It’s all in the name: why exposure therapy could benefit from a new one

Abstract

Exposure therapy for anxiety and related disorders is the psychological intervention with the strongest support for its efficacy and effectiveness to date. Yet, it is the least used evidence-based intervention in routine clinical practice, with a long-acknowledged public relations problem. Despite a wealth of research aimed at improving uptake of exposure, exposure’s marketing and branding remains an untapped target. We first introduce principles from the marketing literature to propose that the field take steps toward a rebranding and repackaging of exposure therapy to support efforts to implement it widely. Second, we present preliminary data on clinician preferences for the use of alternative terminology developed to be more palatable and marketable - “Supported Approach of Feared Experiences – Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (SAFE-CBT)” - compared to traditional terminology. This initial survey indicated that most clinicians preferred use of the SAFE-CBT term when talking to patients, whereas only a minority preferred it for use among training clinicians. We conclude by discussing implications of these results for future efforts to implement exposure therapy more widely and set an agenda for future research in this space.