⚖️ Psychology Today vs. NOCD vs. OLEE Index: Where to Actually Find an ERP Specialist (2026)

Three very different ways to find OCD care. One is a giant directory, one is a telehealth company, one is an index of the evidence. Here's what each is good at, where each falls short, and how to use them together.

10 min read · November 2026

If you've typed "psychology today OCD therapist" or "NOCD" into a search bar this week, you're probably past the reading-about-OCD stage. You want someone who can actually treat it, and soon.

The problem is that "OCD therapist" means wildly different things depending on where you look. The treatment with the strongest evidence for OCD is exposure and response prevention (ERP), and most therapists who list OCD were never trained to deliver it. So the real question isn't which site has the most therapists. It's which one helps you find someone who actually does ERP.

Here's an honest look at all three.

Psychology Today: the biggest directory

Psychology Today runs the largest therapist directory in the U.S., and it's often the first result when you search for a therapist near you. It's free for patients, and you can filter by location, insurance, issue and approach.

What it checks. Psychology Today's "Verified" seal means the therapist's license or primary credential has been checked. That's genuinely useful: you know you're looking at a licensed professional.

What it doesn't check. Therapists choose which issues and treatment approaches appear on their own profile. The seal confirms the license, not whether someone has OCD-specific training or uses ERP. Every therapist pays the same flat monthly fee to be listed, so placement isn't a signal of expertise either.

That matters for OCD more than for most conditions. Our national audit found that only 9% of more than 5,000 providers who advertise OCD treatment showed strong, publicly verifiable evidence of OCD specialization. On a general directory, the other 91% look much the same as the specialists.

Best for: finding in-person therapists near you who take your insurance, as long as you vet them yourself. Use our questions to ask an OCD therapist before you book.

NOCD: telehealth built around ERP

NOCD (some people search for it as "no OCD") is a telehealth company that only treats OCD and related conditions. It doesn't list outside therapists. You sign up, and NOCD matches you with one of its own therapists for live video sessions.

What it does well. NOCD says every one of its therapists is licensed and completes NOCD's own training in OCD and ERP before seeing members. It's available in all 50 states and is in-network with more than 70 insurance plans. NOCD says most in-network members pay a copay of about $0 to $50 per session.

The trade-offs.

• Video only. If you want in-person sessions, or ERP that happens out in the real world with your therapist present, NOCD isn't built for that.
• You don't pick from the whole market. You're matched with a NOCD therapist rather than choosing among every specialist in your state.
• Cash price. Without insurance, a 60-minute session costs $240 (as of late 2026), which is similar to many private ERP specialists.
• Training you can't see. NOCD's training is in-house, so you rely on NOCD's description of it rather than an outside credential you can look up.

A note on NOCD therapists in OLEE. Many NOCD therapists are listed in OLEE Index. Because their training is internal and their public profiles tend to be brief, they often show less publicly verifiable evidence than independent specialists, and score lower as a result. That reflects what can be verified publicly, not a judgment of any individual therapist's skill.

Best for: people who want ERP-trained care quickly, by video, using insurance, especially in areas with few local specialists.

OLEE Index: an index of the evidence

OLEE Index isn't a therapy provider and doesn't book appointments. It scores OCD providers, including private-practice specialists, clinics, IOCDF-listed therapists and telehealth clinicians, on a 100-point rubric built from publicly verifiable signals of OCD expertise: how clearly they describe ERP, specialized training such as the IOCDF's Behavior Therapy Training Institute (BTTI), IOCDF listing, research and institutional affiliations.

Why that matters. Training turns out to be the single biggest difference between specialists and generalists. BTTI-trained providers make up about 8% of the providers we scored, but 38% of the top tier. And 79% of IOCDF-listed providers had no verifiable record of BTTI, an OCD fellowship or comparable training. Directories that rely on self-reported specialties can't show you that difference. OLEE is built to.

The trade-offs.

