Inference-Based CBT

Inference-Based CBT for OCD: A New Approach

If you’re struggling with OCD and feel that traditional ERP isn’t the right fit for you, Inference-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (I-CBT) could be the solution you’ve been searching for. We offer I-CBT as another evidence-based therapy that targets the underlying reasoning patterns fueling your obsessions, without relying on exposure techniques.

What is Inference-Based CBT?

I-CBT theorizes that obsessions aren’t random intrusive thoughts. Rather, they are a product of faulty reasoning patterns (or inferences) that increase the validity and relevancy of your doubts. Think of your doubt like an iceberg, and I-CBT is helping you recognize and challenge what’s underneath the surface. By doing so, you can reduce the anxiety and need to compulse without even doing an exposure.

How Does I-CBT Work?

  1. Identifying Faulty Inferences: I-CBT begins by helping you identify the distorted inferences that fuel your obsessions. For example, if you have the thought, “What if I harm someone?”, I-CBT helps you familiarize what justifications your OCD makes to respond to the doubt (e.g., hearsay, rules, personal experiences, abstract facts, vulnerable self-themes, and possibilities)

  2. Challenging OCD’s Reasoning: Rather than engaging in exposures, I-CBT encourages you to challenge the validity and relevancy of your doubt. By understanding OCD’s story, you can build a counternarrative that takes away its power.

  3. Trusting the Here and Now: I-CBT will teach you to trust your senses and how those senses invalidate your obsessional doubt. OCD helps you trust your retinas rather than your imagination’s eyes.

  4. Trusting Your Authentic Self: OCD constantly warns that you will become a monster if you don’t compulse: “What if I am capable of cheating on my spouse? What if I hurt the people I love? What if I am being irresponsible?” I-CBT helps deconstruct where this feared self comes from while also helping you trust your authentic and genuine self (the opposite of what your OCD says you might be). 

Why Choose I-CBT Over Exposure Therapy?

While exposure therapy is effective for many, it’s not always the best fit for everyone. Some clients find it overwhelming or retraumatizing to confront their fears directly. I-CBT offers a gentler approach by focusing on how you process and reason with your doubt, rather than directly exposing you to distressing situations.

If you’ve tried ERP and felt stuck or want a different approach to managing your OCD, I-CBT provides an alternative that addresses the root causes of OCD without the need for repetitive exposures.

I-CBT Therapists Near You

If you are a resident of Houston, Dallas, or Texas looking for an alternative to traditional exposure therapy, Inference-Based CBT may be the key to unlocking lasting relief from OCD. At OCD & Anxiety Recovery, our skilled therapists are here to guide you through this effective and empowering treatment. With I-CBT, you can begin to break free from the cycle of obsessional doubt and compulsions and start living a life aligned with your values.

Contact us today to learn more about how I-CBT can help you regain control over your OCD and take the first step toward recovery.