Social anxiety is the fear of being judged negatively by others.
You might feel inferior, inadequate, self-conscious, or embarrassed.
Do you spend a lot of time analyzing how you performed in your interactions after a social situation? Do you focus on all of the mistakes you may have made?
You may experience emotional distress in most or all social situations. You might feel anxious when you're introduced to new people, at parties or gatherings, or when have to talk in meetings. You may even feel panic.
Maybe you're worried others will notice you looking anxious?
It's hard not to imagine the worst outcomes and want to avoid social situations.
Social anxiety can be successfully treated. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is the most proven method for effectively treating social anxiety in a time-limited way. CBT includes techniques such as exposure therapy, cognitive restructuring, and social skills training that guide you to challenge and question your own negative thinking.
“True belonging is not passive. It’s not the belonging that comes with just joining a group. It’s not fitting in or pretending or selling out because it’s safer. It’s a practice that requires us to be vulnerable, get uncomfortable, and learn how to be present with people without sacrificing who we are.”
Mindfulness training, such as breathing or grounding techniques, can also help with the physical symptoms of social anxiety, like blushing, fast heart rate, trouble catching your breath, or your mind "going blank".
At the end of treatment, clients I've worked with have experienced a huge reduction or disappearance of social anxiety symptoms after practicing CBT and Mindfulness techniques both in session and as homework. They've reported feeling a new sense of ease and comfort when connecting with others. Most experience an increase in confidence and freedom out in the world. They are no longer caught in the 'anxiety loop'.
Editorial Reviews
“Alison McKleroy's book is full of tested ideas, examples, and exercises that anyone who suffers from social anxiety can implement to get relief from the many different forms social anxiety may take and prevent it from coming back. The presentation of approaches, such as CBT, exposure, ACT, and other strategies, is concise and well-organized.” ―Edmund J. Bourne, Ph.D., Author of The Anxiety & Phobia Workbook, 7th Edition
“In Essential Strategies for Social Anxiety, Alison McKleroy skillfully integrates the best-tested principles of cognitive behavioral therapy with the mindfulness-based techniques of acceptance and commitment therapy. If you're longing to live more fully and are ready to say ‘enough!’ to social anxiety, these powerful tools are for you.” ―Seth J. Gillihan, PhD, Clinical Psychologist, and Author of The CBT Deck