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Evaluation ViewAttendees 18

Panel Discussions

Treatment - CBT

Reimagining/Rebranding Exposure as Approach: A New Solution for the Old Problem of Clinician Underutilization and Client Under-Engagement with Exposure

Panel Discussion 28 - Reimagining/rebranding Exposure as Approach: A New Solution for the Old Problem of Clinician Underutilization and Client Under-engagement with Exposure

Sunday, November 23, 2025
12:15 PM - 1:45 PM CST
Location: Celestin A, Level 3
Earn 1.5 Credit
Keywords: Exposure, Psychotherapy Process, Treatment
Recommended Readings: Cox, K. S. (2024). Repackaging exposure therapy as the practice of approach: A new idea for an old problem. The Behavior Therapist, 47(7), 341-48.,   Larsen, S. E., Ranney, R. M., Matteo, R., Grubbs, K. M., & Hamblen, J. L. (2025). What's in a treatment name? How people with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms interpret and react to PTSD treatment names. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 38(1), 112-123.,   Becker-Haimes, E. M., Stewart, R. E., & Frank, H. E. (2023). It’s all in the name: why exposure therapy could benefit from a new one. Current Psychology, 42(25), 21641-21647.,   ,  
Exposure therapy (ET) is a clinical and scientific triumph but a marketing and branding failure. Hundreds of research studies support the efficacy of ET for numerous clinical presentations, yet it remains widely misunderstood and grossly underutilized outside evidence-based clinical settings. To address this gap, we propose rebranding ET as the practice of "approach," emphasizing empowerment and active engagement over passivity. This rebrand includes: 1) reframing terminology (e.g., in vivo exposure becomes "approach with action"), 2) ensuring exposure integrates both approach and processing to reshape life narratives, and 3) leveraging motivational frameworks such as culturally adaptive hero narratives and ancient wisdom traditions. We will consider the rebrand with respect to different audiences, clinicians who use exposure currently, clinicians who are exposure averse or aloof, leadership at masters level training programs, clients, the public, and publishers. Two panelists will articulate the main ideas of the rebrand and explore its potential impact, while three panelists will respond to the proposal. Audience members will be encouraged to contribute to the discussion during a Q&A time. The goal of the conversation is to develop concrete steps forward, regarding marketing or research, for the increased usage of exposure/approach.

Learning Objectives:

At the end of this session, the learner will be able to:
  1. Explain the scope of the problem of exposure therapy under-utilization by clinicians and under-engagement by clients.
  2. Discuss a particular and novel solution to the above problem--rebranding exposure therapy as approach.
  3. Complete the processing aspects of exposure therapy, a key but often misunderstood aspect of the treatment.
  4. Adapt exposure therapy to the cultural idioms of their clients.
  5. Explain how to link exposure therapy to the wisdom and faith traditions of their clients.
  6. Conceptualize exposure as approach, a more flexible but behavioral precise frame for this intervention.