What is Exposure Therapy?
At DeLand Treatment Solutions, we have master clinicians who can provide certain exposure therapy that is a form of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) where an individual encounters the things, situations, or activities they are afraid of gradually and safely. Exposure therapy helps you confront your fears and phobias rather than avoid them with the help of an enabling and systematic program; hence, you can regain control over your life.
Eschewing something that you fear would have the short-term effect of lowering your anxiety, but the long-term result is that you grow to have more fears and live worse lives. The exposure therapy interrupts that cycle and inculcates a sense of bravery to directly face fears under the guidance of a professional therapist.
Why Choose DeLand Treatment Solutions for Exposure Therapy?
We target anxiety and phobia, post-traumatic stress disorder, panic disorder, OCD and social anxiety and provide individually tailored exposure therapy.
- Our therapists are licensed and very experienced on the methods of in-vivo exposure, imaginal exposure and interoceptive exposure and virtual-reality exposure.
- Comfortable and non-invasive ambience, patient-centered treatment, and measurable growth.
- Successful goal and homework completion training on the part of the homework reinforces the results between the sessions.
- Clear care management procedure and constant encouragement so that you would never feel isolated in your quest.
Begin now, book your no-obligation evaluation, and begin with us developing your unique path to freedom.
What Conditions Can Exposure Therapy Treat?
DeLand Treatment Solutions possesses exposure therapy, which can be applied in the treatment of a broad range of disorders that are caused by anxiety as well as other disorders that have been caused by trauma, among others, such as:
In particular, phobias (heights, flying, animals, needles).
- Panic disorder and physical symptoms.
- Social anxiety disorder
- Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complex PTSD.
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
- Agoraphobia
- Others are those eating disorders where fear is aroused to avoid.
We help you through the efficient techniques of exposure, fighting and suppressing your fear responses, thus rendering you less vulnerable and increasing normal operations on a day-to-day basis.
Stop wasting time: call us right now and find out whether or not you can be a good match for exposure therapy
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How Does Exposure Therapy Work?
The treatment of your exposure therapy program under DeLand Treatment Solutions is given a very different and very systematic orientation:
First Evaluation and Fear Scale
A thorough investigation of your fears, avoidance patterns and goals, and symptoms will be conducted by your therapist. We perform then a fear hierarchy – a list of feared items, circumstances or experiences in descending order of fear.
Graduated Exposure or Flooding (whichever was the other)
We can also adopt either a graded exposure process (the process whereby we are exposed to low levels of intensity and then gradually increase in intensity) or we can adopt a flooding format in which we adopt more stressful approaches.
- In vivo exposure: Exposure to on-the-job analog fear objects/situations.
- Imaginal exposure: Thinking about imagined feared situations vividly and mentally (helpful for traumas).
- Interoceptive exposure: This involves the accomplishment of a target of feared feelings (e.g., racing heart) and the training of these feelings as harmless.
- Virtual-reality exposure (VRE): it is a type of exposure to VR simulation that is used when exposure angst cannot be achieved in the real world.
Homework and Therapist Intervention
You stay with the fear till you develop anxiety. You will be informed about the coping techniques (relaxation, breathing, and reframing thoughts) to make your life better. There will also be work between the sessions to solidify your success.
High Degressive Development and Liberation
The more you are exposed to it, the stronger and stronger your triggers become and the more stress you are resistant to. When you extend in time, you will experience a usual contact with something wrong or wrongfully used to a situation or place. Your therapist assists you both in doing so.
Now you can make your appointment and begin working on the process of overcoming the fears with the help of a professional.
What to Expect: Duration & Results
Your exposure therapy will last depending on how intense your fear is, the complexity of your mental health status and your participation status or lack thereof.
- Progress can also take time and only a few sessions, as well as more complex conditions (such as PTSD or OCD), can be seen by the other clients.
- It has been proven in various studies that over 90% of those people who pass the exposure therapy also improve in the aspects of specific phobias.
- Exposure therapy may be either the therapy of choice, if one is truly committed or an extremely helpful supplement to a bigger treatment plan.
