Developed by Joseph Wolpe in 1958.
A behavioral therapy for anxiety and phobias that pairs relaxation with gradual exposure to feared stimuli.
Principle: Relaxation and anxiety are mutually exclusive (Reciprocal Inhibition)
Steps:
1. Learn relaxation techniques (muscle relaxation, breathing)
2. Create an anxiety hierarchy (least to most feared)
3. While relaxed, imagine/face the weakest fear
4. Progress up the hierarchy only when calm
Example for spider phobia:
Photo → Video → Behind glass → Nearby → Touching
Effective for flight phobia, public speaking anxiety, PTSD.
Behavioral
Systematic Desensitization
Treating phobias through gradual exposure