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 pre and post 9/11) that there is no going… 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… 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, engaging in… 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 school being cancelled, this… 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 be helpful to examine the function of this… Continue reading
By Research, and common sense, tell us that hope is an important factor in recovering from an anxiety disorder – – including social anxiety. So, what makes the difference between an individual who has hope and one who doesn’t? One critical factor is “mindset”: how you view yourself and your situation in relation to others.
By mindset I don’t… Continue reading
By One of the most quickly growing areas of clinical research and treatment implementation is for people who are considered to be overcontrolled. What does being overcontrolled mean, and what does it have to do with feeling socially anxious? The concept of self-control refers to the ability to inhibit problematic behaviors. This is generally accepted… 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 prevalence rate… 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 animals, today we live in a human ‘jungle’ with human beings who… 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 coincidental…. 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 stuck staring at a silly… 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 more often with other children and… 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 of real-life interactions.
Try thinking… Continue reading
By Many outcome studies have shown cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, to be the most effective approach to overcoming social anxiety. While core interventions of CBT such as cognitive restructuring and behavioral experiments (learn more about these strategies here) can help people to make great improvements to their social anxiety symptoms, one trait… Continue reading
By As of 2019, 33 states and the District of Columbia have passed laws legalizing marijuana in some form. 11 of those have laws legalizing marijuana for recreational use, in addition to the country of Canada.
A Turn of the Tide for Cannabis in the USA
Social norms and the stigma of cannabis use are beginning to shift nationwide, particularly in places… Continue reading