By For those with social anxiety, being forced into a full scale shut down because of the Covid-19 pandemic and having to work one hundred percent remotely might seem like a blessing. You no longer have to endure getting onto crowded elevators or try to avoid coworkers while making a quick run to the break room… Continue reading
By A New Future Even referencing the future as ‘post-COVID’ feels a bit misplaced. It insinuates that in the future we will be ‘over’ or ‘past’ the COVID pandemic. By now most of us can acknowledge that COVID will leave an everlasting impression on society as we know it. We are accepting (with some parallels to… Continue reading
By Christine A. Padesky, PhD, a clinical psychologist, is cofounder of the Center for Cognitive Therapy in Huntington Beach, California. She is codeveloper of strengths-based cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and has coauthored six books, including the bestselling self-help resource, Mind Over Mood, 2nd edition (Greenberger & Padesky, 2016) and the therapist training manual, Clinician’s Guide to CBT Using Mind… Continue reading
By Assertiveness is something that many people, with and without social anxiety, struggle with. Many people fear that being assertive means they will come across as pushy, selfish, or argumentative. Particularly for individuals with social anxiety, negative, harsh judgements such as being seen as mean or pushy, are something to be feared and avoided as much… Continue reading
By Parenting is no easy task, and when you factor in managing social anxiety as a parent, the challenges can be both unique and daunting. Trying to cope with your own anxiety while trying to show up in life for your child might feel overwhelming. Attending sporting events, school functions, doctor’s appointments, play dates, birthday parties,… Continue reading
By A Brief Commentary on the COVID-19 Pandemic Around the world we are all witnessing an event that most people have never experienced before. The COVID-19 pandemic has tested humanity’s resolve and resiliency by having to change and alter how we live our lives each day. Whether it is a stay-at-home order, wearing a mask, or… Continue reading
By The Many Forms of Procrastination A lot can show up when someone settles down to start a task. Procrastination, the act of delaying the completion of a task, is a common response when one is faced with a challenging or multi-step task. The thought “I can’t do this” can actually have several meanings. It can… Continue reading
By Social anxiety disorder is the most commonly diagnosed anxiety disorder and the third most common mental health condition in the world. The primary feature of social anxiety disorder is a persistent fear of a social or performance situations in which negative evaluation may occur. Along these lines, one of the main reasons for this high… Continue reading
By When faced with a dangerous animal, what do we do? We get away as fast as we can, fight the animal if we cannot get away, or become still and hope the animal will not notice us. While this may have been a common occurrence in prehistoric times when humans lived in jungles with predatory… Continue reading
By The following is a narrative of a fictitious character, Ms. Anonymous (Ms. A), and her treatment for social anxiety. This case illustrates how evidence-based methods can be applied in therapy to help alleviate symptoms and recover from social anxiety. Again, Ms. A is a fictitious character, and any resemblance to a real person is purely… Continue reading
By Your child struggles with friendships. Parents sometimes wonder if it is just a phase, or if their child is developing social anxiety. Understanding “normal” friend behavior can be challenging in the “tween” years between eight and twelve, as a child approaches adolescence. Why Social Anxiety is a Serious Problem Social anxiety often begins to develop… Continue reading
By I still remember a seemingly trivial moment while volunteering and travelling in New Zealand during my college years. After a hike through the rolling green hills with some travel friends, we stopped in a local shop with some custom design T-shirts. As I was about to leave without being inspired to purchase anything, I got… Continue reading
By Toddlerhood is defined as the age range from 12 to 36 months. During this period, a child’s emotional and cognitive development grows by leaps and bounds, as do their social skills. This also coincides with the time when children are likely to go into a daycare environment or head off to preschool. As they engage… Continue reading
By Smile for the camera Most of us can remember when reality TV was still in its incubation period before it exploded into every family room across the globe. Debates have been had on when the exact advent was of what can be referred to as “reality TV”, otherwise known as unscripted entertainment in the style… Continue reading
By The National Social Anxiety Center predicts that approximately 12% of Americans will experience some form of life-interfering social anxiety in their lifetime. Forming new friendships or relationships, introducing oneself to strangers, or speaking during a meeting are all examples of situations that can trigger social anxiety. While social anxiety can feel debilitating, there are effective… Continue reading