Dive into a curated collection of valuable resources for those dealing with social anxiety. As advocates for mental well-being, we recognise the unique challenges posed by social anxiety and aim to equip you with insights, practical tips, and evidence-based approaches like cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT). Whether you’re personally navigating this journey or supporting someone dear to you, our mission is to foster understanding and provide tools that empower you on your quest for enhanced social confidence and overall well-being. Explore, learn, and uncover the support you seek in navigating the intricacies of social anxiety.
Associations resources
National Social Anxiety Centre (NSAC): The National Social Anxiety Centre (NSAC) is an organisation that focuses on providing resources, support, and services for individuals dealing with social anxiety. On their website, you will find blogs, articles, self-help videos and audios, and the stories of people with social anxiety.
Social Anxiety Institute (SAS): The Social Anxiety Institute (SAS) is a forum community dedicated to people with social anxiety. They offer online discussion and information, recorded treatment programs for individuals and self-help groups, and support groups on Skype.
Andrew Kukes Foundation for Social Anxiety (AKFSA): An organisation dedicated to educating people with social anxiety, mental health professionals, loved ones and the general public. They provide information and videos.
Tools and exercises
Centre for Clinical Interventions (CCI): The Centre for Clinical Interventions, located in Australia, offers a clinical psychology service with a focus on online resources centred around cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) interventions. These resources are designed to address various mental health disorders, including social anxiety. Delve into their workbook for valuable information and self-guided resources to support your mental health journey.
Attention training videos: People struggling with social anxiety often deal with an inclination to excessively fixate on their anxiety and the internal physical manifestations of stress, alongside perceiving external threats. Addressing social anxiety involves acquiring skills to redirect attention towards different facets of social interactions. These videos are designed to assist in honing this skill, enabling you to shift your focus away from internal processes or perceived threats and, instead, concentrate more on the ongoing conversation and the person you’re interacting with.
Rejection Therapy Game: This website is specifically crafted for those seeking to bolster their confidence and conquer the daunting fear of rejection. You’ll discover a wealth of ideas for engaging in paradoxical experiments—a component of CBT therapy for social anxiety. Overcoming the fear of rejection and other apprehensions is integral to the therapeutic process, and paradoxical experiments serve as a powerful tool in achieving this. They involve intentionally seeking out feared outcomes to assess the perceived likelihood and severity. As an illustration, a cognitive-behavioural therapist might orchestrate an experiment for a socially anxious client, wherein the client requests a substantial sum like 100 pounds from a stranger. While the anticipated outcome is likely rejection, this deliberate act challenges the client’s exaggerated and unrealistic fears. The website offers a plethora of such experiment ideas, providing a valuable resource for those embarking on the journey of self-discovery and confidence-building.
Dialup app: This app facilitates confidential audio chats with unfamiliar individuals. As such, it can be a good resource to expose yourself, talk to others, and challenge your fears.Â
Books
➤  Overcoming Social Anxiety and Shyness, by Gillian Butler.Â
➤  The Shyness & Social Anxiety Workbook, by Martin Antony and Richard Swinson.
➤  Managing Social Anxiety: A Cognitive-Behavioral Approach – Workbook, by D. Hope, R Heimberg and C. Turk.
➤  The Mindfulness and Acceptance Workbook for Social Anxiety and Shyness, by J. Fleming, N. Kocovski, Z. Segal.Â
Your social anxiety counsellor in Edinburgh
Edinburgh Therapy Service is a counseling and psychotherapy practice based in Edinburgh. We work with a range of therapeutic approaches, including therapy for social anxiety. Our services extend beyond the borders of Edinburgh, as we offer online therapy to clients worldwide. Whether you’re seeking therapy in person here in Edinburgh or prefer online sessions, we are here to support you. Contact us today!