What Is Exposure Therapy?
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Professional version
Offers theory, guidance, and prompts for mental health professionals. Downloads are in Fillable PDF format where appropriate.
Client version
Includes client-friendly guidance. Downloads are in Fillable PDF format where appropriate.
Editable version (PPT)
An editable Microsoft PowerPoint version of the resource.
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Introduction & Theoretical Background
Exposure as a therapy procedure is one of the most effective treatments for anxiety. What Is Exposure Therapy? is an information sheet describing the purpose and mechanism of exposure therapy. It includes a simple clinical example to help patients understand how fears come about and how exposure can be used to treat fear. This information sheet uses a memory 'retrieval competition' (Brewin, 2006) account to explain exposure – this is consistent with other accounts (including classical conditioning explanations) but does not require knowledge of learning theory.
Therapist Guidance
This is a Psychology Tools information handout. Suggested uses include:
- Client handout - use as a psychoeducation resource
- Discussion point - use to provoke a discussion and explore client beliefs
- Therapist learning tool - improve your familiarity with a psychological construct
- Teaching resource - use as a learning tool during training
References And Further Reading
- Abramowitz, J. S., Deacon, B. J., Whiteside, S. P. H. (2011). Exposure therapy for anxiety: principles and practice. New York, Guilford.
- Brewin, C. R. (2006). Understanding cognitive behaviour therapy: A retrieval competition account. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 44(6), 765-784.
- Weidech & Witten (eds). (2012). Exposure therapy: rethinking the model - refining the method.
- James G. Taylor (1897-1973) is credited with some of the earliest use of exposure therapy in the 1950's, but apparently published little of his work
- Salter (1949) originally described systematic desensitization
- Wolpe (1958) describes systematic desensitization in more detail