In Vivo vs In Vitro: What's the Difference?

In vivo interventions occur in the client's real world environment , where their difficulties

usually occur . This approach involves therapy in settings within the client's daily life experiences , allowing for direct practice and exposure to actual triggers , stressors or challenging situations . You guide the client to practice skills in their natural environments , making the intervention highly relevant and immediately applicable to their lives .

Vivo comes from the Latin meaning alive or life . So when you see the word in vivo , think it's the real thing . Here's some examples A therapist takes their client with agoraphobia to a Taylor Swift concert to practice coping strategies while experiencing real crowds and noise .

Another example might be when a therapist meets with a family in their home to observe and modify actual family dynamics . And this is how you might see it in a narrative Session . Eight involved Sarah and her therapist shopping at Publix for sushi .

Sarah practiced her breathing techniques while navigating crowded aisles , allowing her to immediately apply previously learned coping strategies . Question what technique is being used with Sarah ? And the answer would be in vivo . You might also see techniques that are similar

or the same as in vivo exposures , such as real-world exposure therapy , which is essentially identical to in vivo exposure . Both involve direct confrontation with feared situations in their natural environment rather than simulated conditions .

Naturalistic exposure is another term for in vivo , emphasizing that the exposure occurs in natural , uncontrolled environments where the fear or problem behavior typically occurs .

And environmental exposure therapy focuses specifically on exposing clients to ecological triggers in their actual settings , such as taking someone with contamination fears to public restrooms or someone with social anxiety to actual social gatherings .

Field-based interventions is therapeutic work conducted in the field rather than in clinical settings , involving real-world practice of skills and coping strategies , and textual behavioral therapy , which you should be familiar with for the exam . That also emphasizes working within the actual context where problematic behaviors occur .

The key similarity across all these approaches is that they involve therapeutic work in authentic real-world life environments rather than artificial or simulated conditions , making them essentially variations of the same core principle as in vivo exposure .

And then there's in vitro , the root word in Latin which , unfortunately , all the boomers , linton included , had to take in high school is vitreous , meaning glass-like , so think of a test tube made of glass which artificially contains substances . In vitro interventions occur in controlled ,

artificial environments , typically within your office or clinical setting . These interventions use simulated conditions , role-playing or structured exercises that approximate real-world situations without the unpredictability and variables present in those kind of environments .

The advantage of in vitro is that it enables careful monitoring , immediate feedback and gradual skill development in a safe and predictable environment , allowing for a smooth transition to real-world applications .

For example , using virtual reality headsets VR in the therapy office to simulate being in a plane for a client who is afraid of flying would be considered in vitro . Rule playing job interview scenarios in session with you as the interviewer , to help your client practice responses and manage their anxiety .

Here are some techniques that are very similar to in vitro interventions Imaginal exposure , where clients visualize feared scenarios while in the safety of your office , using detailed mental imagery to simulate real-world situations without actual environmental exposure .

Systematic desensitization using a controlled , gradual approach , where clients practice relaxation while imagining increasingly anxiety-provoking scenarios in your office , in your office .

Role-playing , which is one of my favorites , where you practice social interactions , conversations or challenging situations in group therapy , with you and other group members acting as different characters . Virtual reality therapy using VR technology in your office to create immersive but controlled simulations of feared environments .

I personally like using VR , where I spend time in the International Space Station , but still haven't quite gotten the hang of moving around when there's no up or down . And finally , simulated exposure therapy is any form of exposure using artificial recreations of triggering situations , such as recorded sounds , videos or constructed scenarios in your office .

Well , that's probably more than you wanted to know , but if either of these terms shows up on your licensing exam , you'll be better off for spending the last five minutes with me today . And if you do get a chance , check out Virol Technology visiting the International Space Station , or Machu Picchu in the mountains of Peru . Both are pretty amazing .

And while you're there , remember it's in there .