Social Anxiety Disorder Treatment in Oakland
(Bay Area)
How Social Anxiety Therapy Can Help You
Learn how to be self-compassionate while also challenging yourself to grow.
Become mindful of triggers that lead to avoidance and keep you feeling stuck.
Learn how to identify and reframe distorted thoughts.
Be supported in your goals - therapy offers encouragement and accountability.
Explore what social connection and community means to you.
Understand how past social experiences impact the way you view yourself and others.
Learn how to become more curious and less self-critical.
Take steps towards engaging in activities you value, like building relationships.
Try new things or brush up on old skills: dating, making new friends, networking etc.
Understanding Social Anxiety
​​
Social Anxiety is an intense fear of being judged, negatively evaluated, or rejected in a social situation. Many people experience some level of social anxiety. For people with typical levels of social anxiety, the symptoms are manageable and often diminish quickly. If you have Social Anxiety Disorder, the fear and anxiety are more frequent and occur in a wide variety of social situations that are generally considered non-threatening (e.g., making small talk with a cashier, ordering food, or greeting a neighbor). The fear you experience prior to, during, or after these types of interactions may be all-consuming and overwhelming. As a result, you may choose to avoid social interaction in order to avoid the experience of extreme anxiety and discomfort. Your avoidance reinforces your fear and prevents new learning from happening. With Exposure Therapy, you can learn how to better manage your anxiety symptoms, increase your engagement in social situations, and enjoy more connection with others.
Social Anxiety can be effectively treated with
evidence-based Talk Therapy and Exposure Therapy.
Interested in social anxiety therapy in Oakland?
Let's Connect.
Exposure Therapy as a Social Anxiety Treatment
​
Talk therapies like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) can be combined with Exposure Therapy to effectively treat Social Anxiety Disorder. Talk Therapies address your specific fears related to social interactions, while Exposure Therapy addresses your avoidance behaviors. We will begin Exposure Therapy by identifying precisely which types of social situations (if any) feel safe and which feel most challenging. This information will help us to create an exposure plan that meets your needs and goes at your pace. As you gain confidence in your ability to manage your symptoms, we will increase practice in real life social situations. The goal of therapy is for you to feel confident in your ability to cope with your anxiety symptoms and to know that the social experiences you desire are within reach.
​
Exposure Therapy is challenging work ... that works!
Social Anxiety Disorder Treatment in Oakland, CA
​
Bay Area Anxiety Therapy offers social anxiety therapy from its office in Oakland. Serving San Francisco, Berkeley, San Jose and the entire Bay Area.