Girl Overcomes Crippling Fear of Dogs Through Hypnosis

An eleven-year old girl who suffered from a crippling fear of dogs underwent hypnosis and now has her own puppy, the Daily Mail reports.

Rebekah Kirby, from England, suffered from an extreme fear of dogs to the point that she would refuse to leave the house in case she saw one. At the age three, she suffered from a trauma after her neighbor's poodle chased her down the street. Rebekahwould physically shake and cry at the sight of any dog and her mother, Louise, who was herself terrified, was forced to cancel trips to the beach and family camping in case they came into contact with a dog.

Kirby, 38, was so desperate to have her daughter treated that she resorted to hypnosis. She says that after just a few sessions, Rebekah's fear had been completely cleared. "It used to break my heart when I saw other children out playing and Rebekah inside because she was too afraid. Rebekah's friends would invite her around to dinner but she wouldn't ever go as she was too afraid of any dogs being there. It became so bad she would worry about leaving the house and her fear really had a big impact upon her life."

When Rebekah's mother gave birth to her baby brother William, the entire family realized how much the little girl longed for a pet. "William has always been fine with dogs and was desperate for a puppy of his own but with Rebekah's phobia, it wasn't possible. This was when Rebekah realized something had to change. She couldn't keep living her life isolated from other children her age," her mom shared.