What is 'habit reversal therapy'?

What is 'habit reversal therapy'?

Neal Hermanowicz (Director of the Movement Disorders Program) gives expert video advice on: Is surgery an option in the treatment of tic?; What surgical operations are used to treat people with Tourette syndrome?; What role does exercise play in the treatment of Tourette syndrome? and more...

Well, this would be redirecting this internal urge that people have into something that is less disruptive. For example, one of my patients has a very prominent vocal tic which emerges more during the night time hours. Wakes the whole household and I have referred her to a psychologist to try to channel that need to tic, that sensory feeling with the resultant vocalization which is quite loud into something else. Something that is more acceptable that is not going to wake up everybody when they are sleeping at night. And this can be done successfully in some people. But not everyone is going to have a positive outcome with this kind of therapy.