As nouns,
exposure therapy is a hyponym of
systematic desensitization; that is,
exposure therapy is a
word with a more specific, narrower meaning than
systematic desensitization:
- systematic desensitization: a technique used in behavior therapy to treat phobias and other behavior problems involving anxiety; client is exposed to the threatening situation under relaxed conditions until the anxiety reaction is extinguished
- exposure therapy: a form of behavior therapy in which a survivor confronts feelings or phobias or anxieties about a traumatic event and relives it in the therapy situation