Prolonged Exposure (PE) is a subtype of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy used to provide gradual, graded exposure to a stress-inducing event or memory. The goal is to teach individuals that trauma-related events or reminders are not dangerous or need to be avoided.

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A key component of PE for PTSD is building a safe and trusting therapeutic alliance so the client can feel comfortable re-encountering trauma memories that invoke fear in a stepwise approach. There are two types of exposure used in PE: Imaginal, which client does in session with the support of the therapist, and In Vivo, where client participates between sessions as homework.

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A good candidate for PE for PTSD is someone who can recall details of the traumatic event (even if memory is fragmented), is experiencing significant PTSD symptoms, and has the ability to tolerate distress associated with the trauma. A person who struggled with emotional regulation or has active or passive suicidal ideations would not be a good candidate for this type of treatment.