Handbook of Exposure Therapies - by David C S Richard & Dean Lauterbach Hardcover

Book Synopsis

Exposure Therapy refers to any clinical intervention in which a client directly confronts a source of fear. Since high levels of anxiety can not be maintained indefinitely, repeated exposure leads to decreased anxiety. This type of treatment is effective with phobias, post traumatic stress disorder, obsessive compulsive disorders, panic, generalized anxiety, and several other disorders. It's also been found to be effective in helping to treat substance abuse. Although exposure-based treatments have been extensively researched and reported in the literature, there is no single comprehensive treatment of exposure therapies. Writings tend to be limited to larger pieces on treating specific disorders or types of patients. A comprehensive book on the use of these treatments across patient disorders will be of great use to practitioners. The book is divided into three sections: Foundation, Applications, and Issues. Foundation chapters considers theoretical and assessment issues. Applications chapters will discuss research literature on each disorder having been proven to be successfully treated with exposure therapy. Issue chapters will discuss liability issues, false memory syndrome, and the use of computers and virtual reality in exposure therapy.

Review Quotes

"The authors have succeeded admirably in producing a book that covers exposure therapy from its humble beginnings in behaviorism to its widespread use in anxiety disorders to its forward-thinking future in virtual reality. This book should be a powerful awakening for clinicians who have thus far neglected exposure therapy, but still leaves plenty of stimulating material for more seasoned therapists seeking to expand their use of exposure therapy." --Doody Enterprises, Inc.