For your comfort, this website contains no images of mice or rats

SPECialist phobia clinic · London & Amsterdam

Feel free again, without rodent phobia.

A therapist-guided, focused CBT treatment that helps your brain unlearn your fear – often within 2 sessions.

Book a free introductory call

Or call, Whatsapp or email one of our psychologists

person on the couch without musophobia

3,500+

patients treated

95%

SIGNIFICANT FEAR REDUCTION
in our clinic*

< 1 week

until first contact

* Results based on routine clinical data from 3,500+ patients treated since 2018. 82% remission, 13% clinically significant improvement at 2–5 month follow-up.

Our team

Our CLINIC

Do you recognise these symptoms of rodent phobia?

the effect on your daily life

You avoid places where mice or rats might appear, like basements or parks. You stay alert in unfamiliar environments and feel on edge at the slightest movement.
Common symptoms of fear of mice and rats:

Intense fear

Rapid heartbeat

Sweating

Shaking

Avoiding places

Urge to escape

WHAt’s happening in your brain

If you have a fear of mice or rats, you likely know that these animals usually avoid people and pose little risk to humans. Yet your body still reacts with intense fear when you see a mouse, hear the typical scratching movement, or imagine a mouse or rat might be nearby.

what we do about it

Our treatment targets the fear at its root — so the automatic reaction stops being triggered in the same way. Most patients notice the difference the very next day.

What people are able to do again after treatment

I avoided situations for years and kept adjusting my life around the fear. Now I just get on with things without thinking about it.

I no longer panic at every little sound.

Sanne’s experience at kindt clinics
“I was helped enormously by my treatment at Kindt Clinics. I would recommend the treatment to anyone with a specific phobia. I find it almost unbelievable how much effect such a short treatment can have.”
“You do have to face the fear, so the treatment requires a lot of energy and can be intense. But the psychologists help you confront your fear step by step, while you remain in control and are at the same time encouraged to go a little further so the treatment becomes more effective. My fear of mice limited me enormously in my daily life, mainly because I felt unsafe in my own home. Thanks to the treatment, I feel safe at home again!”
u1633738841_square_photo_person_walking_calmly_through_park_p_65b7b121-c153-46e7-b5b8-52029f081783_0

How the treatment works

Our Memrec approach builds on research by Prof. dr. Merel Kindt (University of Amsterdam), who discovered that adding a single dose of medication to a specific CBT-based approach can accelerate the process – enabling most phobias to be treated in just two sessions.

A psychologist guides you through the process from start to finish.

We plan 3 appointments

01
Online diagnostic assessment

Intake

We talk through your fear in depth – what it is, how it affects you, and what would help most. You leave with a clear picture and a treatment recommendation, whether that’s Memrec or something else.

02
at the clinic

Treatment session

At our clinic, a psychologist guides you through a single session designed around your specific fear. You then take a single dose of a beta blocker, which prevents the fear from being re-stored in the same way.

03
at the clinic

Test the effect

You return the next day. Most patients are surprised by what they notice – the automatic fear that was always there is much weaker or no longer there. Together we practise real-life situations to experience that for yourself.

If Memrec isn’t suitableWe find the right approach for youNot every treatment suits every person or every phobia. That’s why we offer different evidence-based approaches, including CBT and exposure therapy. During the intake, your psychologist will advise which option is likely to fit your situation best.

Built on 25 years of fear research

Phobias are learned, not something we are born with. They are irrational fears – intense, automatic, and treated by the brain as if the danger were real. Research published in Nature in 2000 showed that under specific conditions, these fear networks in the brain can become open to change.

Professor Merel Kindt translated this finding into clinical practice. Through her research at the University of Amsterdam, she developed Memrec – a specific form of CBT with the addition of a single medication to target the reconsolidation process.

Kindt Clinics is the first specialist clinic to apply this method outside of academic research. Featured in the Channel 4 documentary The Fear Clinic (2024).

Kindt, M., Soeter, M., & Vervliet, B. (2009). Beyond extinction: erasing human fear responses and preventing the return of fear. Nature Neuroscience, 12, 256–258.

Merel kindt is the founder of kindt clinics and the scientist behind the memrec method

Prof. dr. Merel Kindt
Founder of Kindt Clinics · Professor of Clinical Psychology, University of Amsterdam

Common questions.

What is musophobia?

Rodent phobia, the fear of mice or rats, or more officially: musophobia, is a specific phobia in which people experience intense anxiety when seeing, hearing, or imagining mice or rats nearby.

What is the best treatment for rodent phobia?

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) with exposure is the recommended treatment for fear of mice and rats. In exposure therapy you practise step by step with mice or rats, guided by a psychologist, until the fear fades. A newer form of CBT is Memrec, developed at the University of Amsterdam. Memrec targets the fear memory itself: the fear is briefly activated once, after which you take a single dose of a beta blocker. During your assessment we discuss which approach suits you best.

Does Memrec work for all types of rodent phobia?
Memrec works best when the fear is specific and clearly defined, which rodent phobia usually is. During the free introductory call, a psychologist will assess whether it is suitable for your situation.
How many sessions does musophobia treatment take?

That depends on the treatment. Every treatment starts with an online diagnostic assessment. With Memrec, you then usually need two sessions at our clinic, on consecutive days: the treatment session and a follow-up the next day to test the effect. Regular CBT or exposure therapy usually takes 3 to 8 sessions after the assessment. Before you start, you can book a free 15-minute call with one of our psychologists.

Why is a beta blocker used in Memrec and is it safe?

The beta blocker is a widely used medication that normally temporarily reduces the physical stress response. It is taken as a single dose and does not cause sedation. Your psychologist will discuss any contraindications during the assessment.

How much does fear of mice and rats treatment cost?

The complete Memrec programme costs £1,595. We also offer exposure therapy and one-to-one consultations or CBT, online or hybrid, starting from £250 per session. The introductory call is free.

Where is Kindt Clinics located?

Our London clinic is at 22 Wimpole Street, London W1G 8GQ, in the Harley Street Health District. We also have a clinic in Amsterdam, at Karel du Jardinstraat 33-4, 1072 SG Amsterdam. Memrec treatment takes place on two consecutive days, so patients travelling from further away often plan a short stay of two days.
What if I'm not sure if I'm ready for phobia treatment?
That’s completely normal. The free introductory call is designed exactly for this — just a conversation. Our psychologists are used to helping people think through whether and when treatment feels right for them.
Do I have to touch a mouse or rat during my phobia treatment?

No. You decide together with your psychologist how far you go. Nothing happens during treatment that you don't choose.

Ready to take the first step?

Speak directly to one of our psychologists.