Social Anxiety Therapy in Chicago

Experienced, affirming care in an inclusive environment in Logan Square and Avondale.

Social anxiety:

If you have social anxiety, you may feel intense worry about being judged or scrutinized in social settings.

Social anxiety can be extremely disruptive.

  • Social anxiety can lead to avoidance and interference in daily life.

  • Social anxiety may lead to increased substance use before, during, and after social events to cope

  • Social anxiety can turn an errand, running into someone at school pick-up, or a work presentation into a consuming mental spiral.

  • Anticipatory anxiety can disrupt how you engage in social events.

  • You may also ruminate after the event, overthinking what you said, how you acted, or someone else’s perceived response to you. Did I offend her? Does my coworker think I’m stupid?

Therapists at Common Thread Counseling Chicago can help you develop tools to go into social situations feeling more confident, present, and less anxious, and leaving events feeling less stressed.

Woman hiding after social interaction because of rumination and social anxiety
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Our Approach to Therapy for Anxiety

In our sessions together, we can help you develop insight into the root of your anxiety and how to lower it by:

  • naming the symptoms associated with anxiety

  • identifying specific triggers for the anxiety

  • developing coping strategies to lower the anxious response

  • distinguish productive problem-solving from unproductive worry spirals

Practical skills we teach:

  • reframing

  • cognitive restructuring

  • behavioral rehearsal

  • decatastrophizing

  • challenging all-or-nothing thinking

  • exposure therapy

  • mindfulness and grounding techniques combat “what if” thinking

  • increasing your tolerance for uncertainty

Whether your goals are to be more present, feel physically more relaxed, engage in events or spaces again, feel more confident in your job, or improve how you’re showing up in relationships, therapy for anxiety can help.