Exposure Therapy vs. Prolonged Exposure: What’s the Difference?

Exposure therapy is a broad psychological treatment that helps people safely confront fears they have been avoiding, while Prolonged Exposure is a structured treatment developed specifically for PTSD. In this episode, we examine in-vivo, imaginal, and interoceptive exposure and explain how these methods promote new learning rather than simply forcing someone to “face their fears.” We also explore how Prolonged Exposure uses repeated trauma narration and real-world practice to help clients recognize that painful memories and safe trauma reminders do not represent a present danger.