Exposure therapy
Confronting fears and anxieties head-on with evidence-based support.
How is our approach to exposure therapy different?
Benefits of exposure therapy
Desensitization
Reduces fear responses through exposure.
Coping skills
Teaches people practical skills to overcome anxieties and fears.
Distress tolerance
Encourages people to be resilient when facing fears.
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Types of exposure therapy
The American Psychological Association describes five different types of exposure through this type of treatment. Practitioners create a customized approach that is appropriate for each patient.
Imaginal exposure
In this type of exposure therapy, the patient uses his or her imagination to recall a traumatic event or imagine themselves in a situation that causes fear or anxiety
In vivo exposure
This gives the patient real-life exposure to a specific fear, such as touching a spider.
VR exposure
Using virtual reality is an increasingly common way to expose a patient to fear while replicating the sights and sounds in a safe environment.
Interoceptive exposure
This strategy aims to increase exposure to fear in terms of the physical feelings associated with it, such as an increased heart rate (in this case, caused by brief exercise).
Prolonged exposure therapy
This type of weekly therapy takes place over the course of several months to help individuals face trauma-related fears. The goal is to gradually face triggering situations and discuss the associated emotions in order to reduce the anxiety attached to those situations. Over the course of these sessions, the practitioner may guide you using both imaginal and in vivo exposure techniques.
FAQs about exposure therapy
See All FAQsWhat is exposure therapy?
Exposure therapy helps individuals overcome their fears through different levels of confrontation (or exposure). It’s best suited for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), anxiety, and trauma-related disorders such as phobias or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
While this method may sound intimidating, studies show that this practice is incredibly effective in decreasing depressive symptoms and improving the quality of life for adolescents. One of the primary purposes of exposure therapy is to break the cycle of avoidance that often accompanies fear. Exposure therapy involves the practitioner creating a safe environment for the individual to face their fear or anxiety.
Whether the fear is a situation or a physical object, the goal is for the individual to get more comfortable and lower their avoidance of that fear. Our clinicians create a safe environment for clients to progress through exposure therapy at a comfortable pace.
What conditions is exposure therapy used for?
Exposure therapy helps you overcome things in life that you’ve avoided out of fear. There are a number of conditions that can be treated with exposure therapy techniques.
Exposure therapy can support you with:
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
- Panic disorders
- Phobias
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- General anxiety
- Social anxiety
- Panic attacks
How does exposure therapy work?
There are multiple exposure therapy examples that your clinician may use to help you overcome your challenges. Our clinicians who use exposure therapy will tailor levels of exposure based on your specific needs. In most cases, you’ll start off small, then progressively work up to greater challenges.
You may work on a fear hierarchy to reduce anxiety and identify a flow of progression. This process involves listing out your triggers and ranking each one in order of most triggering to least triggering.
Depending on your needs, exposure therapy could take anywhere from weeks to months to be effective. Here are some common strategies to expect at different times throughout the process:
Graded exposure
Together with your clinician, you’ll rank your fears and start addressing each one in progressive order. As you tackle minor fears, you’ll gain the confidence to tackle more entrenched fears. This strategy uses both behavioral and cognitive therapy techniques.
Flooding
In this process, you’ll start with the biggest fear on your hierarchy list first. After that, more moderate fears may not feel so overwhelming. There’s no gradual exposure here. The goal is to desensitize you towards your fear while exhausting your fight-or-flight response.
Systematic desensitization
This strategy pairs exposure with relaxation techniques to disassociate feelings of fear or anxiety. You’ll typically focus on relaxing the breath and muscles. For instance, for a patient who is afraid of dogs, exposure may start with pictures, then progress to listening to barking sounds while practicing relaxation exercises.
How long should someone do exposure therapy?
In most cases, exposure therapy is completed as weekly sessions over a period of three months. The goal is to reach 8-15 sessions in total. The patient may be assigned homework in between sessions, such as practicing coping techniques.
Can you do exposure therapy virtually?
Yes, exposure therapy can be successful when done virtually. Your practitioner may use computer-generated simulations and other technology to create the appropriate level of exposure in an online capacity.
One of the major benefits is that the patient is at home and feels like they’re in a safe space throughout the treatment process.
