TERRAP (a conjunction of the terms TERRitorial and APprehension) is a national organization that was founded by Dr. Arthur B. Hardy in 1975. Dr. Hardy was a California psychiatrist who specialized in treating people with symptoms of anxiety. During that time, psychiatrists were trained to focus on discussing early childhood traumas, family dynamics, and marital issues, and Dr. Hardy followed these protocols. Although his patients found some of the connections interesting, it did not seem to relieve them of their anxiety symptoms or avoidance behaviors. As a result of his frustration with his patients’ progress, Dr. Hardy decided to develop a program that incorporated education, relaxation training, cognitive behavioral therapy, and exposure therapy. He then compiled his research into a manual that was easy to read, understand, and implement. Over time, Dr. Hardy found that by providing his patients with specific techniques and gradual exposures, they were soon relieved of their anxiety symptoms.

As a result of this success in the field, Dr. Hardy founded The Phobia Society, which is now the Anxiety Disorders Association of America, where he is considered one of the pioneers in phobia treatment. Today, Dr. Hardy’s 18-week copyrighted manual has been rewritten and improved with the most up-to-date and effective information.