Exposure Therapy

My family deals with some allergy issues every now and then. Through years of reading and research and trial and error, we have figured out what works and what doesn't. What are some of the triggers are and what the calming forces are. I have been encouraged to consider immunotherapy which involves exposing people to larger and larger amounts of the allergen in an attempt to change the immune system's response.

I realized that I have been practicing this exact same phenomenon in my class for more than a decade. In fact, all parents do, knowingly or unknowingly.

In the classroom, I have the attention of my students. In any given quarter I may teach anything from Digital Production to Creative Strategies but I have their attention. While they learn the software, techniques and their applications. Or when they understand the objective and subjective material of that class, as an instructor I have the opportunity to inculcate so much more. Much of what the environment presents itself. What improves their understand of the field and beyond. Small doses of something meaningful given consistently definitely brings forth results. Whether it is an eye for detail, a ear for music, an empathy for the environment or an understanding of cultural nuances and differences.

Last quarter I taught a class in Web Advertising. We did weekly reviews of what was happening around media. We looked at different campaigns and examined their premise and what they did for their specific audiences. We met online with Mr. Chris Mendoza previously from Mass Mutual Insurance in Boston. He shared an online video campaign he was involved with from start to finish. We looked at the Family commercial that was shot for a niche audience. Consumers who identified with being first generation Americans. Students watched every detail of the commercial and were able to talk with Chris about decisions made by the client, production team, make-up and costume details, language for sub titles, music choice, props etc. It was an eye opening Skype session because this was being discussed as a business solution that heavily involved sensitivity to cultural identity. When it came time to develop their own digital campaigns for various subscription services, students were very sensitive to the audience they were creating content for.

This is one example of exposure therapy.

Consistent doses of sensitivity to cultural differences and similarity might spark a light bulb in someone who may be responsible for making big decisions in the future.