By By Meara Weitzman, PhD What do you see when you look in the mirror? What thoughts pass through your mind? What emotions arise? The mirror offers your reflection but the experience you have when looking in it reflects your body image (BI), or the personal relationship you have with your own body. Body image involves… Continue reading
By When your core emotional needs are met in childhood, you grow up with positive life themes such as high self-worth and a belief in your ability to cope. Negative life themes emerge when your core emotional needs are not met earlier in life and these negative themes continue into adulthood. These negative life themes are… Continue reading
By When most people think about social anxiety, they often are worried about being judged negatively by others. Some of the common fears are being seen as boring, weird, incompetent or anxious. These fears make a lot of sense, right? We are social beings and want to be included and liked – we want to belong! If others… Continue reading
By Anxiety is one of the most common difficulties that can rapidly increase during the teen years. Social anxiety disorder, which is characterized by a persistent fear of social situations in which your teen is worried about being judged, scrutinized or embarrassed in front of others, occurs in approximately 9% of adolescents. It is often a… Continue reading
By It’s not a surprise that so many clients seek therapy due to an overwhelming fear of public speaking. After all, it’s statistically one of the greatest fears people face by any measure. For those with social anxiety, the fear of appearing foolish can make public speaking feel impossible. Physical symptoms can include sweating, rapid heartbeat,… Continue reading
By Boundaries are important for us all. They help us to advocate for ourselves, prioritize our well-being and protect our peace. This can be particularly useful when you are dating someone new and getting to know each other. Dating is not just about what your date likes or what they think of you. It is about… Continue reading
By It can feel strange to think about our brain lying to us, but that is often what happens when we are dealing with social anxiety disorder. In the throws of social anxiety, our brain takes in information and skews it based on a number of negative assumptions, interpretations, and opinions. Often, this information isn’t accurate…. Continue reading
By The holiday season is upon us. With roots in sacred beliefs and cultural traditions, it is historically a very special time of year, and one where families and friends gather together to share the merriment. To mark the season, old songs such as “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year” sung by Andy Williams play… Continue reading
By “She is so charming, interesting and friendly, while I come across as so boring and dull.” “He is so charismatic, funny, and entertaining! Why am I not like him?” “I was feeling good about myself at the party until the extroverted, friendly John turned up. I suddenly began to feel bad about myself as I… Continue reading
By Initially, it may not seem like social anxiety and eco-anxiety have much in common. One relates to interpersonal interactions and fear of judgment, while the other is tied to environmental concerns and fears about the future of the planet. While they may seem unrelated at first glance, there is an unexpected connection between these two… Continue reading
By “Do I sound too gay?” “What if they think my name is ghetto?” “They’re going to think I’m some kind of Jesus-freak.” Fear of negative evaluations or judgments from others is a core feature of social anxiety. Yet, as illustrated in the quotes above, for people with certain social identities, these fears may often be… Continue reading
By Back to school can bring up anxiety for kids. For children and teens with social anxiety, back to school can be particularly challenging. Social anxiety disorder in kids is characterized by fear of social situations with peers in which they may be judged negatively and in which their peers may notice their anxiety leading to… Continue reading
By “I always get to class just before it starts and slide noiselessly into a chair in the back because no one’s going to talk to me anyway and, if I’m there early, everyone’s going to stare at me!” “What if the professor calls on me to answer a question? I won’t know what to say… Continue reading