Mastering Imaginal Exposure: Writing Effective Scripts in EXRP

Date:  Wednesday, May 13, 2026

Time:  10:00am to 2:30pm EST

Cost:  $250.00 per person

Location:  Zoom 

Workshop Description: Imaginal Exposure is a cornerstone of Exposure and Response Prevention (EXRP), allowing clients to confront feared thoughts, scenarios, and memories in a controlled, systematic, and therapeutic manner. However, crafting compelling imaginal exposure scripts requires precision, a deep understanding of the client's core fear, and strategic engagement techniques to ensure optimal treatment outcomes. This workshop is designed for clinicians seeking to refine their EXRP skills by learning how to develop high-impact imaginal exposure scripts that facilitate deep emotional processing and challenge avoidance behaviors. Participants will explore key principles of imaginal exposure, including how to structure narratives to activate fear networks, enhance emotional engagement, modify scripts based on individual client needs and therapeutic progress, avoid common pitfalls, and promote cognitive shifts that reduce obsessive fear responses. Through interactive exercises, case discussions, and expert feedback, attendees will leave with the confidence to tailor scripts effectively for individual clients, ensuring exposure therapy is maximally effective in reducing distress and dismantling maladaptive fear structures.

About the Presenter

Sandy Capaldi, Psy.D. is an Associate Professor of Clinical Psychiatry and the Associate Director, Outpatient Clinical Director, & Director of Implementation at the Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety (CTSA). Since 2007, she has worked clinically and in research with trauma, PTSD, OCD, and other anxiety and related disorders at the CTSA, with a focus on dissemination and implementation of evidence-based practices. In her various roles, Dr. Capaldi has designed, implemented, and evaluated trauma-focused and anxiety disorder training to providers in various community mental health centers, employee assistance programs for first responders, correctional services, rape crisis centers, and domestic violence agencies. She was also the first recipient of the Evidence-Based Practice and Innovation Center's (EPIC) Innovation Award in 2024 to recognize her willingness to take risks, think outside the box, and solve problems in new ways. Dr. Capaldi is a licensed clinical psychologist who has a variety of clinical experiences with patient populations ranging from children to older adults and is certified by the CTSA as a PE Therapist, Consultant, and Trainer and as an Exposure and Response Prevention for OCD (Ex/RP) Therapist, Consultant, and Trainer. Dr. Capaldi also specializes in cognitive-behavioral treatment for trichotillomania, excoriation disorder, social anxiety, panic disorder, agoraphobia, specific phobias, generalized anxiety, and somatic symptom and related disorders. Her work has been published in the Journal of the American Medical Association and the Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, among others.

Target Audience

This presentation is intended for mental health professionals, researchers, and graduate students. The instructional level of this presentation is intermediate and previous training in Exposure and Response Prevention is suggested.

CE Learning Objectives

At the end of this presentation, participants will be able to:

1. Identify the essential components of a clinically effective imaginal exposure script

2. Analyze core fears and catastrophic beliefs to ensure scripts target the most relevant anxiety triggers
3. Utilize strategies to enhance emotional engagement in imaginal exposures 
4. Assist clients in writing, refining, and implementing imaginal exposure scripts

Continuing Education

THE PHILADELPHIA BEHAVIOR THERAPY ASSOCIATION (PBTA) IS APPROVED BY THE AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION TO SPONSOR CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR PSYCHOLOGISTS.  PBTA MAINTAINS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PROGRAM AND ITS CONTENT.  THIS PRESENTATION PROVIDES 4 HOURS OF CE CREDITS FOR PSYCHOLOGISTS.

PBTA IS ALSO AN AUTHORIZED PROVIDER FOR CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDITS FOR PROFESSIONAL COUNSELORS, MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPISTS, AND CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKERS LICENSED IN THE STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA - THIS PROGRAM PROVIDES 4 HOURS OF CE CREDITS. 

Other licensed professionals should confirm with their respective licensing boards that CE activities in compliance with the American Psychological Association’s standards for continuing education credits are acceptable. 

In order to receive continuing education credits, participants must:

• attend each hour of the workshop (no late arrivals or early departures)
• complete a course evaluation and CE Need Form

If both of these requirements are met, you will receive a continuing education certificate after the conclusion of the workshop.

Webinar workshop requirements:

• You must have utilities, internet service, phone service, and an appropriately private location at your home or office in order to ensure HIPAA compliance.
  • The private location should be free of noise and distractions. (If you are the parent of young children, appropriate child care arrangements must be in place.)
• You must agree to attend each hour of the video conference and agree to use video of yourself during the video conference in order to track attendance.
• You must agree not to copy or distribute workshop materials provided to you in the course of the workshop.
• Since authentic patient audio/video is utilized during the training, you must agree to abide by all applicable rules of confidentiality and HIPAA compliance, including but not limited to no audio or video-recording of the workshop in any form.

You will be asked to affirm the previous conditions and your agreement to them prior to the commencement of the workshop.

Instructions for Submitting Application

Registrations are due one week in advance and must be completed in full. 

To register, complete the online registration.

If you need to withdraw your application for any reason, please email Dr. Sandy Capaldi. Note that workshop fees are non-refundable after the application due date (one week before the start of the workshop).