Therapy for Social Anxiety

Social anxiety stems from an enduring perception that there is something embarrassing and deficient about you, and that unless you work hard to hide it, it will be revealed and you will be judged or rejected for it.

It is one of the most common mental-health struggles that people encounter.  Sadly, more than a third of people with social anxiety wait for 10 or more years before seeking help despite the fact that this is an area that therapy typically can help a lot with.

I have a significant amount of experience and training in working with people who are struggling with social anxiety.  I can help you get to the root of your struggles by incorporating Cognitive Behavioral Therapy techniques along with evidence-based approaches.  

Here are two key parts of successful therapy for social anxiety:

1 | Get a clear picture of what you’re afraid will be revealed about you to other people.

Anxiety thrives in uncertainty and vagueness.  People with social anxiety know they have a fear of being embarrassed or humiliated in front of other people.  However, most aren’t able to make a lot of progress with just this awareness.

If you begin to investigate the anxiety and get more clarity on your specific fears, of what will be revealed about you in front of others, then you have a lot to work with. You can start to see if these fears are even real and if so, then how to begin to address them.

2 | Identify the ‘safety behaviors’ you have taken on to tamp down the anxiety.

Some examples of safety behaviors include avoiding social contact or big gatherings, hovering at the edge of groups, only going to social gatherings if you have a "safe person" to go with you, scrolling through your phone to avoid others’ gaze, or rehearsing what you plan on saying first.

These habits feel like a life raft in a stormy sea, but unfortunately they send the wrong signal to other people and have you come off as looking stiff or uncomfortable - exactly the thing you are trying to prevent from happening.