The Clinician’s Guide to Exposure Therapies for Anxiety Spectrum Disorders: Integrating Techniques and Applications from CBT, DBT, and ACT

225 Pages·2012·6.8 MB·English

by  Timothy Sisemore

The
Clinician’s Guide to
Exposure Therapies for
Anxiety Spectrum
Disorders
Integrating Techniques and
Applications from CBT, DBT, and ACT
TIMOTHY A. SISEMORE, PhD
New Harbinger Publications, Inc.
Publisher’s Note
This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is
sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering psychological, financial, legal, or other professional
services. If expert assistance or counseling is needed, the services of a competent professional should be sought.
Distributed in Canada by Raincoast Books
Copyright © 2012 by Timothy A. Sisemore
New Harbinger Publications, Inc.
5674 Shattuck Avenue
Oakland, CA 94609
www.newharbinger.com
All Rights Reserved
Acquired by Tesilya Hanauer; Cover design by Amy Shoup;
Edited by Clancy Drake; Text design by Tracy Marie Carlson
“Cognitive Model of Anxiety” and “Simplified Diagram of the Cognitive Model of Anxiety” from COGNITIVE
THERAPY OF ANXIETY DISORDERS by D. A. Clark and A. T. Beck, copyright © 2010 by The Guilford Press.
Used by permission of The Guilford Press.
The hexaflex diagram in chapter 7 is adapted by permission from Kelly G. Wilson and Troy DeFrene, Mindfulness for
Two, New Harbinger Publications, 2008.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Sisemore, Timothy A.
The clinician’s guide to exposure therapies for anxiety spectrum disorders : integrating techniques and applications
from CBT, DBT, and ACT / Timothy A. Sisemore.
p. cm.
Summary: “The Clinician’s Guide to Exposure Therapies for Anxiety Spectrum Disorders is a much-needed, orga-
nized manual that offers therapists a detailed menu of exposure exercises for the treatment of the most common fears
and phobias. It includes strategies for increasing clients’ willingness to participate in exposure therapy and incorpo-
rates the most effective therapy exercises from cognitive behavioral therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy,
dialectical behavior therapy, and other modalities. Therapists can simply look up clients’ symptoms to find the most
effective exposure therapy treatment exercises for a client’s particular anxiety issue”-- Provided by publisher.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-60882-152-5 (pbk.) -- ISBN 978-1-60882-153-2 (pdf e-book) -- ISBN 978-1-60882-154-9 (epub) 1.
Anxiety disorders--Treatment. 2. Exposure therapy. I. Title.
RC531.S57 2012
616.85’22--dc23
2012026564
Courage is being scared to death— but saddling up anyway.
— John Wayne

Contents
Acknowledgments vii
Introduction: Exposure Therapy: A Tool for the Times 1
Part I
The Many Facets of Exposure and Response Prevention
 Exposure Therapy: The Overlooked Treasure 5
1
 Exposure and Response Prevention: The What, How, and Why 15
2
 Exposure Therapy’s Partner: Response Prevention 29
3
 Implementing Basic Exposure Therapy 47
4
  Exposure Therapy and Response Prevention in the Context of
5
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy 65
 Exposure in the Context of Dialectical Behavior Therapy 79
6
  Exposure in the Context of Acceptance and
7
Commitment Therapy 93
 Three Other Adaptations of Exposure Therapy 107
8
The Clinician’s Guide to Exposure Therapies for Anxiety Spectrum Disorders
Part II
A Menu of Specific Suggestions for Exposure and Response Prevention
 Using the Exposure Menu in Context 121
 9
 Exposure Therapy for Simple Phobias 131
10
 Exposure Therapy for Social Anxiety Disorder 155
11
  Exposure Therapy for Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia, with
12
a Focus on Interoceptive Exposure 167
  Exposure Therapy for Obsessive- Compulsive Disorder,
13
Generalized Anxiety Disorder, and Hypochondriasis 175
 Suggestions for Emotion Exposure 189
14
References 193
Index 205
vi
With Appreciation
When I began this project two years ago, I was under no illusions that I would be able to do this
alone. I have been blessed to have a great supporting cast and wish to express my gratitude. Ron
Bunger, librarian at Richmont Graduate University, has been gracious and diligent to round up a
wealth of resources to support this book. Erin Rayburn, Jane Brandon, and Camilla Brown are
students who have also contributed valuable time to helping with the literature review. The entire
crew at New Harbinger has again proven helpful and encouraging, broadening and clarifying the
vision for the project. Hats off also to Clancy Drake, whose careful editing made this much more
readable than it might have been.
Most of all, I am grateful to and for my wife, Ruth, and daughter, Erin, who patiently cheered
this project on—even though it took so much of my time.
Whatever good can be said of this book, I owe to this stellar group of supporters. The weak-
nesses that remain reveal my humanness that still shows despite such superb guidance and support.
— Timothy A. Sisemore, PhD
Chattanooga, TN
June 2012