Exposure therapy for obsessive–compulsive disorder: An optimizing inhibitory learning approach

• We describe an optimizing inhibitory learning approach to treating OCD.
• Basic theory and applications of this approach are emphasized.
• Clinical examples and a case study help to illustrate this approach.

This paper is part of a series that explores the application of different therapies to a case of obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD). It describes the application of an optimizing inhibitory learning approach to exposure with response prevention for OCD. This paper covers the basic theory and applications of the optimizing inhibitory learning approach for OCD and provides a detailed case conceptualization. Specific examples illustrate how to conduct exposure in a manner that enhances inhibitory learning with the goal of enhancing long-term exposure therapy outcomes. The goal of this paper is to familiarize clinicians with the function that inhibitory learning serves in exposure treatment and how to apply the research findings to maximize inhibitory learning in the context of treating OCD.