Dealing with Phobias | @caroline-cavanagh | Anxiety Specialist

18 Dec 2025 · 0 min

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In this brief anecdote, the anxiety specialist describes a client with an intense bird phobia who previously avoided going outdoors due to fear of birds. After a therapeutic session, the client reported venturing into her garden, encountering a robin up close, and feeling only mild fluster rather than panic. The specialist interprets this as a successful therapeutic outcome, highlighting the client’s willingness to be outside and her ability to tolerate a bird without fleeing or screaming.

I've worked with a lady who had quite an acute bird phobia, to the point that she could hardly go outside for the fear of birds being around. And after the session, she sent me a message to say, I went out into the garden today and a robin came down quite close to me and I felt a bit flustered. Has it worked? Yes, because not only were you outside, the robin was close by and you didn't run away screaming.