Immersion Therapy

Immersion therapy is a psychological technique which allows a client to overcome fears, but can be used for anxiety and panic disorders.

First a fear-hierarchy is created: the client is asked a series of questions to determine the level of discomfort the fear causes in various conditions.

Once these questions have been ordered beginning with least discomfort to most discomfort, the client is taught a relaxation exercise.

Next, the client is exposed to the object of their fear in a condition with which they are most comfortable.

Then, while in such an environment, the client performs the relaxation exercise until they are comfortable at that level.

After that, the client moves up the hierarchy to the next condition and then to the next level in the hierarchy and so on until the client is able to cope with the fear directly.

Although it may take several sessions to achieve a resolution, the technique is regarded as successful.