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Specialised spider phobia treatment

Our clinical psychologists help you overcome your arachnophobia in a science-based, two- session treatment conducted over two consecutive days.

We’ll help you decide if this treatment is right for you.

Spider phobia can be limiting but it's often very treatable

Spider phobia is a common fear, and its impact is often underestimated. You don’t encounter spiders very often, people tend to think. But the problem is that you could encounter a spider anywhere, at any time. When you have a fear of spiders, you may be slightly on guard all the time. Fortunately, spider phobia is often very treatable.

After treatment, people most commonly experience the following benefits of living without spider phobia:

Symptoms of arachnophobia

If you have a phobia of spiders, you know that spiders are not dangerous. Still, your body reacts with intense fear when you see a spider – or when you think you might. Common symptoms of spider phobia include:

Intense startle

Fast heartbeat

Sweating

Clenching

Shaking

Fast breathing

Avoidance

Urge to escape

The Memrec treatment method is grounded in scientific research.

Developed through the research of our founder, Prof. Dr. Merel Kindt, and her colleagues at the University of Amsterdam, the Memrec method is used at Kindt Clinics to treat phobias. The treatment is short, effective, and in most cases suitable for spider phobia.

We plan 3 appointments

Taking the first step can be difficult when fear plays a role. That’s why you can always reach out to us for a free introductory call to answer your questions and see whether the treatment is right for you. Once you’re ready to get started, the treatment consists of three steps.

Intake session

In the intake session (often online), we discuss your fear and decide together how to approach the treatment.

Treatment session

During the treatment session, we briefly activate the fear once. You then take a single dose of a beta-blocker, which does its work while you relax.

Test

You return the next day. In the same situation, you experience that the intense fear is gone. After a successful treatment, the phobia no longer controls you.

Take the first step

Feel free to get in touch. We’re happy to explore with you whether this treatment is right for you.

I’m not sure…

More than 3,000 people have overcome their phobia at Kindt Clinics

Marye’s experience:

I still can’t believe how well the therapy has worked. Where I previously didn’t dare to enter my own home because of the webs around my front door, didn’t dare to sit in the garden, and was always tense and on edge in my own house (the fear dominated my entire life), now the only thing I can think is: ‘fine – if I see a spider, then I can practise and see how I’ve moved past my fear.’

Frequently asked questions

Leeg

How often do I need to come to Kindt Clinics for my treatment?

Twice. The intake session is often done online, via video. For the treatment itself, you then come to our clinic twice — usually on two consecutive days.

Is the treatment the same for everyone?

Every spider phobia is a bit different. Sometimes it’s about one specific type of spider, and for others it’s about all spiders. Some people feel fear when they see a picture, while others only when they encounter a live spider. There may have been a negative experience, but often there is no clear starting point. During the intake, we look together at what lies at the core of your spider phobia and how we can best treat it, in a way that is effective and feasible for you.

Does it always work?

Nine out of ten treatments are successful in one go. If not, we try it again.

What can I expect as an effect?

It can be hard to imagine getting rid of your spider phobia; you’ve probably lived with it for quite some time. Still, this is what happens. You may not love spiders, but there is no intense fear and you no longer panic.