Table 1.

Example OCD Exposure Exercises

Session 3
BEFORE exposure:
Goal:	Place hand on son’s neck for 10 mins as he sleeps (4x over the course of the week)
What are you most worried will happen?	I will strangle him
On scale 0–100, how likely does this seem?	80%
AFTER exposure:
Did what you were most worried about occur? Y or N	No
How do you know?	My hand never tightened around his neck
What did you learn?	I can be alone with my son as he sleeps and not hurt him
Session 4
BEFORE exposure:
Goal:	Read news stories of parents harming their children for 15 minutes and then play with kids for 10 mins. (3x over the course of the week)
What are you most worried will happen?	I will hurt my kids
On scale 0–100, how likely does this seem?	70%
AFTER exposure:
Did what you were most worried about occur? Y or N	No
How do you know?	I never hurt my children, even when I was alone with them.
What did you learn?	Reading stories about others hurting their kids doesn’t mean I will.
Session 6
BEFORE exposure:
Goal:	Imagine strangling my son for 5 mins and then place hand on son’s neck for 10 mins as he sleeps (3x over the course of the week)
What are you most worried will happen?	I will strangle him
On scale 0–100, how likely does this seem?	90%
AFTER exposure:
Did what you were most worried about occur? Y or N	No
How do you know?	My hand never tightened around his neck
What did you learn?	I was really anxious, but I didn’t hurt my son. Just because I have thoughts about hurting him doesn’t mean I will.