(MONEY Magazine) – With seven fatal accidents last year involving major U.S. airlines, the skies haven't seemed so friendly lately. Indeed, experts estimate that the number of Americans who refuse to fly or who suffer silently when they do increased as much as 10% in the past year, to nearly 100 million.

The truth is that flying is the safest form of travel, according to the National Safety Council. Between 1987 and 1992, for instance, the average fatality rate per 100,000,000 miles traveled in cars was 124 times the rate for scheduled airlines. But for people who equate entering a plane with being trapped in a coffin, such statistics offer little comfort.

If you're one of them, take heart. More than 35 courses nationwide offer help for phobic and fearful fliers through a combination of relaxation techniques, usually taught by psychologists, and technical information, often provided by a pilot. Three national programs (see the table below) end with a graduation flight.

Surprisingly, only about a third of fearful fliers are afraid of crashing; for those folks, a review of airline safety measures and an intro to aerodynamics can help. For the other two-thirds--the truly phobic fliers who suffer from claustrophobia or who fear they'll have a panic attack on the plane--relaxation therapy and deep breathing exercises are more useful.

To learn about the range of courses and self-help programs available, check out The Fearful Flyers Resource Guide, edited by Barry Elkus and Murray E. Tieger, Ph.D. (Argonaut Entertainment, $13.95; 513-871-2746). And have faith that you can conquer your fear: All three national programs say that more than 85% of their students make it to their graduation--at an altitude of roughly 36,000 feet.