Systemstic Desensitisation

Question 1

What is systematic desensitisation?

Answer 1

A behavioural therapy designed to reduce phobias through classical conditioning creating a new response to the phobia.

Question 2

What is the anxiety hierarchy?

Answer 2

Client and therapist construct a list of situations related to the phobic stimulus they provoke anxiety and arrange them from most frightening to least.

Question 3

What is the relaxation part of systematic desensitisation?

Answer 3

Therapist teaches client how to relax, for example breathing techniques.

Question 4

What is the exposure part of systematic desensitisation?

Answer 4

Client is exposed to their phobic stimulus when in a relaxed state starting at the bottom of the anxiety hierarchy and working up.