP, hypnotherapy work, RTT, with CBT and ERP for OCD

How long before I notice change?
Some people notice small shifts within a few weeks. More solid change usually takes consistent work over several months. The aim is not perfection but steady improvement, happiness and more freedom in everyday life.

7. Booking OCD Therapy and ERP Therapy with Claire Russell

If OCD and intrusive thoughts are stealing your time and peace of mind, you do not have to handle it alone. With structured ERP, plus the right mix of Clinical Hypnotherapy, RTT, Counselling, Psychotherapy and our Nutritionist services in Limerick, Cork, Dungarven and Dublin, change is possible.

Contact:
Claire Russell MSc, BSc, DipNT, Cl.Hyp, MNTOI, MICIP, GHR
Registered Nutritionist, Clinical Medical Hypnotherapist, Counsellor, Psychotherapist, RTT and Advanced RTT Practitioner

Services: OCD Therapy, ERP-based CBT, Clinical Hypnotherapy, RTT, Counselling, Psychotherapy, Registered Nutritionist Services

Locations (in person):
Adare • Newcastle West • Limerick • Abbeyfeale • Charleville • Kanturk • Midleton • Youghal • Cork • Dublin • Dungarvan • Waterford

ONLINE: OCD therapy, ERP, hypnotherapy, RTT, counselling and nutrition support across Ireland

Book an OCD or ERP Consultation Now

Ready to talk about OCD treatment options?
• ERP-based OCD Therapy in Limerick, Cork, Dublin, Dungarvan & ONLINE
• Clinical Hypnotherapy and RTT for anxiety, intrusive thoughts and compulsions
• Counselling, Psychotherapy and Nutritionist services for gut, hormones, addictions and mood

Call or text 087 616 6638 to arrange a confidential chat and schedule your first session.

References

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Claire Russell Therapy

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