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Graduated_Exposure_Techniques_v_4.5.pdf

The theoretical part, Part 1: 
(if you don’t feel you need the “science”, skip these 70+ pages of annotated references, cites and quotes and go right on to Part 2: the practical application)

How did Systematic Desensitization (SD) get started and what’s happened to it in terms of research since those beginnings? How effective is it compared to “other” techniques? How is it done today in human fear, anxiety and phobia treatments?
How did Counterconditioning (CC) get started and what’s happened to it in terms of research since those beginnings? How effective is it compared to “other” techniques? How is it done today in human fear, anxiety and phobia treatments?
What is SD&CC, how did it get started and what’s happened to it in terms of research since those beginnings? How effective is it compared to “other” techniques? How is it done today in human fear, anxiety and phobia treatments?
What OTHER evidence based behavior change techniques are there that we could tap into and how effective are they compared to SD or CC?
What other aspects of behavior change have been investigated by science with what evidence, and how could they effect/help what we’re doing?

The practical application part, Part 2:

Showing how the product of all of the above can be transferred for use in so-called canine fear reduction/coping strategies. Lots of “new” (for many of us) ideas, steps-by-steps and demo-videos

If you are only interested in the practical applications, please understand, the justified mantra

“Show me the data”

is fulfilled, but in the first theoretical part. And you may be surprised, what it does and doesn’t show. Feel free to skip the theoretical part, but be advised: That data for everything that is claimed in the second practical part is in the heavier first theory part. So “This seems to me to be ...” is a rather empty reaction, because it’s explained exactly what it is, where it came from as well as it’s relative effectiveness and efficacy with other techniques - in that longer, more involved first theoretical part.

What’s new in version 4.5?

Expanded the theoretical part to include annotated tie-ins to the following theories and effects, which are at work in many of the procedures, both old and “new”. These are theories which for the most part were conceived with/by direct observations of them in animals and/or hypothesised and tested with animals in lab situations before being entered into clinical trials:

Evaluative Conditioning

Secure Base Effect/Attachment Theory

Social Referencing

Self-Efficacy

Internal vs External Locus of Control

What the concept of Empowerment consists of, and how it can be implemented
Orienting Response
What is resilience, where did it come from and what does that have to do with fear?
Adding a bit of neuroscience to Social (Cognitive) Learning
Aversive Non-Reward and Frustration Theory and why these can be important to consider
How one can combine Social Learning techniques and various other techniques in “the field”
I also completely reworked the practical exercises having to do with Reinforced Practice
A discussion of the important difference between Reward/Reinforcement and Treats (with a shout-out to Jennifer Arnold’s “All You Need is Love”)
Reworked the practical applications of upgrading Relationship with many games which are well known, but do not depend upon the dichotomy of right vs wrong , i.e. reinforcement vs punishment oriented performance.
Included a section on Resource Guarding and why Participant Modeling is NOT recommended for dogs exhibiting this towards their caretaker(s).

Happy reading and training!

click to download: Graduated_Exposure_Techniques_v_4.5.pdf

And thanks to the following friends, who made great contributions through the interviews I held with them but also made sure, I got it “right”:

Ms. Sylvia Bodenheimer, (Basel, Switzerland) psychological personal consultant, musician, musicologist and author, pca.acp Swiss Association for the person-centered approach according to Carl Rogers. http://www.sylviabodenheimer.ch

Ms. Regine Stutz, (Switzerland) lic. phil. psychologist (ret.), integrative therapy for children and integrative motion therapy according to Hilarion Petzold, specialist for psycho-motor problems and special needs children

Univ. Prof. Dr. Irmtraud Tarr, (Rheinfelden, Germany) psychotherapist, music therapist, concert organist and Professor for Performance Science at Mozarteum, University of Salzburg, Austria http://www.irmtraud-tarr.de/en/index.html In terms of her psychological training, she has experience in psychoanalysis, gestalt therapy and integrative therapy.

Jane Miller, (USA) LISW, CDBC, AABP-CDBT, Executive Director, Healing Companions, Inc.

click to download: Graduated_Exposure_Techniques_v_4.5.pdf