Skip to main content
ABCT 2023 Annual Convention Main banner
Final Program


Program Flipbook
Icon Legend
This session is not in your schedule.
This session is in your schedule. Click again to remove it.
Presentation Icons
Ticketed Session
Ticketed Session
Recorded Session
Recorded Session
Back
Evaluation ViewAttendees 9

Half Day Institute - Ticketed

Transdiagnostic

Session: A Transdiagnostic Approach to Exposure-Based Treatment

Institute 3 - A Transdiagnostic Approach to Exposure-based Treatment

Thursday, November 16, 2023
1:30 PM – 6:30 PM PST
Location: Cispus (403), Level 4
Earn 5 Credit
Ticketed Session
Keywords: Treatment, Exposure, Anxiety
Level of Familiarity: Moderate to Advanced
Recommended Readings: Smits, J. A. J., Powers, M. B., & Otto, M. W. (2019). Personalized exposure therapy: A person-centered transdiagnostic approach. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.,   Kredlow, M. A., Eichenbaum, H., & Otto, M. W. (2018). Memory creation and modification: Enhancing the treatment of psychological disorders. American Psychologist, 73, 269-285.,   Carpenter, J. K., Andrews, L. A., Witcraft, S. M., Powers M. B., Smits J. A. J., & Hofmann, S. G. Cognitive behavioral therapy for anxiety and related disorders: A meta-analysis of randomized placebo-controlled trials. Depression and Anxiety, 35, 502-514.,   Hunt, C., Campbell-Sills, L., Chavira, D., Craske, M., Sherbourne, C., Sullivan, G., ... & Bomyea, J. (2022). Prospective relations between anxiety sensitivity and transdiagnostic anxiety following cognitive-behavioral therapy: Evidence from the Coordinated Anxiety Learning management trial. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 155, 104119.,   Pittig, A., Heinig, I., Goerigk, S., Richter, J., Hollandt, M., Lueken, U., ... & Wittchen, H. U. (2022). Change of threat expectancy as mechanism of exposure-based psychotherapy for anxiety disorders: evidence from 8,484 exposure exercises of 605 patients. Clinical Psychological Science, 21677026221101379.
Exposure-based treatments are often disseminated in the context of manualized protocols, and these protocols may have the unwitting effect of drawing attention away from the core principles of change that underlie the effect exposure therapy. This workshop is designed to provide a personalized and transdiagnostic approach to thinking through exposure therapy in a way that integrates the latest research in extinction and memory processes. Exposure will be discussed as an active learning process that must be integrated into existing (fear) memory structures. Specific strategies for conceptualizing exposure targets and delivering exposure learning interventions will be emphasized. Consistent with this year's convention theme, we will also specifically present information on the role of positive affectivity and positive goal attainment on exposure-based treatment and the nature of home practice assignments for exposure. The goal is to help clinicians enact especially individualized exposure treatments that flexibly move between specific fear targets and exposure procedures.

Outline of Content
• General Approach: Planning and Delivery of Exposure Sessions and the Art of Playing with Fear
• Thinking Through Exposures: What is to be learned and retained from exposure sessions?
• Intervening with Fears of Emotions and Related Sensations
• Intervening with Fears of People
• Intervening with Fears of Thoughts, Images, and Traumatic Memories
• Self-supervision and Trainee Supervision of Personalized Exposure Therapy
• Unique Applications of Personalized Exposure Therapy

Learning Objectives:

At the end of the session, the learner will be able to:
  • Develop an approach to exposure therapy based on the enactment of core principles of therapeutic change rather than protocols/strategies.
  • Identify exposure strategies that can engage the core therapeutic change mechanisms across diagnostic subtypes.
  • Evaluate the role of contexts in case formulations and exposure planning.
  • Integrate exposure planning with perspectives from cognitive science.
  • Describe the role of post-exposure process in the consolidation of safety learning.
  • Long Term Goals: Conduct exposure therapy sessions with confidence using principle-based interventions.
  • Long Term Goals: Stage exposure therapy sessions in relation to learning-elements related to core fears.