Article: It is not always necessary to use a therapist to treat phobias, but some people may feel more comfortable having a professional to guide them through different strategies. The most common methods for treating phobias are exposure therapy and cognitive therapy. Many therapists will be open to trying other methods such as social learning theory (modeling), biofeedback, and hypnotherapy.  When it comes to deciding between self-administering and seeking a therapist, you should consider the severity of your phobia and your need for support. If your phobia is so severe that you have uncontrollable anxiety or panic attacks, or your fear keeps you from participating in activities such as office picnics or watching your son’s baseball game, then you should have additional support.  Hypnotherapy should not be attempted without professional guidance. Flooding is the process of exposing a person to the object of his or her phobia, in this case a wasp or bee, in a controlled environment. Since it may not be possible to safely expose yourself to a large amount of wasps and/or bees, a therapist might ask you to vividly imagine that bees and/or wasps are all around you. This is called imaginal exposure. Keep in mind that when you imagine the wasps and/or bees you will probably start to feel overwhelmed. When you are exposed to a stimulus long enough and nothing bad happens, you will eventually stop being anxious or afraid. Note that this can take hours, and in some cases multiple exposures. Be persistent and allow the fear to pass. There is no set amount of exposures that will cure a phobia. You may find that one exposure does the trick, or you may need many exposures to be completely at ease with wasps and bees. Either way, expose yourself as much or as little as you need.

What is a summary?
Discuss your fears with a therapist. Use imaginal exposure. Wait for the fear and anxiety to subside. Repeat the exposure as many times as needed.