... achieve complete relaxation and respond quickly to suggestions to feel relaxed so that these can produce an immediate relaxation response (if people find it very hard to relax hypnotises or drugs can sometimes be used to help the client to relax). Relaxation inhibits any anxiety that might be elicited by the object, as it is difficult to be relaxed and anxious at the same time. After having learnt to relax, the client and therapist construct a hierarchy of the anxiety-producing stimuli. The situations are ranked in order from the one that produces the least anxiety to the one that is most fearful. In systematic desensitisation the client is then asked to relax and imagine each situation in the hierarchy, starting with the one that is least anxiety producing. As soon as the client can imagine her/himself in the situation without any increase in muscle tension, the therapist will ask him/her ...

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