Exposure Therapy & Phobia Therapy in Newton Mearns & Online

Exposure Therapy & Phobia Therapy

Welcome to our dedicated Exposure Therapy and Phobia Therapy service. Our professional therapists offer a supportive, confidential space to help you confront your phobias and regain control of your life. Whether you choose our innovative Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy or ‘traditional’ methods, we are here to guide you. Join us in person at our Newton Mearns practice or connect UK-wide via secure video call or phone.

What is Exposure Therapy & Phobia Therapy?

Exposure Therapy is a type of Phobia Therapy available at our Newton Mearns practice and online. It is a highly effective, evidence-based specialist therapy designed to help you overcome phobias. You may be aware that your fear is disproportionate, yet still feel powerless to change your reaction. This process works by gradually and safely exposing you to the source of your fear in a controlled, therapeutic environment. By doing so, you can conquer your physical and psychological reactions, eventually viewing the stimulus as something that no longer poses a threat to your well-being.

How can Exposure Therapy & Phobia Therapy help?

Exposure Therapy and Phobia Therapy provide you with the practical tools and psychological resilience needed to face situations you have previously avoided. You may find this specialist support helpful for:

Reducing Avoidance: Breaking the cycle of avoidance that often keeps phobias alive and limits your daily life.

Managing Physical Symptoms: Learning to regulate the “fight, flight, freeze or fawn” response when facing a trigger.

Building Confidence: Gaining a sense of mastery and control as you successfully navigate increasingly challenging situations.

Processing Root Anxieties: Exploring the underlying thoughts and beliefs that maintain your fear.

Regaining Freedom: Allowing you to participate in activities you previously feared, such as travelling, socialising, or medical appointments.

HOW IT WORKS

Our Process

Get in Touch

Begin by sending a brief enquiry about how you are hoping our support can help you, so we can ensure our specialist care is the right fit for your unique needs.

Finding a Time Together

We’ll email you with our current availability to determine whether we can establish a regular session time that works for everyone.

Free Consultation Call

This confidential call is a vital part of the assessment, providing a supportive space to explore your needs and decide, without any pressure, if our approach is right for you.

Which phobias can Exposure Therapy & Phobia Therapy help with?

Our Exposure Therapy and Phobia Therapy support a wide range of specific fears. While we treat most phobias, common examples include:

Situational Phobias: Such as fear of heights (Acrophobia), flying (Aerophobia), or being in small spaces (Claustrophobia).

Medical Phobias: Such as fear of vomit (Emetophobia), needles (Trypanophobia), or dental procedures (Dentophobia).

Animal Phobias: Such as dogs (Cynophobia), spiders (Arachnophobia), or cats (Ailurophobia).

Environmental Phobias: Such as fear of germs (Mysophobia), storms (Astraphobia), or water (Aquaphobia).
Complex Phobias: Such as fear of public speaking (Glossophobia) or busy crowds (Agoraphobia).

Where is Exposure Therapy and Phobia Therapy available?

We offer four flexible ways to access support, ensuring you can find the format that best suits your lifestyle, availability, and comfort level:

• In-Person Sessions: We welcome you to our comfortable, private therapy room in Newton Mearns, East Renfrewshire (G77). This location is conveniently situated for those across the Southside of Glasgow and surrounding areas.

• Online Video: For maximum flexibility, we provide secure video sessions UK-wide. This allows you to receive specialist support from the privacy of your own home or another convenient location.

• Phone Therapy: A great option for those who prefer a non-visual approach or are experiencing screen fatigue, also available UK-wide.

• Home Visits: If you find it difficult to travel, have childcare commitments, or simply feel more at ease in your own environment, we can often bring the therapy to you. Please note these are subject to availability and location; contact us for a personalised quote.

Choosing between these formats allows you to prioritise what works best for you, whether that is the physical presence of a therapy room or the convenience of fitting a session around a busy schedule.

Start Your Exposure Therapy & Phobia Therapy Journey

Contact us today for a confidential, no-obligation discussion to explore how our Exposure Therapy & Phobia Therapy can support your healing and well-being.

FAQS

Common 1 to 1 Therapy & Counselling FAQ's

What is the process for starting Exposure Therapy & Phobia Therapy (including a free consultation call)?

Our process is designed to ensure our specialist support is the right fit for your unique needs before you commit to a full session:

Initial Enquiry: You begin by sending us an enquiry via email or our contact form, including a brief summary of how you are hoping Exposure Therapy & Phobia Therapy can help you.
Availability Check: We will email you with details of our current ongoing availability to determine if we can establish a mutually suitable, regular session time. We will also advise you if we believe our specialist service is not the right fit for your particular situation, and where possible, we will provide recommendations for alternative services that may better suit your needs.
Free Consultation Call: If we confirm that we have a suitable ongoing slot and our service is a potential fit, we will then arrange a free, confidential consultation call. This is a vital part of the assessment, allowing you to explore your needs, ask any questions, and help you decide, without any pressure or obligation, if our approach is suitable for you.

First Appointment: If we both feel that our service is the right fit and can provide the specialist support you need, we will book your first paid appointment. It is completely natural to feel nervous, so this session is mainly about settling in. We will discuss your current situation, what brings you to therapy now, and what you hope to achieve. It’s a collaborative space where we start building the trust necessary for our work together.

How often are the sessions?

Sessions are usually scheduled weekly to fortnightly, to begin with, as consistent attendance is crucial for creating momentum and implementing changes. The frequency may reduce over time as you become more confident in managing your challenges.

