Final answer:
The student was helped to overcome his fear of dogs through systematic desensitization, a process of gradual exposure combined with relaxation techniques.
Step-by-step explanation:
The counselor helped the student overcome his fear of dogs through a process known as systematic desensitization. This therapeutic technique involves exposing the patient to the feared object or context without any danger, in order to extinguish the fear response. The counselor taught the student to relax in the presence of dogs, gradually reducing the fear response until it was no longer present. This is different from extinction, which is the reduction of a conditioned response when the unconditioned stimulus is no longer presented alongside the conditioned stimulus. In this case, relaxation techniques are combined with gradual exposure to achieve the desired outcome.