The Anxious Love Coach 85: Thoughts on ERP (Exposure & Response Prevention)
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Jan 29, 2024 A candid breakdown of what Exposure and Response Prevention is and how it plays out in relationship anxiety. Discussion of when exposure can help and when it can overwhelm the nervous system. Exploration of polarity work to integrate parts that want to act versus grow. A reminder that compassion, trauma history, and personal readiness shape which approaches work.
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ERP Mirrors Mindfulness Practices
- Natalie Kennedy explains ERP as exposing triggers and preventing compulsive responses to build tolerance for discomfort.
- She compares ERP to mindfulness and says both teach staying with internal experience without acting on it.
Practice Sitting With Discomfort
- Try staying with your anxious sensations instead of performing the compulsion to seek relief.
- Allow the feeling to exist without fixing it and notice that relief can come without action.
Consent Shapes Exposure Outcomes
- The effect of exposure depends on whether you internally consent to face the fear or feel forced into it.
- Forcing exposure can traumatize or cause dissociation rather than create integration.