Final answer:
Dr. Phil is using exposure therapy to treat Marsha's phobia of snakes by having her directly interact with them, which is a form of behavior therapy aimed at reducing fear through repeated exposure.
Step-by-step explanation:
Dr. Phil is using a technique known as exposure therapy to treat Marsha's phobia of snakes. Exposure therapy is a method of behavior therapy that involves helping the individual to face and gain control of the fear by being exposed to the feared object or context without any danger, in order to overcome their anxiety. The rationale behind this approach follows the idea that by confronting the fear directly and repeatedly, the individual's fearful response should start to decrease over time due to habituation.
In Marsha's case, Dr. Phil has taken an intense step right from the beginning of therapy, which is known as 'flooding'. Flooding involves the person being exposed to a large amount of the feared stimulus all at once. This can be quite stressful at first, but if Marsha can endure the initial discomfort, her fear of snakes may reduce more quickly than with gradual exposure methods.