A young man at the edge of a backyard gathering

Therapy

Therapy for Social Anxiety

If you rehearse what to say, replay every conversation afterward, or skip events to avoid being noticed, social anxiety may be running more of your life than you want.

Request an Appointment

More than shyness

Shyness is a temperament. Social anxiety is fear of being judged that is strong enough to change what you do. You might turn down a promotion that involves presenting, text instead of calling, or leave a party after twenty minutes and feel relief and regret at the same time.

How it often shows up

Dreading meetings, class participation or small talk
Blushing, shaking or a racing heart when people look at you
Rehearsing conversations in advance
Going over every word afterward and cringing
Avoiding phone calls, restaurants or eating in front of others
Relying on a drink to get through social events

Why avoidance makes it worse

Every skipped event brings short-term relief and teaches your brain that the situation was too risky. Over time the list of safe places shrinks. Many people also use quiet safety habits, like staying on their phone or keeping answers short, which stop them from learning that people are usually kinder than they fear.

What therapy works on

1.
Notice the predictions
Write down what you expect to happen in a social moment.
2.
Shift attention outward
Practice focusing on the conversation instead of on how you look.
3.
Drop the safety habits
Try small experiments without the usual crutches.
4.
Build up exposure
Work through a ladder of situations, from a short call to a longer conversation.

A woman doing a breathing exercise on a sunny patio

Teens and young adults

Social anxiety often starts in the teen years, when friendships and school performance feel high stakes. Several of our clinicians work with teens, and some see clients in the evening or on weekends so sessions do not compete with school.

Practice that fits your week

Your therapist plans exercises around the situations you actually face, like speaking up at a team meeting, ordering at a counter, or introducing yourself at a neighborhood event.