One of the leading treatments for specific phobias is exposure therapy, in which a person is slowly and gradually exposed to that which they fear. If the patient is afraid of snakes, this therapy could begin by learning about snakes, advance to looking at pictures of snakes, holding a toy snake, going to a zoo to look at real snakes, and finally, holding a live snake.
This treatment does not necessarily “cure” a phobia, but it can help a patient to develop more rational responses in the face of fear. A successful patient still may not like snakes or clowns, but may no longer react with panic or a fight-or-flight response when they are exposed to triggers.