Martha, age 43, is a personal assistant. She has been widowed for three years, lives in the country and couldn't stand getting wet: the mere idea of being splashed worried her intensely, which led to her avoiding water (she never went to the beach, she couldn't bring herself to take her kids to the swimming-pool) that made life very complicated for her. Her husband suddenly passed away from a heart attack while he was swimming in the sea. On the day of his death, he phoned his wife, and told her to meet him at the beach after her work because he felt distressed. Martha's husband died of a heart attack while he was swimming towards her. Following this tragic episode, Martha was off work for one month due to a nervous breakdown. She suffered during this period from very invalidating insomnia, continuous fatigue and depressive thoughts (she thought of death throughout the day). In the course of the following months, while she had gone back to work, Martha fell victim to intense anxiety, called panic attacks, which were characterized by an acceleration of breath, thoracic oppression, palpitations, cold sweats, muscle contraction and dizziness. The fear of dying was the strongest feeling at these times.

You are the psychologist hired to help Martha deal with her aversion to water. Through your clinical practice, and many years of experience, you decide to use Systematic Desensitization to address Martha's challenges.

Please answer the following questions

1. Please explain Systematic Desensitization.

2. Explain how you would use Systematic Desensitization to help Martha to not fear water.

3. Explain how you would use another major approach to treatment (Humanistic, Psychodynamic, etc.).