General Approach

Chapter 3 outlines the general approach to exposure therapy including three phases: planning for exposure therapy, delivering exposure therapy, and processing exposure therapy. The first phase includes specific steps to take in planning for exposure therapy including the initial phone contact, administering a questionnaire battery, conducting the intake, and initiating self-monitoring. These steps guide the case formulation focused on maintaining factors (triggers/cues, appraisals, emotions, and actions/behaviors). Next the delivery of exposure therapy begins with socialization to the exposure therapy model and further planning by working together on an exposure planning worksheet. Exposure should then be delivered in a systematic, deliberate, repeated, and prolonged manner. Typical obstacles and traps to progress are discussed. Finally, the chapter describes postexposure processing, drawing attention to what was (and was not) learned and assigning homework.