Are you feeling overwhelmed by social situations? At our practice, we understand that social anxiety can be isolating and challenging. Our dedicated team of mental health professionals is here to help you navigate these feelings in a compassionate and understanding environment.
Challenge your negative and anxious thoughts. At times it may feel like there’s nothing you can do about the way you feel and how you think. In reality, though, there are a number of things that can help.
Be mindful. Being mindful and practicing mindful meditation helps you to be present and aware of your thoughts and feelings in a non-judgmental and positive way.
Go to a coffee shop. If you enjoy watching movies online or catching up on your favorite TV show, then try taking your tablet or laptop to your nearest coffee shop.
Create an exposure hierarchy. Identify and rate how each social situation makes you feel in terms of anxiousness. For example, 0 would mean no anxiety, and 10 would be a full-blown panic attack.
Don’t focus on yourself. It’s hard to stop the endless mind chatter when you’re in situations that make you particularly anxious. We often turn inward and focus on ourselves and how others will perceive us, almost always assuming it will be negative.
Adopt a healthier lifestyle to reduce anxiety.
Marriage and Family Therapist, M.S., Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is a prevalent form of anxiety that can make even the simplest social interactions feel overwhelming. It can result in avoiding social situations, experiencing intense self-consciousness, and fearing judgment from others. These factors significantly impact our personal and professional relationships, limiting our ability to lead a fulfilling life.
However, there is hope. Therapy offers a secure and supportive environment to address the root causes of social anxiety. With the guidance of a therapist, we can work towards developing effective coping mechanisms, enhancing self-esteem, and challenging negative thoughts that contribute to SAD. Together, we can create a personalized treatment plan tailored to your specific needs and goals in managing social anxiety.
Don't allow social anxiety to hinder your progress any longer. Take the first step towards a happier, more confident life by seeking therapy today. Let's collaborate to overcome social anxiety and embrace our fullest potential. Make an appointment with a therapist and embark on your journey of healing now!
I run a group for young adult women who struggle with social anxiety. This group allows each member to learn about anxiety, to share what they struggle, to learn coping strategies, and to gain some support from other members. With the pandemic and quarantine, many clients have begun to struggle with social anxiety and I work with these clients to learn how to understand the anxiety they feel and how it impacts their daily life.
So often shame and social anxiety are tied together. It has been said that "It is a joy to be hidden and a disaster not to be found". I find this to be very true. We all desire closeness and intimacy, however, often when we experience conditional worth, shame based parenting and other traumas early in our lives, we can naturally develop a fear of people. Social anxiety is to be afraid of being ourselves for fear of rejection or some other shame/imperfection. Learning to love ourselves, heal from the shame, and reclaim our birthright of belonging is the work.
Social anxiety can be a debilitating condition that can make it hard for individuals to fully participate in social situations. As a therapist, I understand the impact that social anxiety can have on one's life and I specialize in helping individuals manage symptoms of social anxiety to foster well-being through the use of evidence-based therapies such as prolonged exposure therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy.
Together, we will work to identify the triggers of your anxiety and develop effective strategies to manage them. We will explore the underlying causes of your social anxiety and use cognitive-behavioral therapy techniques to challenge negative thoughts and behaviors that are holding you back. And, using prolonged exposure therapy, we will work to desensitize you to the feared situations, ultimately leading to a reduction of symptoms.
My ultimate goal is to empower you to take control of your social anxiety and to help you build a brighter, more fulfilling future for yourself. I will provide a safe and supportive environment for you to work through your struggles and find solutions that work for you. Don't hesitate to reach out to me today, together we can work towards a better tomorrow.
Discover what your unique process is and how it can actually help you transform social anxiety, develop self-expression, build confidence, and cultivate authentic connections with others.
Social anxiety can be debilitating and have a detrimental impact on the enjoyment of life. Understanding and reducing social anxiety is an important step towards improving satisfaction in life.
13 Years Experience
