Find a Therapist for Social Anxiety

You don't have to navigate social anxiety alone, whether you are dealing with daily social anxiety, fear of public speaking, or performance anxiety. Layla can match you with a therapist who is experienced in treating social anxiety, who understands what you are going through, and who can help you feel more comfortable and at ease in social settings and the situations that matter to you.

Therapy is available on weekdays, evenings, and weekends. In-person or virtual, depending on your location. Covered by most benefits providers.

Start your journey

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Content on this page has been clinically reviewed by Dr. Monica Hinton, Registered Clinical Social Worker, ACSW, BCCSW, OCSWSSW, NSCSW.

Understanding social anxiety

~1 in 7 Canadians

have experienced social anxiety at some point in their lifetime*

It is normal to feel anxious in some social situations, but social anxiety disorder is more than occasional anxiety or shyness; it is a persistent, intense fear of being judged or embarrassed in social or performance situations. This fear does not match the actual risk involved. For some, it shows up around specific situations like public speaking, yet for others, it touches every day interactions like making a phone call, meeting someone new or going to social events.

When that fear starts affecting and controlling your life, leading you to avoid interactions, decline invitations or pass up on opportunities you are interested in, therapy can help you understand what is driving it and help reshape your default thoughts and behaviours.

*University of Toronto, 2022

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What are the signs and symptoms of social anxiety?

Social anxiety is complex, and it can look and feel different from person to person, but a few patterns tend to appear. Some of the common signs include:

Find a therapist to support your social anxiety

Physical symptoms

Racing heart, sweating, trembling, blushing, shortness of breath or nausea before or during social situations.

Persistent fear of judgement

Recurring, intrusive worries that others are negatively judging you which can linger and pull your focus.

Avoidance and isolation

Avoiding, or desire to avoid, social settings due to the fear of anxiety, embarrassment or humiliating interactions, leading to isolation.Strong sexual thoughts, urges or behaviours that feel hard to control, causing stress, shame or other consequences.

Difficulty with everyday interactions

Anxiety appears during daily social interactions such as making a phone call, running an errand, or speaking in a group.

Strain felt in relationships

Difficulty opening up to others, avoidance leading to relationship challenges, distance and misunderstandings.

Self-critical thoughts

Believing that others view you through a critical, judgemental lens and difficulty extending compassion to yourself.

Work or school challenges

Difficulties within work or school relating to anxiety or avoidance of situations, like public speaking or interactions with colleagues or classmates.

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Need immediate support?

Explore helpful tools on anxiety relief in our resource library.

Go to resource library

Therapy approaches for social anxiety

Therapy provides you with the tools to help calm your mind, understand your thoughts, and regain a sense of choice over avoidance. Layla works with therapists trained in evidence-based approaches tailored for social anxiety, including:

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

CBT

Identify the thought patterns behind the fear of judgement and how it relates to behaviour, reshape thoughts, and learn to respond to them differently.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

ACT

Learn to acknowledge and accept the thoughts and emotions you are struggling with, reduce inner conflict, and act from a place of choice rather than avoidance.

Exposure-Based Therapy

EBT

A behavioural approach with a gradual confronting of fearful situations and breaking the cycle of avoidance.

How Layla guides you in finding a social anxiety therapist

With support from a dedicated care coordinator, Layla guides you toward finding a therapist you aligns with. Before your matching call, you might consider what types of therapy feel right for you, the qualities you value in a therapist, and your short- and long-term goals. Having a clearer sense of what you need can make finding the right fit feel easier.

Step 1

Tell us what you’re looking for

Complete our intake form to help us understand what your goals, preferences and needs are.

Step 2

Complete our matching call

Over the phone, a Care Coordinator will ask a few questions to guide their selection of therapists who they think best align with you.

Step 3

Start your first session

After you choose your therapist, you’ll book your first online or in-person therapy session.

Take the first step

Healing begins with connection. Complete our secure intake form to help us better understand your experience with social anxiety, what you need and who you’d like to be connected to.

Then you'll connect with a Care Coordinator who will support you through the matching process.

Frequently asked questions

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