A University of Teesside student production about irrational fears or phobias speaking with four individuals about their personal phobias, as well as a Clinical Psychologist and Hypnotherapist who provide details on what phobias are, how they can affect the individual and what treatments are available. A vox pop with people on Westgate in Guisborough about their phobia. Over a montage of people’s faces and pedestrians walking along High Row and Blackwellgate in Darlington, a narrator...

A University of Teesside student production about irrational fears or phobias speaking with four individuals about their personal phobias, as well as a Clinical Psychologist and Hypnotherapist who provide details on what phobias are, how they can affect the individual and what treatments are available. A vox pop with people on Westgate in Guisborough about their phobia. Over a montage of people’s faces and pedestrians walking along High Row and Blackwellgate in Darlington, a narrator explains what phobias are and what kind of impact this could have on people’s lives. Title: The Treatment and Management of Phobias Back in Guisborough more people, mainly young, talk to the camera about their phobias. In his office at the Woodlands Road Clinic at Stockton-on-Tees, NHS Clinical Psychologist Stuart Mitchell talks about how people develop phobias often from an early age. Sitting on a sofa interview with Johnathon Lane about his phobia of enclosed spaces, as he speaks a recreation of a situation where he can’t get into a lift and must use the stairs. Interview with Kath Thompson about her fear of hights and of flying. She stands in a window looking up at an airplane flying overhead. As she continues to talk the film cuts to a view from an aeroplane as it takes off from an airport. Jonathan Lane continues to talk about his phobia while smoking a cigarette. He flicks ash into an ashtray. Through a downstairs window, Jonathan watches as someone approaches his front door. A montage sequence featuring various phobias begins with Bibliophobia, the fear of books. To show Gephyrophobia, the fear of bridges a van crosses Victoria Bridge from Stockton-on-Tees into Thornaby with swans swim in the river Tees. Further along the Tees the Millennium Footbridge and the replica of HMS Endeavour moored along the shoreline. A hand writes in a notebook for Graphophobia, the fear of writing. A selection of vegetables and salad items; Lachanophobia the fear of vegetables. From the top of a set of concrete steps looking down; Climacophobia, the fear of stairs. Gravestones in a cemetery, Necrophobia and the fear of death Clinical Hypnotherapist Frank Thompson walks through the front door of his Natural Therapy Centre. In a consulting room he talks about some of the physical effects of phobias and the negative effects this could have in certain situations. In a kitchen an interview with Gillian May about her phobia of birds, outside a recreation of her chasing birds around a garden which started her fears. Interview with Fiona McCulloch about her phobia of spiders intercut with a Tarantula spider walking up an arm. Back in the consulting room Frank Thompson talks about how phobias are related to every individual and about the treatments he offers to help create a relaxed state of mind for that individual and raise self-esteem. In his office Stuart Mitchell talks about the shame and embarrassment around having a phobia and how people should come forward to find help rather than try to cope of their own or learn to live with it. Kath Thompson talks about some of the activities such as abseiling and skydiving she would have liked doing he she didn’t have a phobia. As she talks a man is filmed doing a tandem parachute jump. Cath explains how her phobia don’t affect her day-to-day life with her sitting at her desk doing her job. Still seated on the sofa Johnathon Lane talks about how he has learned to deal with his fear. Fiona McCulloch talks about how her phobia does affect her job when dealing with empty properties. Frank Thompson then discusses another technique he uses called EFT or Emotional Freedom Technique. This involves tapping certain spots on the body similar to acupuncture; he demonstrates on himself. Sitting at a desk a hand moves a computer mouse, on the screen a webpage for Emotional Freedom Technique. A clip follows from a video produced by Gary Craig, the creator of EFT, working with a man who has a phobia of water. Using EFT techniques, the man feels comfortable getting into a hotel swimming pool. Kath Thompson, Johnathan Lane, and Fiona McCulloch each talk about treatments that are available to help people like them deal with their phobias, none of them feel it is relevant. Stuart Mitchell talks about what free treatments are available on the National Health Service (NHS) while Frank Thompson gives a price of £150 for his therapies. While taking washing from a line, Gillian May explains why she hasn’t sought treatment for her phobia while Jonathan Lane believes the NHS should spend their money on more important things. Cath Thompson would consider seeking treatment if it was free on the NHS. Frank Thompson compares private practice with that of the NHS, those in private practice can offer more time to their patients. As he flicks through paperwork on his desk, Stuart Mitchell advises those with a phobia to contact their General Practitioners (GP) and ask for a referral to a clinical psychologist. You don’t have to suffer in silence. The film ends with Frank Thompson tells a story of a man who’s fear of dentists and how this phobia affected his life, a light shines into the camera and the sound of a dentist’s drill. Credits: Director Matthew Curtis Camera Operator Richard Richardson Sound Engineer Gareth MacFarlane Editor David Taylor Music composed by Matthew Curtis Special thanks to Frank Thompson, Stuart Mitchell, Johnathon Lane, Fiona McCulloch, Gillian May, Kath Thompson Hands-Parka Productions © MMIV University of Teesside