Telehealth for the socially anxious

Traditional therapy (or at least the stereotypes of traditional psychotherapy) involve the concept of someone lying on a couch, talking about their most intimate details with a nodding or silent therapist. While a therapist's office might indeed have a couch, rarely are you encouraged to lay down and actually kick off your shoes. Please, keep them on in that setting!

Unfortunately, there are many barriers to seeking treatment. For some it's just that the time commitment is too high – you need to commute to the office, arrive early in case of unexpected delays, and commute back to home or work. Depending on your location this could be hours of time devoted that aren't even the therapy itself.

For others, the barriers are the very thing that therapy is intended to remedy – social anxiety. If you suffer from a fear or reluctance of being in a public setting then it's unlikely that you will want to put yourself in the position of actually going to a therapists office. Public transit, walking through crowds, a busy waiting room – it's too much!

Technology allows us to have therapy from the comfort of your own home. You can wear shoes (or not) and you can sit on your own comfy couch. There is no need to lose time in the commute, and you can avoid some anxiety provoking triggers. You can even do it on you lunch break if you can find a conference room at work!

Telehealth may be an ideal solution for those who have difficulty leaving the home or interacting with others in person.

What is social anxiety? Well, social anxiety can take many forms. In some more common circumstances, it might be that you feel anxious when approaching a crowd of people you don't know or have difficulty when speaking in front of a large group. Most people can relate to this. Sometimes, social anxiety can be debilitating in that it prevents social interactions entirely. One can feel isolated and alone, but the fear of judgement is so overwhelming that you might not even risk approaching someone.

Telehealth can be a great option since it is a comfortable, judgment-free space where a client can express their fears and work on social and relaxation skills with an expert who is warm and supportive.

Some individuals may also experience the fear of being in places from which there is not clear or easy escape, or where you might feel embarrassed or trapped. Some of these places might include concerts (open spaces) or a subway (enclosed spaces). The first step in working on this is to work with an expert, but getting to an office can be quite a challenge! Here, telehealth is the first step toward freedom and the ability to do what you want.

Typically we start treatment with assessing your individual needs and what causes you the most fear. Once we identify this, we take active steps toward understanding the root cause. We can identify your automatic thoughts, negative themes, and triggers. Upon understanding these, we can work on changing your cognitions and engage in behavior change.

Reach out to us today to take your first steps toward freedom!

-Dr. T