Exposure therapy with Talkspace online therapy

Exposure therapy is a type of cognitive behavioral therapy that is used to reduce avoidant and anxious behavior as a response to phobias or trauma triggers. If you experience generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, post traumatic stress disorder, or struggle with a specific phobia, you may benefit from exposure therapy treatment.

Individuals who do not have symptoms of a mental health condition but have experienced a traumatic event can also benefit from the emotional processing rooted in this approach.

Some Talkspace therapists offer exposure therapy in their practice. Plans include the ability to message with your therapist daily, and some include live sessions (video, audio, text).

If your insurance plan covers therapy, it may also cover exposure therapy. More and more insurance plans are covering therapy or counseling, so check with your insurance company to confirm your coverage details for exposure therapy.

Exposure therapy can be done online, and many clients prefer online treatment. Talkspace members message their therapist whenever, wherever, and get responses daily, 5 days a week. Live video, audio, and messaging therapy sessions are also available.

There are a variety of exposure techniques that can be used to enable the reduce a person’s fear response to a stimulus. Individuals will work with their therapist to find the optimum sort of exposure for a given scenario, which may include one or more of the following:

• In Vivo Exposure: This involves real-world exposure to the feared situation. For example, a person with a fear of the ocean might be asked to dip their toes into the water.
• Imaginal Exposure: A person is prompted to mentally confront a fear stimulus by picturing it in their mind. Imaginal exposure is typically used when real-world exposure is not feasible or potentially unsafe.
• Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy: Like the name suggests, this involves using virtual reality technology to expose a person to a fear stimulus in a safe, controlled setting.
• Interoceptive Exposure Primarily: used for individuals experiencing extreme health anxiety, this approach involves triggering somatic (physical) sensations to help people unlearn their adverse reactions to them.
• Prolonged Exposure Therapy: This entails discussing your trauma in tandem with experiencing it in the real-world.

Numerous studies have been conducted to assess the efficacy of exposure therapy, with a host of positive outcomes reported for those that have a specific phobia, social anxiety disorder, or chronic PTSD. Some people who engage in exposure therapy find their negative reactions to feared stimuli decrease or weaken, and many find a greater sense of self-efficacy after learning they are capable of confronting a fear or anxiety.

The cost of exposure therapy can vary depending on the therapist, but typically it ranges from $50-250 per session. Prices can vary based on the severity and length of the treatment plan. Many insurance plans will also cover some of the cost, so be sure to check with your provider before scheduling.

No, EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is not the same as exposure therapy. EMDR is a therapeutic technique that helps clients reprocess and process difficult experiences, while exposure therapy focuses on repeated confrontation of fears and anxieties. In EMDR, a person is asked to think about a particular memory while engaging in a series of specific eye movements. Exposure therapy typically involves gradual and controlled exposures to a fear-provoking stimulus in order to overcome anxiety. Both techniques are used to treat various mental health conditions, but they differ in the techniques and approaches they employ.