Systematic Desensitisation

This form of treatment was devised by Joseph Wolpe in 1958, and is a method whereby the client is taught to view an object or situation (Stimuli) without experiencing negative feelings, previously felt when that object or situation was encountered.

 Systematic Desensitisation can be very successful when dealing with anxiety difficulties.

This method involves discovering the stimuli that causes the anxiety, for example "birds".

The client is then taught relaxation techniques.

The client is then exposed to the Phobic object gradually.

If for example the individual became anxious when there was a bird present. The procedure could be as follows:

 They would be requested to: 

1.    Imagine the negative stimuli (bird)

2.    Look at crude drawing the negative stimuli .

3.    Hold a photographic representation of the negative stimuli 

4.    Hold an imitation bird.

5.    See a bird in a cage/or secure place, 

and so on until the individual is able to see the bird and experience "normal"  reaction to this event  .

At each stage the individual is taught how to relax, until that stage produces no anxiety or an acceptable level of anxiety . Once that stage is completed, then the client is able to move forward to the next stage, until there had been a replacement of relaxation to the stimuli that had been viewed as an anxiety provoking stimuli.

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