Joseph Wolpe's behavioral therapy technique that gradually exposes clients to feared stimuli while they're in a relaxed state, starting with less threatening situations and progressing to more anxiety-provoking ones. It's based on the principle that relaxation and anxiety are incompatible responses.
Developed by Joseph Wolpe in the 1950s, combining 'systematic' (methodical, step-by-step) with 'desensitization' (reducing sensitivity). Wolpe based this on his research showing that cats could be 'cured' of experimental neuroses by pairing food with previously feared stimuli.
Systematic desensitization is like building immunity to fear—you start with tiny 'doses' of what scares you while feeling safe and relaxed, gradually building up tolerance! Wolpe discovered that you literally cannot be relaxed and anxious at the same time, so pairing relaxation with feared situations rewires your brain's response.
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