Intended for use by speech and communication scholars, this paper uses the extensive body of research on communication apprehension as the basis for a discussion of three conventional approaches toward the treatment of excessive communication apprehension: systematic desensitization, social skills development, and cognitive modification/rational emotive therapy. The paper describes each procedure and contrasts it with the others, suggesting that no one approach is without its distinct advantages and disadvantages. It then describes visualization, a step-by-step procedure similar to systematic desensitization, in that clients are taught to imagine in detail an otherwise anxiety producing situation, and similar to cognitive modification, in that it involves imagining in detail the successful mastery of skills necessary to communicate effectively. The paper concludes with a call for additional research on the appropriateness of visualization for the treatment of communication apprehension and the facilitation of communication skill development. A three-page list of references concludes the document. (FL)