To help Adam reduce his fear of dogs, a therapist encourages him to physically relax and then simply imagine that he is walking toward a friendly and harmless little dog. The therapist's technique best illustrates

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The therapist is using systematic desensitization, a technique involving pairing relaxation techniques with gradually increasing exposure to a feared stimulus in order to reduce anxiety and fear. In this case, the feared stimulus is dogs, and Adam is first learning to physically relax and then gradually imagining approaching a friendly dog.

To Help Adam Reduce His Fear of Dogs, a Therapist