Specific Phobias: Clinical Applications of Evidence-Based Psychotherapy

Exposure-based treatment for specific phobias provides a shining example of the scientist-practitioner model in action. Few other treatment approaches have been developed under the scrutinizing eye of empirical validation and, as a result, few other psychotherapies have gained so wide an acceptance by both the clinical and scientific communities. Modern exposure-based treatments reflect the formative learning theories that guided their development, as well as recent advances, particularly in cognitive science, that continuously influence them. This book describes applications of exposure-based psychotherapy for specific phobias that reflect these influences while remaining true to the evidence base that supports them. Chapter 1 overviews the highlights of this historical development and discusses how it has influenced the way exposure-based treatment is applied. Chap[ters 2 through 9 detail a session-by-session application of an exposure-based treatment and follows a clinical vignette of a patient undergoing this treatment. Chapter 10 discusses special issues such as relapse prevention and medication management. The chapters detailing the session-by-session application of the therapy have been organized around session goals. Each session’s goals are outlined at the beginning of the chapter and Key Concepts and Clinical Considerations for accomplishing each goal are discussed under that heading. Clinical vignettes woven throughout the session depict how particular goals can be accomplished.