Graded Exposure

Graded Exposure can help you face your fears/ worries. You may fear specific situations, activities or objects. When something makes you feel worried or scared, your instinct may be to avoid it to cope in that moment. Graded Exposure helps you to gradually expose yourself to the feared situation in a way that allows you to control your fear at each step.

Fears become a problem when avoidance of fears are interfering with your life and causing you distress. For example, have you noticed:

• You are not doing activities you would like to do due to fear
• You try to escape feared places or situations as quickly as possible to help you feel better
• Your fears feel difficult to control, your emotions may feel overwhelming
• Your fears impact on your sleep, enjoyment and achievement for example

When faced with your fears you could also experience uncomfortable physical symptoms such as:

• Headaches/ stomach aches
• Difficulty breathing
• Fast heartbeat
• Vision loss
• Changes in appetite
• Clammy hands
• Shaking

These feelings could be your bodies way of telling you that somethings not quite right and it’s time to get support from a trusted adult.

The Graded Exposure Intervention is designed to help you understand your fears and find strategies to help. The support is typically 6, one-hour sessions over a 6-week period. We will meet with you in a private space at your educational setting.

Graded Exposure is recommended for 11+.

Just bring yourself and your motivation to make changes!

• Understanding your fears
• Learning what keeps your fears going
• Step by step plan to face your fears
• Relaxation and distraction skills
• Staying well plan

If you wish to access support, please speak to your school or college’s Designated Mental Health Lead (DMHL) or another trusted staff member. The DMHL can then make a referral to our service or signpost you to appropriate support.

Speak to the Designated Mental Health Lead (DMHL) at your school/college who can refer you to our service.
Or  download the information leaflet, fill in your details on the final page and hand this to a trusted member of staff who will pass this onto the DMHL..
The Mental Health Support Team is not an emergency service and is unable to provide urgent or crisis care. If a child or young person is in crisis, you should:

• Call Freephone 0800 6444 101 (Single Point of Access (SPA) 24/7 Mental Health Helpline)
• NHS 111 and select option 2 for mental health service
• If you/they are seriously ill or injured, dial 999 for the emergency services or attend A&E