social anxiety treatment

Social Anxiety Therapy, San Francisco and Online

You’re about to meet a new person or walk into a social gathering and all sorts of horrible scenarios go through your mind. You think, “what if I say or do the wrong thing? What if I offend someone? What if someone asks me something and I don’t know what to say? They’ll think I’m stupid and weird. What if I mess up and everyone looks at me? I’ll be so embarrassed!”

You often find yourself worrying about saying or doing the wrong thing. Your extreme fear of being judged, of embarrassing yourself and being rejected makes you want to stay as far away as possible from social situations where this could happen. You feel comfortable and just fine with some of the people in your life, people you know well, perhaps close family members or a best friend or partner. But with others, you are uncomfortable and on edge.

People might see you as “quiet and shy” and think that you don’t have anything to say or contribute. But its hard for you to speak up. Your body feels so uncomfortable, you might feel flushed, stumble on your words, feel your heart racing or palms getting sweaty. You fear others will notice this and wonder what’s wrong with you. After a social interaction, you often replay conversations in your mind over and over again, critiquing and criticizing yourself.

Because of this, you may have difficulty making friends, joining groups, or participating in meetings at work. Your personal life is not as fulfilling as you’d like it to be. At work, you may get passed up for promotions or are simply unqualified for roles that require more speaking. You want to socialize and connect with ease. At work, you want to speak up at meetings with confidence and share your ideas with your boss and colleagues.

As an anxiety therapist based in San Francisco, I help people with social anxiety.

In social anxiety treatment, we address the negative thoughts and manage the distress with effective skills so people can participate in social interactions with more comfort, self-confidence and even some enjoyment! I have helped hundreds of people dealing with social anxiety, also called social phobia. After working with me, my clients develop healthier ways of thinking about socializing and speaking in public, know how to decrease the physical sensations of anxiety, and feel better equipped to handle social interactions.

Using the best combination of evidence-based approaches including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Insight Oriented Talk Therapies and Mindfulness Based Therapies, we will create a plan to help you with the symptoms of social anxiety. With gentle kindness, encouragement to take small risks, and weekly online therapy sessions, you will have the ongoing support you need to become more socially comfortable. 

There are wonderful opportunities in life when we can be our true and confident self in social situations. If you are ready to take steps to overcoming social anxiety, contact me for a free 15-minute consultation to find out more about social anxiety therapy, in San Francisco and online in California. Let’s chat about how treatment for social anxiety with the right person can be helpful to you in making the changes you need to have more confident and fulfilling social experiences.