How does the Fear of Flying Clinic help anxious passengers?

The clinic provides a four-day training program that includes gradual exposure to flying, educational sessions on flight safety, and cognitive behavioral therapy to help change fearful thinking patterns.

What is cognitive behavioral therapy used for in the clinic?

CBT helps participants identify and challenge distorted thinking patterns that equate normal flight events, like turbulence, with potential danger, thereby reducing anxiety.

What kind of exposure do participants experience at the clinic?

Participants visit aircraft hangars, experience being inside planes, and tour cockpits to gradually get used to the sights and sounds of flying before a commercial flight.

Home / Health / Conquer Your Flight Fears: A New Hope

Conquer Your Flight Fears: A New Hope

24 Feb

•

Summary

Clinic gradually exposes anxious passengers to flight experience.
Cognitive behavioral therapy helps change distorted thinking patterns.
Support from professionals and past participants aids recovery.

For individuals with a significant fear of flying, a specialized clinic in San Francisco provides a structured path to overcome aviophobia. The program, founded in 1976, offers a comprehensive four-day training designed to gradually acclimate anxious passengers to the flying experience.

Key components of the clinic include educational sessions with aviation professionals to demystify flight safety and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT techniques, such as the ABC model, help participants identify and challenge distorted thoughts that link normal flight occurrences to imminent danger.

Exposure therapy is also central, involving visits to aircraft maintenance hangars and even simulated cabin experiences. These steps build confidence before a culminating commercial flight, where support from clinic volunteers ensures a safe and successful journey for attendees like Colette Vance.

Disclaimer: This story has been auto-aggregated and auto-summarised by a computer program. This story has not been edited or created by the Feedzop team.