What is Imaginary Exposure and how does it work?

What is exposure?

Exposure is a treatment that focuses on confronting your fears. In Imaginary Exposure, we refer to exposure to an anxious or traumatic memory. This occurs in your mind, or ‘imaginary’. The goal is to reduce anxiety or tension and revise any incorrect or unhelpful beliefs about the event. The idea behind this is that an event may not have been properly processed because there were possibly such intense emotions that it was repressed or suppressed. With Imaginary Exposure, you will initiate this processing anew.

During treatment, the aim is to vividly recall a memory from start to finish and go through it multiple times. You describe the event aloud as if you are watching a movie. Your therapist will assist you in doing this in as detailed a manner as possible. Often, a treatment session will also be recorded, and you will be assigned homework to listen to the recording several times.

What can you expect?

During Imaginary Exposure, it will feel like you are reliving the event. Of course this happens in a safe setting with your therapist but can still evoke intense emotions. As a result, you may feel tired, overwhelmed, or drained after a session. It’s also not uncommon to experience some restless nights. You may also feel reluctant to do the homework, feel anxious to fully recall the memories, or even attempt to avoid the sessions. These are all normal reactions and can be openly discussed with your therapist!

Sources:

https://psycholoog.nl/behandelingen/imaginaire-exposure/