• It measures evidence, not outcomes. A high score means a provider has documented OCD expertise. It doesn't measure how good they are in the room or whether they're the right fit for you.
• Quiet experts can score lower. A skilled clinician with a thin website may score lower than they deserve.
• You still have to call. OLEE shows you who to contact. Availability, cost and fit are confirmed with the provider.

Best for: building a shortlist of providers with documented ERP expertise, in person or by telehealth, and filtering by state, insurance and language.

How they compare at a glance

• What it is: Psychology Today is a paid-listing directory. NOCD is a telehealth therapy company. OLEE Index is a free, evidence-based score of OCD providers.
• Does it confirm OCD or ERP training? Psychology Today confirms the license only. NOCD trains its own therapists in-house. OLEE scores publicly verifiable training such as BTTI.
• In-person care: Psychology Today, yes. NOCD, no. OLEE, yes (it covers in-person and telehealth providers).
• Insurance: Psychology Today, depends on the therapist. NOCD, 70+ plans. OLEE, filter by insurance. About half of top-scoring providers accept insurance.
• Who chooses the therapist: On Psychology Today and OLEE, you do. On NOCD, NOCD matches you.
• Cost to use: All three are free to browse. Therapy costs depend on the provider.

Don't forget the IOCDF directory

The International OCD Foundation runs its own Resource Directory. Listings are self-reported, but the IOCDF verifies licensure and BTTI completion. It's a good place to start, and OLEE includes IOCDF listings in its scoring, so you can see which listed providers also show documented training.

Which should you use?

• You want in-person ERP near you. Start on OLEE, filter by your state, and check the top scorers' insurance and availability. Use Psychology Today to fill gaps, but vet carefully.
• You want to use insurance and start quickly by video. NOCD is a solid option. You can also filter OLEE for telehealth providers who take your insurance and compare.
• You've tried therapy for OCD before and it didn't help. Look for documented ERP training first. Our guide to how to tell if a therapist actually specializes in OCD walks you through it.
• You live somewhere with few specialists. Many top-scoring providers offer telehealth across state lines where their license allows. See why finding an OCD therapist is so hard for workarounds.

Whichever you choose, ask every therapist the same question: "Do you use exposure and response prevention, and where were you trained in it?" A specialist will answer clearly and specifically.

FAQ

Is Psychology Today good for finding an OCD therapist?

It's useful for finding licensed therapists near you, but it doesn't confirm OCD or ERP training. Therapists choose the specialties on their own profiles, and the "Verified" seal only confirms the license. Vet anyone you find there by asking about ERP training directly.

Is NOCD legit?

Yes. NOCD is an established telehealth company focused on OCD. It says all of its therapists are licensed and trained in ERP by NOCD, it operates in all 50 states, and it accepts more than 70 insurance plans. Sessions are by video only, and you're matched with a NOCD therapist rather than choosing from all providers.

How much does NOCD cost?

NOCD says most in-network members pay a copay of about $0 to $50 per session. Without insurance, sessions cost $240 for 60 minutes, $180 for 45 minutes and $120 for 30 minutes, as of late 2026. Check NOCD directly for current prices.

Does OLEE Index provide therapy?

No. OLEE Index scores OCD providers on publicly verifiable evidence of expertise and helps you find them. It doesn't provide treatment, book appointments or take payment from providers for placement.

What's the most important thing to check in an OCD therapist?

Whether they use exposure and response prevention (ERP) and where they trained in it. In our audit of more than 5,000 providers, specialized OCD training such as the IOCDF's BTTI was the strongest single signal separating specialists from generalists.

Can I use NOCD and OLEE together?

Yes. Many NOCD therapists are listed in OLEE Index, and OLEE also covers independent specialists and clinics. You can compare options on OLEE, then choose NOCD if video-based, insurance-covered ERP suits you best.

This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are experiencing symptoms of OCD, please consult a licensed mental health professional. OLEE Index is not affiliated with Psychology Today, Sussex Directories or NOCD. Psychology Today and NOCD are trademarks of their respective owners. Prices and plan details are as published by NOCD and independent reviews as of November 2026 and may change; confirm current details with each service.