How long does Exposure Therapy & Phobia Therapy last?

The duration is highly individual. You may find significant relief in a short-term block of sessions, or you may choose the structure of our 10-hour specialised programmes. We regularly review your progress to ensure you feel confident and in control at every stage.

How much does each session cost?

Our fees reflect our specialist level of training and extensive experience. Fees are payable either electronically two working days in advance of your session or in cash on the day of your session.

£110 per session: Alison Barr MSc PGDip BSc HONS MBACP. Alison is the Director of The Green Rooms and has been working full-time as a Psychotherapist and Counsellor since 2003.

£990 for our 10-hour Intensive specialised programme. This is currently available for the fear of heights or falling (Acrophobia/Basophobia), dogs (Cynophobia), vomit (Emetophobia), public transport (Agoraphobia), and hospitals (Nosocomephobia).

What Specialised Phobia Programmes are available?

Intensive specialised programmes are provided for specific phobias, including the fear of heights or falling (Acrophobia/Basophobia), dogs (Cynophobia), vomit (Emetophobia), public transport (Agoraphobia), and hospitals (Nosocomephobia). These programmes are priced at £990. They provide a total of 10 hours of Exposure Therapy and Phobia Therapy, plus structured exercises for you to complete in your own time.

What Qualifications and Experience do your Exposure Therapy & Phobia Therapy Therapists have?

Alison Barr (Director of The Green Rooms) is our sole practitioner for Exposure Therapy & Phobia Therapy.

Alison possesses a profound understanding of phobias and anxiety that goes beyond clinical practice, allowing her to offer a deeply insightful and empathetic space for all those she supports.

Alison holds a Masters Degree (2005) and a Post Graduate Diploma (2003) in Counselling and Psychotherapy from the University of Strathclyde. With over 21 years of specialist experience, she is also a qualified Therapeutic Supervisor, providing advanced professional support to other therapists in this field. She is a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and adheres to the highest ethical standards of practice.

What is the difference between Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy and 'traditional' methods?

We offer both innovative Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy (VRET) and ‘traditional’ methods. VRET uses a high-quality headset to simulate realistic environments in a safe and immersive way. ‘Traditional’ methods use images, objects, and carefully planned real-life situations to help you desensitise. Due to the equipment required, VRET is only available at our Newton Mearns practice.

Do you offer in-person and online Exposure Therapy & Phobia Therapy?

We offer four flexible options to ensure you can access high-quality support in the way that feels most comfortable for you:

In-Person: We welcome you to our private and calm therapy room in Newton Mearns, East Renfrewshire (G77). This location is easily accessible for those across the Southside of Glasgow and the surrounding areas.
Online Video: We provide secure, confidential video sessions. This service is available UK-wide, allowing you to receive specialist Exposure Therapy & Phobia Therapy from the comfort and privacy of your own home or another convenient location.
Phone: We offer sessions via phone for those who prefer a non-visual approach or are experiencing screen fatigue. This service is also available UK-wide.

Home Visit Appointments: We can often offer sessions in the comfort of your own home for those who find it difficult to travel, have childcare commitments, or simply feel more at ease in their own environment. Please note that home visits are subject to practitioner availability and are not guaranteed. Fees are based on the specific service and your location; please contact us for a personalised quote.

Do you support ADHD and Autism within Exposure Therapy & Phobia Therapy?

We provide neuro-affirming support that moves away from ‘fixing’ and towards understanding. Whether you have a formal diagnosis or are self-identified, we adapt our communication and environment to suit your sensory and cognitive needs. This includes professional ADHD and AUTISM screenings (if you wish) and neuro-affirming sessions that focus on your specific cognitive strengths.

We focus on the particular ways you may experience and process your phobias. This might include how ADHD or Autism impacts the way you navigate the physical sensations of fear in different environments, or how you communicate with your therapist when facing a trigger. We don’t believe in a ‘one size fits all’ approach. We work with how your brain actually works.

Do you support those whose Phobia experience is impacted by menopause?

Yes. We understand that menopause can significantly impact your emotional well-being and how your body responds to anxiety. Fluctuating hormones can sometimes intensify the physical sensations of a phobia or make you feel less resilient when facing triggers. We provide a supportive, empathetic space that acknowledges these changes, adapting the pace and focus of your Exposure Therapy and Phobia Therapy to ensure you feel comfortable and in control throughout.

For clients who feel they need broader support for this transition, we also offer dedicated Menopause Therapy to help manage the wider psychological impacts of the menopause.

Do you offer Animal Assisted Therapy?

Yes. For in-person sessions in Newton Mearns, you may have the option of sharing the room with Coco, our small, hypo-allergenic and extremely friendly dog. Many clients find that the presence of an animal provides extra comfort during Exposure Therapy & Phobia Therapy sessions. Please let us know if this is something you would be interested in (subject to availability).

For those with a fear of dogs (Cynophobia), Coco can also be part of a structured Exposure Therapy and Phobia Therapy plan. Please do not worry, as she will not be introduced into the room until you feel completely ready to take that step.

Is Exposure Therapy & Phobia Therapy Confidential?

Your privacy is our priority. Your sessions are confidential, and your identity is protected. In line with professional requirements, practitioners discuss their work within therapeutic supervision and internal case management to ensure the highest standard of care. These professional consultations are always conducted without disclosing identifying information.

Beyond this, information is only shared in extreme circumstances, as detailed in our client contract. Our practitioners are members of the BACP or BABCP and strictly adhere to their professional codes of ethics.