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Date: Monday, Feburary 17, 2025
Time: 12 – 2 pm EST

Format: Hybrid

  • Livestream via Zoom, or
  • In person: UNC School of Social Work, 325 Pittsboro Street, Chapel Hill, NC 27516

CE Credit: 2 CEs, read for full information on credit types awarded.
Fees: $35 (scholarships available)

Description: 

Exposure therapy, including interoceptive exposure, can help patients manage strong emotions by confronting physical sensations linked to anxiety in a controlled setting. This practice reduces fear and avoidance of these sensations, improving emotional regulation and reducing fear of experiencing strong emotions. Despite its benefits, many providers feel unsure about implementing these procedures. This training aims to boost providers’ confidence in using interoceptive exposure practices. Participants will learn about the main theories of exposure, how to assess the suitability of interoceptive exposure, and how to develop and implement interoceptive exposure activities with clients. The training includes experiential learning activities for practical understanding and application.

Learning Objectives:

At the end of the training participants will be able to:
1. Name and explain at least 2 theories of exposure therapy as well as the rationale for engaging in exposure-based procedures.
2. Generate ideas for interoceptive exposure practices for diverse patients and presenting problems.
3. Apply at least one interoceptive and in vivo exposure in clinical practice.

Trainer: Clair Robbins, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist at the Triangle Area Psychology (TAP) clinic in Durham, NC. ​ Dr. Robbins is a co-developer of the Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders, and co-director of the Unified Protocol Institute, which trains therapists internationally on this approach. Dr. Robbins is trained in evidence-based therapies including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Behavioral Activation (BA), and Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP). She is an expert in the transdiagnostic treatment of emotional disorders (i.e., providing treatment for people who find strong emotions are interfering in their lives, regardless of the diagnoses they may or may not have) and also in treating anger. As part of this expertise, she treats mental health conditions including anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, trauma, personality disorders, self-injury, anger, and misophonia. She has also published extensively on the use of transdiagnostic treatments for patients experiencing these mental health concerns.

References:

  • Abramowitz, J. S., Deacon, B. J., & Whiteside, S. P. (2019). Exposure therapy for anxiety: Principles and practice. Guilford Publications.
  • Blakey, S. M., & Abramowitz, J. S. (2016). The effects of safety behaviors during exposure therapy for anxiety: Critical analysis from an inhibitory learning perspective. Clinical Psychology Review, 49, 1-15.
  • Craske, M. G., Treanor, M., Conway, C. C., Zbozinek, T., & Vervliet, B. (2014). Maximizing exposure therapy: An inhibitory learning approach. Behaviour research and therapy, 58, 10-23.
  • Heim, N., Bobou, M., Tanzer, M., Jenkinson, P. M., Steinert, C., & Fotopoulou, A. (2023). Psychological interventions for interoception in mental health disorders: A systematic review of randomized‐controlled trials. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, 77(10), 530-540. https://doi.org/10.1111/pcn.13576
  • Knutsson, J., Nilsson, J., Eriksson, Å., & Järild, L. (2020). Imagery rescripting and exposure in social anxiety: A randomized trial comparing treatment techniques. Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy, 50(3), 233-240. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10879-019-09448-1
  • Pittig, A., Heinig, I., Goerigk, S., Richter, J., Hollandt, M., Lueken, U., Pauli, P., Deckert, J., Kircher, T., Straube, B., Neudeck, P., Koelkebeck, K., Dannlowski, U., Arolt, V., Fydrich, T., Fehm, L., Ströhle, A., Totzeck, C., Margraf, J., . . . Wittchen, H. (2023). Change of threat expectancy as mechanism of exposure-based psychotherapy for anxiety disorders: Evidence from 8,484 exposure exercises of 605 patients. Clinical Psychological Science, 11(2), 199-217. https://doi.org/10.1177/21677026221101379
  • Quintana, P., Bouchard, S., Botella, C., Robillard, G., Serrano, B., Rodriguez-Ortega, A., Torp Ernst, M., Rey, B., Berthiaume, M., & Corno, G. (2023). Engaging in awkward social interactions in a virtual environment designed for exposure-based psychotherapy for people with generalized social anxiety disorder: An international multisite study. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 12(13), 4525. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm12134525

UNC Chapel Hill – Clinical Lecture Series

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