Exposure therapy has a bad reputation, mostly from people who misunderstand it.
Done well, exposure therapy is not harsh or overwhelming.
It’s one of the most effective ways to reduce anxiety, phobias, and OCD.
Exposure therapy involves:
gradually facing feared situations, sensations, or thoughts
reducing avoidance and safety behaviors
retraining the nervous system
building tolerance and confidence over time
It works because the brain learns through experience, not reassurance.
anxiety disorders
panic symptoms
phobias
OCD (as part of ERP)
health anxiety
social anxiety
fear-based avoidance
Exposure therapy is often part of anxiety therapy and OCD / ERP therapy, rather than a standalone method. Our founder, Ariel Andersen, specialises in exposure therapy.
Exposure work is:
collaborative
carefully planned
paced appropriately
never forced
You stay in control throughout the process.
“ERP means forcing myself to do terrifying things.”
ERP is planned, paced, and collaborative. It does not start with your worst fear. It starts with mild, specific exposures that feel uncomfortable but manageable. The work happens in the stretch, not the panic zone. A session looks like sitting with a thought, delaying a reassurance ritual, or letting your body feel uncertain for a few minutes while nothing bad happens.
“If I don’t feel calmer after an exposure, it didn’t work.”
Relief is not the goal in the moment. Learning is. The nervous system learns through repetition that anxiety can rise and fall without rituals. Often the anxiety stays elevated during early exposures and drops later, sometimes hours later. That delayed drop still counts.
“ERP is about suppressing or getting rid of thoughts.”
ERP does the opposite. Thoughts are allowed to show up fully. The work is changing your response, not controlling your mind. When people try to “do ERP correctly” by pushing thoughts away, they usually end up strengthening OCD.
“I have to stop all compulsions immediately.”
Most people reduce compulsions gradually. We choose which rituals to delay or soften first. Full response prevention comes later, once confidence and skill are there. Abruptly cutting everything off can backfire and increase dropout.
“ERP will erase my anxiety forever.”
ERP builds flexibility, not immunity. People still feel anxiety, uncertainty, and doubt. The difference is that these experiences stop running the show. Anxiety becomes background noise instead of a command.
“ERP isn’t safe for intrusive thoughts about harm, sex, or my baby.”
These are exactly the thoughts ERP treats, when done carefully and ethically. The thoughts are not wishes or risks. ERP does not increase danger. It decreases avoidance, shame, and mental checking that keep OCD alive. This is especially important for postpartum intrusive thoughts, which are common and widely misunderstood.
“If I don’t feel ready, ERP will be too much.”
Readiness is built through preparation. Psychoeducation, mapping triggers, learning how OCD works, and practicing small uncertainty exposures come first. You do not have to feel brave to start. You just have to be willing to practice differently.
If avoidance or fear is shrinking your world, exposure therapy can help you expand it again.
You can book a free intro call to talk about exposure therapy in Copenhagen.