Exposure Therapy for Anxiety Disorders: face fears gradually until they shrink
Reviewed By
Dr Harriet Mellotte - Clinical Psychologist, CBT & EMDR Therapist, NHS and Private Practice
Exposure therapy is a proven CBT technique that helps reduce anxiety by gradually facing feared situations until they become easier to handle.
Free to try · Responses are private & encrypted
Related tools
What does the Exposure Therapy for Anxiety Disorders Mini Course cover?
How avoidance keeps anxiety going, how graded exposure breaks that cycle, how to build a realistic exposure hierarchy and pace yourself, and the common mistakes that stop exposure from working.
Who is this Exposure Therapy for Anxiety Disorders Mini Course for?
Helpful if you:
😰 Avoid situations, places or things because of anxiety
📉 Notice your world getting smaller
🧗 Want a structured way to face fears step by step
For therapists:
Use this course as psychoeducation before starting exposure work, so clients understand the rationale and are ready to build a hierarchy. Pair it with Offload's exposure ladder and tracking tools and review progress between sessions. Fully HIPAA and GDPR compliant.
Dr Harriet Mellotte
Clinical Psychologist & CBT Therapist, BABCP
“Offload is a fantastic resource for both clients and therapists. The world of CBT has been lacking an app which enables the sharing of CBT worksheets and homework tasks between clients and therapists, but Offload completely does this, making the service we offer more professional and the benefits to clients greater.”
Frequently asked questions
What is exposure therapy?
Exposure therapy is a CBT technique where you gradually and repeatedly face situations you fear, starting with manageable steps, until anxiety reduces on its own. Avoidance keeps anxiety alive by teaching your brain that the feared situation is dangerous; exposure teaches it, through direct experience, that you can cope.
Does exposure therapy actually work?
It is one of the most researched treatments in mental health and a core part of NICE-recommended therapy for phobias, panic disorder, social anxiety and OCD. Most people see meaningful reductions in anxiety when exposure is done gradually and repeated consistently.
Is exposure therapy safe to try on my own?
Gentle, gradual self-guided exposure is safe for many people, and this course explains how to build a sensible hierarchy and pace yourself. If your anxiety involves trauma, panic attacks that feel unmanageable, or significant distress, it is best to work through exposure with a qualified therapist.
What will I learn in this mini course?
The course explains how avoidance maintains anxiety, how exposure breaks that cycle, and how to design your own graded exposure ladder with realistic first steps. It also covers common mistakes, such as moving too fast or using subtle avoidance, that can stop exposure from working.
Are you a therapist?
Assign this therapy tool and 200+ other interactive tools directly to your clients. Build personalised care plans, customise tools, and review client responses before sessions. HIPAA and GDPR compliant.
Explore Offload for therapistsReferences
Foa, E. B., & Kozak, M. J. (1986). Emotional processing of fear: Exposure to corrective information. Psychological Bulletin, 99(1), 20–35. Craske, M. G., Treanor, M., Conway, C. C., Zbozinek, T., & Vervliet, B. (2014). Maximizing exposure therapy: An inhibitory learning approach. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 58, 10–23. Barlow, D. H. (2002). Anxiety and its disorders: The nature and treatment of anxiety and panic (2nd ed.). New York: Guilford Press.