👉 Accept a free initial evaluation with DeLand Treatment Solutions, become clear and goal-oriented, and do not take a trip until the last week.
Benefits & Risks of Exposure Therapy
Benefits
- Reduces avoidance behaviors and increases emotional strength.
- Formulates realistic cause perceptions of events to be avoided.
- Quality of life increased, and confidence was boosted.
- It can be quite effective, especially when it is done for some phobias.
Risks & Considerations
- Exposure therapy may be unpleasant initially because of the conscious nature of the exposure therapy you are undergoing.
- The therapeutic process is sluggish at times, but that is natural.
- Your response is observed by your therapist, who then modifies the process in a bid to ensure the safe and controlled discharge of bad feelings.
- First, it is your comfort, safety, and well-being in DeLand Treatment Solutions. We coach you on every process, and we make every program as customized as you would like it to be.
Speak with one of our clinicians now when you are ready to get rid of your fears and be a good member of your life.
When to Contact Us or Seek Immediate Help
Even though the feeling of discomfort during exposure therapy is not unusual, you need to contact us (or visit a mental health professional) in case you experience:
The functionality is interrupted by an abrupt onset of worrying or a phobia.
In case of self-hurt or suicide, call your local first aid ambulance or a crisis general number.
Otherwise, should you feel like starting exposure therapy, simply fill out our free consultation form or call us at (386) 866-8689.
Take the First Step Toward Fear-Free Living
Stop being a slave of anxiety, phobias, or trauma. We are fully devoted to the treatment we will be giving you at DeLand Treatment Solutions, in which we shall effectively overcome the fear by using efficient and evidence-based exposure therapy.
We are here, and we are ready to help you get rid of fears, develop resilience, and live a free life.
Exposure Therapy and Anxiety FAQs
What is an example of exposure therapy?
An example is graded in vivo exposure for a fear of heights (acrophobia). 1. This involves gradually and safely facing the fear in real life, starting with looking out a first-floor window, then a high window, and eventually, walking across a safe bridge. 2. The key is to stay until the anxiety naturally decreases.
Can I do exposure therapy myself?
While it’s possible to use exposure as self-help for very simple, mild phobias, it is strongly recommended to work with a trained therapist. They ensure it’s done correctly, safely, and is tailored to your specific condition (especially for PTSD or OCD), as incorrect practice or moving too quickly can sometimes make anxiety worse.
When is exposure therapy not recommended?
It is generally not recommended for individuals with severe, unstable mental health conditions (like active psychosis or severe bipolar episodes), those with active self-harm or suicidal ideation, or those who lack the readiness or effective coping skills to manage the significant initial distress it can cause.
What is the difference between EMDR and exposure therapy?
Both are effective for trauma/PTSD, but their focus differs:
Exposure Therapy (e.g., Prolonged Exposure) focuses on habituation by repeatedly and systematically exposing an individual to the feared thoughts, memories, or situations (like retelling a trauma story).
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) focuses on reprocessing the traumatic memory using bilateral stimulation (like eye movements or tapping) to help the brain integrate the memory.4
What is the 3-3-3 anxiety rule?
The 3-3-3 rule is a simple grounding technique to interrupt an anxiety spiral by shifting your focus to the present moment. 5 You are instructed to:
Name 3 things you can see.
Name 3 sounds you can hear.
Move 3 parts of your body (e.g., wiggle your fingers, move your neck).
How to do exposure therapy correctly?
For exposure to work, exercises must be prolonged, repetitive, and performed without safety behaviors. The steps are:
- Create a hierarchy of fears from 0 (least scary) to 10 (most scary).
- Start with a low-level fear and stay in the situation for a prolonged time until your anxiety naturally decreases (habituation).
- Repeat the exposure until that item no longer causes significant distress.
- Crucially, avoid safety behaviors (e.g., distraction, checking, carrying a lucky charm) that prevent you from learning the fear is manageable.
Would you like a more detailed explanation of how to apply the 3-3-3 anxiety rule during a panic attack?
