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this exposure therapy can literally occur anywhere in Montana. The
Treasure State has the second highest percentage of household dog
ownership in the United States (Idaho is slightly higher). So yes, you can
probably walk next door to get a good barking, but for total immer-
sion we suggest one of the many fine dog parks in the state. You can find
about 18 of these in Missoula and Bozeman alone. At any dog park you will
be sniffed, yapped at, jumped on and even, on occasion, nipped right
through your pricey jeans. We get that this is a "total immer-
sion" approach, but if this doesn't work as a cure, you will
just have to become a mailman.
There are 10 distinct snake species in Montana, but to add
a bit of surety and excitement to one's effort to de-sensitize
this particular fear we recommend Phillips County, where
prairie rattlesnakes far outnumber people. Take a nice walk
in the grasslands in mid-July, but do watch where you step,
and of course listen for that helpful warning, which tells
you that maybe you are a little too close to your psycho-
logical nemesis. Rattlers have a brownish or greenish
cast and can be anywhere from 15-60 inches
in size. You will almost always hear them
before seeing them. Once you find that
you can breathe easy, and that your
heart is no longer piston-firing,
you can be congratulated on
overcoming this fear. By the
way, the closest ER is on
8th Ave in Malta.
OPHIDIOPHOBIA:
CYNOPHOBIA:
FEAR
OF
SNAKES
FEAR
OF
DOGS
