Exposure Therapy

Exposure Therapy, also based on CBT foundations, was developed to help people face and overcome their fears. When people are fearful about something, they naturally tend to avoid it, overthink it, seek comfort from others, and/or reassure themselves.  While this alleviates anxiety in the moment, research indicates that avoidance and reassurance contribute to anxiety worsening in the long term.  Exposure Therapy involves learning new ways to manage anxiety by confronting what causes the fear and distress.  It focuses on helping people to approach their fears in a planned, controlled manner. Exposure therapy can be rapid (as in flooding – a lot of exposure all at once) or, as most people prefer, gradual (gradual, repeated exposure).