Counterconditioning at Home: What You Can Do to Change Your Reactions

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Counterconditioning at Home: What You Can Do to Change Your Reactions

By: Olivia Wood

We all wish we could change something about ourselves, and sometimes it really is possible. If you find that you really can’t stand to be around dogs or are uneasy in the dark, you have the ability to combat those issues by yourself. The process of counterconditioning can be pretty simple and, if done correctly, just might get you the results you desire. Many people successfully follow counterconditioning principles at home to train their dogs (Gibeault, 2024).


Counterconditioning is a procedure that involves intentionally associating a conditioned stimulus that elicits a certain response with a different, incompatible response. Using this reciprocal inhibition, therapists help clients change their (usually negative) emotional response to something–like a dog or darkness–to a new (usually more positive) emotional response. Typically, we see this type of procedure used for treating phobias (Honey, Symbaluk, & Powell, 2016).


To begin counterconditioning, first identify the stimulus that is evoking the undesired emotional reaction. Next, you can begin exposing yourself to that event or object in a controlled manner, gradually spending more time or getting closer to the conditioned stimulus. To truly counteract the established undesired response, you should try to create a new response that negates the original one.



For example, pretend you are afraid of spiders (or maybe you really are) because you got bit by one when you were younger, which conditioned your response towards this stimulus. When in the presence of a spider, you produce a fearful response. To work against this fear, you would slowly spend more and more time in the same room as a spider. While doing so, make sure to engage in a counteractive behavior, such as meditation to create a relaxation response or eating ice cream to produce a joyful response. These positive reactions are incompatible with the original fear reaction and work to neutralize and replace it.


References

Gibeault, S. (2024, March 14). Change Your Dog's Behavior With Desensitization and Counterconditioning. American Kennel Club. Retrieved June 27, 2025, from https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/training/changing-your-dogs-behavior-with-desensitization-and-counter-conditioning/

Honey, P. L., Symbaluk, D. G., & Powell, R. A. (2016). Introduction to Learning and Behavior (5th ed.). Cengage Learning.

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