FIGURE 15.1 A Sample Anxiety Hierarchy Used in Systematic Desensitization As part of systematic desensitization, the therapist helps the client develop an anxiety hierarchy. The sample anxiety hierarchy shown here illustrates the kinds of scenes that might be listed by a person who is phobic of dental treatment. Starting at the bottom of the hierarchy, relaxation is paired with each scene until the client can calmly visualize the image. Only then does he move to the next scene in the hierarchy.

David White/Alamy