Social Phobia Counseling/Therapy

James Foster & Associates 540 Chestnut Street,
Manchester NH, 03101

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Anyone can feel nervous or anxious about having to perform on a given occasion. However, when this nervousness becomes a patterned response in life, it may raise to the level of a condition referred to as Social Phobia.  A person may fear being scrutinized by others and begin to feel anxiety.  When a person experiences this distress in anticipation of certain events or he/she begins to avoid situations, this may interfere with their life and have an impact on his/her relationships.  This may be a time to seek counseling and to explore ways to reduce the anxiety. At James Foster & Associates, our professional counselors provide a safe and comfortable setting to address these issues.  Clinicians work to establish a good connection with individual in order to process the origins of the anxiety and assist individuals  by providing resources and techniques that may lower these uncomfortable, limiting and painful episodes. 

Symptoms of Social Anxiety

-intense anxiety in social situations

-avoidance of events/situations

-fear of people focusing on, scrutinizing, judging

-fearing anxiety being exposed in social situations

-fear of embarrassment/humiliation

-fear/anxiety interfering with functioning in daily life

-fear/anxiety impacting relationships due to the limiting of social    interactions

-anxiety symptoms including:  sweating, increased heart     rate/palpitations, dizziness, stomach aches

Treatment of Social Anxiety

 Social Phobia may be related to an individual's lack of self esteem, lack of confidence, or lack of internal sense of structure. It may be a shame-based phenomenon; particularly when it is related to trauma. When a socially phobic individual is receiving treatment they are likely to be working on developing social coping skills that assist them in getting through a difficult situation as well as attending to the internal issues that contribute to their vulnerability for this condition. These areas are addressed by increasing an ability to soothe themselves in social situations, exploring the origins of self criticism as well as developing a more positive view of themselves.

For more information, or to schedule an appointment with a Licensed Clinician, please contact us