Prolonged Exposure (PE) Therapy

Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE) is one of the evidence-based modalities ACRS-licensed professionals use in Trauma and PTSD Counseling. Our PE therapists are available for Individual and Group Treatment both In-Person and via Online Telehealth.

We will help you determine if PE is the best therapy for your unique needs. We'll give you the highest-quality In-Person and Telehealth DBT Trauma and PTSD Therapy available in Pennsylvania.

Our Trauma and PTSD specialists will provide the services you need to get better and reclaim your life after Trauma.

You are not alone; healing is possible, and your healing starts here.

Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE) is a type of therapy designed to help you if you have experienced Trauma and are dealing with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). PTSD can happen after you go through a very frightening or upsetting event, like an accident, violence, or natural disaster.

Prolonged Exposure Therapy is a structured way to help you deal with PTSD by encouraging you to face and process your traumatic experiences, leading to less fear and a better quality of life.

Key Components of Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE)

• Imaginal Exposure: In this part of therapy, you talk about your traumatic experience in detail. You might tell the story of what happened repeatedly while your therapist listens and supports you. The goal is to help you feel less scared and upset about the memory over time.
• In Vivo Exposure: This involves facing real-life situations you have avoided because of your Trauma. For example, if you are afraid to return to a place where something terrible happened, you would gradually work on visiting that place again. The goal is to help you feel more comfortable and less anxious about these situations.
• Education and Coping Skills: The therapist teaches you about PTSD and its symptoms, which helps you understand what you are going through. You also learn ways to manage your anxiety and stress, which can help you feel more in control.

How Prolonged Exposure Therapy Helps with Trauma and PTSD

• Reduces Avoidance: Your PTSD may make you try to avoid anything that reminds you of your Trauma. PE encourages you to face these memories and situations, which can help you stop avoiding things over time.
• Desensitization: By repeatedly talking about and facing your traumatic memory, you can become less sensitive to the pain and fear associated with it. Facing your traumatic memory helps lessen your PTSD symptoms.
• Changing Negative Thoughts: PE helps you rethink your feelings about the Trauma. As you process what happened, you can start letting go of guilt or shame.
• Better Emotional Control: Through exposure and learning coping skills, you can learn to manage your emotions better, which helps you feel more stable and resilient.
• Improved Quality of Life: As you confront your Trauma and reduce your symptoms, you often feel better overall. Confronting Trauma can lead to better relationships, more enjoyment in activities, and greater control over your life.

Effectiveness of PE Therapy in Treating Trauma and PTSD

• Research shows that Prolonged Exposure Therapy is effective in reducing PTSD symptoms and helping people feel better.
• It usually takes about 8 to 15 sessions.
• And while it can be tough, many people find it very helpful.

Caveats Regarding Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE)

PE might not be the correct therapy for you. You may find it too hard to talk about your traumatic memories. You need to work with a trained ACRS PE Therapist to find the best treatment for your needs.

Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE) is an excellent treatment modality for Trauma and PTSD. However, ACRS uses several proven effective techniques for treating Trauma and PTSD, including:

• Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE): Prolonged Exposure (PE) Therapy is a type of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) used to treat PTSD and other Anxiety disorders. It involves gradually confronting the feared memories and situations you have avoided since the Trauma. Through repeated exposure in a safe and controlled environment, your Anxiety associated with these triggers diminishes over time. PE also involves processing your traumatic memory by talking about it in detail, which helps to reduce its emotional power. This combination of imaginal and in-vivo (real-life) exposure enables you to regain control and reduce the impact of Anxiety, PTSD, and Trauma on your life.
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT):
  
  CBT is Used to Treat:
  • Anxiety including:
    • Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD),
    • Panic Disorder, and
    • Social Anxiety.
  • Depression
  Treatment Overview:
  
  CBT addresses fears, worries, or irrational thoughts fueling Anxiety and Depression, helping you develop coping strategies to manage symptoms of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Panic Disorder, and Social Anxiety.
  
  CBT is a short-term, goal-oriented psychotherapy treatment that takes a hands-on, practical approach to problem-solving. Its core principle is that your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are interconnected, and negative thoughts and behaviors can trap you in cycles of distress. CBT helps you identify and challenge these unhelpful thought patterns and develop healthier coping mechanisms.
  
  Through techniques like cognitive restructuring, behavioral experiments, and exposure therapy, CBT empowers you to change your thinking and behavior, leading to improved mood and reduced symptoms of various mental health conditions like Anxiety and Depression.
  
  
• Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): DBT is a type of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy designed to help you manage intense emotions and improve relationships. It emphasizes the synthesis of acceptance and change, teaching individuals to accept their current emotional state while working towards positive change. DBT focuses on developing four core skill sets: Mindfulness, Distress Tolerance, Emotion Regulation, and Interpersonal Effectiveness. These skills help you navigate challenging situations, cope with overwhelming emotions, and build healthier relationships. DBT is particularly effective if you're struggling with borderline personality disorder, self-harm, and suicidal thoughts.
• Narrative Therapy: Encourages you to tell your stories, helping you understand your experiences.

• EMDR Therapy, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy: EMDR is a psychotherapy approach used to treat Trauma and other distressing life experiences. It involves recalling disturbing memories while focusing on bilateral stimulation, such as eye movements, taps, or sounds. This process helps the brain reprocess the traumatic memories, reducing their emotional intensity and negative impact. EMDR is effective for PTSD, anxiety, phobias, and other mental health conditions. It aims to desensitize you to traumatic memories and replace negative beliefs with positive ones, fostering healing and emotional regulation.
• Brainspotting Therapy: Brainspotting operates on the principle that where you look affects how you feel. The therapist helps clients identify "brainspots," which are eye positions linked to stored emotional experiences or Trauma in the brain. By maintaining focus on the brainspot while encouraging mindfulness and connection, the brain processes and releases unresolved emotions at a deep, neurobiological level. Brainspotting leverages the brain's natural ability to heal, mainly targeting the subcortical regions responsible for emotional and sensory processing. It is effective for a variety of challenges, including PTSD, anxiety, depression, chronic pain, and performance issues. The method is compassionate, client-centered, and adaptable, making it suitable for individuals of all ages. Brainspotting promotes long-lasting healing and personal growth by fostering self-awareness and emotional regulation.
• Somatic Experiencing: Focuses on your body’s physical response to Trauma and aims to release stored tension and Trauma
• Mindfulness and Relaxation Techniques: Includes meditation and deep breathing to help you manage trauma-related stress and Anxiety.
• Psychoeducation: Educating you about Trauma and its effects can help you understand your experiences and develop coping strategies.

ACRS Trauma-Informed experts will work with you to determine the best modality or combination of modalities for you.