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Exposure therapy
Gradual, supported practice facing what you've been avoiding, so fear loses its grip. Part of CBT for anxiety, OCD and PTSD.
One of our therapists lists this approach.
Avoidance is what keeps fear alive. Every time you steer around the thing you're afraid of, you get a moment of relief and your brain files the thing as dangerous, so the next time is a little worse. Exposure reverses that: you face the feared situation, thought or sensation on purpose, in steps you choose, and stay long enough to learn that you can handle it and that the feared outcome doesn't happen.
It sounds like the opposite of what anyone with anxiety wants to do, which is exactly why it works and why it has to be done with support, at a pace you control.
Exposure is part of how most of our clinicians treat anxiety, within a CBT framework. Formal, manualized exposure protocols such as ERP for OCD and written exposure therapy for PTSD are offered by a smaller number of clinicians; ask about them when you call, and we'll tell you honestly whether we have the right fit or should refer you.
What we use it for
Is it a fit?
The treatment of choice for specific phobias, panic disorder, social anxiety, agoraphobia and OCD, and a core component of several PTSD treatments. Tell us when you call if you're looking for exposure-based work so we can match you with a clinician who uses it, or refer you on if a specialized program is the better fit.
What the evidence says
Exposure is the most effective known psychological treatment for anxiety disorders and OCD, and it's the active ingredient in most CBT for anxiety. Studies consistently show that treatments including exposure outperform those that leave it out.
Common questions
Will you throw me in the deep end?
No. You build the ladder with your therapist and you set the pace. Exposure only works when you choose to do it, and the point is to learn you can cope, not to be overwhelmed.
Does exposure work for OCD?
Exposure and response prevention is the first-line treatment for OCD. Talk therapy without it, or therapy built around reassurance, tends not to help OCD and can make it worse.
Where to find it
Based on our clinicians' current specialties, this approach is offered at one location:
Closer to Carolina Forest, Surfside Beach, Murrells Inlet, North Charleston, West Columbia, Forest Acres, Irmo, Greenville, Anderson or online? Call (843) 894-0000; the right therapist may be available by video, or we'll suggest the nearest office with the right fit.
Ready when you are.
Call us or submit a short intake form. A Patient Account Representative will match you with a therapist, and most new clients have their first appointment within a few business days.