I am treating a bright 12 year old who gets panicky seeing cockroaches or being in places where she thinks they will be. She does not avoid situations but gets extremely upset ( she labels her feelings more as terrible disgust than fear).
Since she is 'fed up' with feeling this way she wants to become less afraid or disgusted.
I wonder what the therapy goal ought to be. Through classical gradual exposure see if she can reduce her extreme arousal vis a vis cockroach stimuli? To help her accept her feelings as quite normal ? Her mother is as afraid of cockroaches as the girl is but mother copes by being able to kill a cockroache if she sees one.
The girl's fear began 4 years ago when she stepped on one while putting on her shoes ( he was in her shoe). So far she copes by screaming and yelling and phoning her parents to come home, wherever they are.
She is vry motivated to get rid of the fear.
Any suggestions?
Thanks