Exposure Therapy

The doctor spoke softly “You have let body issues influence you and your actions for almost a decade. Breaking free of that will take a lot of work. You need to be comfortable in your own skin and my recommendation would be to do exactly that.”

Lauren felt like she was saying she should be naked but hoped that wasn’t the case. She waited for further explanation.

“I know this might sound bizarre but you’ve hid yourself away for so long that you barely know what you actually look like beyond what you have built up inside yourself.”

“You want me to be naked? That was what happened yesterday and it ruined my life!”

“Yes and no. Try to remain calm. I don’t want to do this all at once and it would be unfair for me to expect you to. I am simply recommending what I consider the most effective treatment for your needs.”

“What do you mean not all at once?” She wanted to trust in the process but this sounded like reliving yesterday which she just wanted to forget.

“I think you should try to increase your mirror time at night by a reasonable amount each day. You did 3 minutes yesterday so maybe 5 tonight, again only if you can do it. I think you can but you must prioritize self care and you know how you feel better than anyone. After maybe a couple weeks you could try to go the whole night without your gown but we leave it in the room just in case. Then after a little bit you don’t have the gown in the room and try to see how that feels. Once you’re comfortable with yourself, you try it in front of others. I would think our sessions would be a good place to start. You’d keep your gown to and from but take it off when you get here. You’d see that I wouldn’t judge you and that you aren’t what you think you are. Then we can try other steps from there. I would also like to role play yesterday’s events when you’re ready to see how you would redo them if you could. This is a complex process. I want your feedback and I want you to know you’re not alone.”

Lauren wasn’t sure how to feel. She wanted to feel better. She wanted to be better. but she didn’t think she could ever let someone see her like that.

“I went my whole adolescenct and adult life without anyone seeing me naked until yesterday. I don’t think I could do that even if I wanted to.”

“How did you feel going that long without being exposed or **** to anyone, even people who you wanted to be close to?”

Lauren thought for a moment. “It made me feel alone.”

“Is that feeling you want to have? I’m really asking not trying to influence you one way or another.”

Lauren started to cry “No...”

The doctor handed her some tissues.

“Then if you would place your faith in me, just for now, we can reevaluate later, then I think you might find that you could open up again. Maybe even find people you want to spend your life with.”

“But they won’t like me once they see the real me.” She sobbed.

“Then maybe don’t hide the real you even from the start. I’m not telling you to live naked or anything but maybe don’t try and hide so much about yourself. Could you try, for me and for yourself?”

Lauren thought for a moment.