By I have worked with many clients struggling with social anxiety disorder who also struggle with a social isolation schema in the context of dating. They feel fundamentally different, as if they don’t fit in with the rest of the world. Many worry they may never find a life partner because they feel awkward or strange, fearing their partner’s friends and… Continue reading
By For many living with Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD), social events can feel like high-stakes performances. The pressure to appear interesting, funny, and “normal” can be so overwhelming that alcohol is often used as a safety behavior to quiet the inner critic and soften the sharp edges of anxiety.
In the moment, this “liquid courage”… Continue reading
By Selective mutism is one of the most misunderstood childhood anxiety disorders. A child with selective mutism may speak freely at home or with a close trusted friend, but may become silent or feel unable to speak in other environments such as school, social gatherings, or public places. To outside observers, it can look like stubbornness or defiance. In… Continue reading
By When social anxiety is causing you repeated problems, you unintentionally get caught up in vicious cycles of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that often end up making you feel anxiety and shame, and hurt how you come across and perform.
The experience of social anxiety involves a vicious cycle fueled by core beliefs of fundamental personal deficiency… Continue reading
By Many people experience much social anxiety when speaking a language that they did not grow up with among native speakers of that language.
According to Ethnologue, an organization that maintains a comprehensive database of the world’s languages, there are approximately 7,159 living languages spoken among the world’s 7.6 billion people (as of 2025). The… Continue reading
By Deemed the “F*ck It 40s” across pop culture, women often hear lore that they will reach a magical time when they no longer care what others think. While this may be the experience of some, many find the opposite to occur, especially those with a pre-existing anxiety disorder.
As women reach their 40s and into their 50s, perimenopause and menopause… Continue reading
By Paruresis, also known as shy bladder syndrome, describes a form of social anxiety in which a person experiences distress and/or difficulty urinating in the presence of others. Specifically, a worry regarding being judged by others or “exposed” as having difficulty or not being able to pee “normally” is often at the core of great apprehension and… Continue reading
By Social anxiety disorder (SAD) can present challenges in developing and maintaining romantic relationships. Though socially anxious people may strongly desire romantic relationships, they may struggle to tolerate the uncomfortable interpersonal realities of dating. In late adolescence, those with SAD report having fewer sexual partners, dating… Continue reading
By During the beginning of my daughter’s preschool year, I was hit with an unexpected reality. She entered a school where parents were already connected, friends were already established, and there was no school directory of phone numbers to connect with parents. I needed to foster friendships for my child…the old school way.
I signed up for every field… Continue reading
By Ask yourself…
“Is there anything I value or enjoy that others might find weird?”
“Would I stop valuing or enjoying it if others judged me for it?”
As my lifelong friend would say: Marinate on that.
Now, back to our regularly scheduled blog article.
Who Wants to Be Weird?
“Fitting in” is deeply woven into society’s fabric. It’s part of our survival… Continue reading
By When I first started therapy, it felt like I could never find the right skills that would help me overcome my anxiety. It always felt like something was missing. It was not until I found a cognitive-behavioral therapist (CBT) who understood that I did not just have social anxiety. There was more. I suffered from trauma, ADHD and autism. Those of us who… Continue reading
By Making friends and finding community as an adult is no easy feat. Figuring out what communities you align with and where you will feel accepted takes a lot of trial and error. This can be especially tricky for someone with social anxiety, and even more so for someone who is non-monogamous.
Social anxiety gets in the way of making new friends. Commonly,… Continue reading
By In my experience with clients who have social anxiety, one of their primary concerns is the surges of anxiety they experience amid social situations. They often describe how their focus then shifts to the fear of making a “spectacle” of themselves, leading to a strong desire to escape and avoid the perceived “disaster” of being… Continue reading
By Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is more than just shyness; it’s a persistent fear of being evaluated and judged in social and performance situations. As a result of this fear, social situations are avoided or entered with significant anxiety. Often the fear is that others will notice anxious symptoms and judge negatively as a result. This can lead to… Continue reading
By Do you often feel like you don’t fit in? Do you think others see you as an outcast or strange? Do you struggle to form deep and meaningful connections? If so, you may have a social isolation schema. This schema can lead to social anxiety and avoidance along with other problems.
While many of us feel like we don’t fit in sometimes, with a social… Continue reading