Overcoming Fear

What does it take to overcome a fear of snakes?

When Jason Booth began volunteering at an Arizona county park several years ago, he could barely tolerate looking at the snakes on exhibit or the snakes others held. “I grew up in the Midwest,” says Jason, “and I have memories of wiggling piles of gartersnakes and also water snakes. I didn’t like seeing piles of snakes or swimming with snakes! There was never anyone who could help me overcome my fears.”

But Jason’s discomfort around snakes began dissolving when he encountered mentors as he volunteered at the Park. He observed the snakes’ behaviors and how their keepers cared for them. He gradually forced himself to touch a snake. Then he began handling them himself.

Slow Process

“It started very slowly,” says Jason, who cringed each time he made a new effort. “At the Park,” he says, “there were mentors to help me overcome my fear and learn more about these animals.” And as he learned and started appreciating the value of snakes, Jason began using them to interact with Park visitors. “After a while,” he says, “I started realizing that I was talking to people who were more scared of snakes than I was. I started to see that I was more comfortable with snakes than I realized as I talked with people and educated them as I had been educated.”

Caring for Snakes

As Jason interacted more with snakes, he learned from others with more experience and then he began researching the needs of snakes. This led him to creating habitats for these animals. “It’s important not to overdo the enclosures,” he says. “First and foremost the enclosure is for the comfort of the snakes, but we also want it to look nice for visitors.

Confidence Builder

So what did this experience do for Jason’s self confidence?  “I kind of figured out a process to overcome a phobia,” he says. “I feel I can now overcome a fear if I take it in small steps. I’ll try to pass this along to my son, as well.”

Advice

Jason’s advice for others who harbor fears is simple. “It’s a very normal fear,” he says, “a learned fear. And anything that can be learned can be unlearned!”