Anxiety · Exposure
Specific Phobia Exposure Plan
Ladder + rules for a fast responder
Specific phobias respond to exposure faster than almost any anxiety presentation — often within a few sessions. The plan is straightforward; the doing is the whole thing.
The phobia
What triggers it; what I'm avoiding as a result
Exposure ladder
Step
SUDs
Repetitions
Notes
Rules
- Stay in the exposure until SUDs drop by half
- Repeat until the step feels boring
- No distraction; be present with the fear
- No safety objects (unless intentionally faded)
Under-dosing is the main failure mode
Short, avoided-early exposures teach the brain the fear was justified. Longer, complete exposures teach it wasn't.