Social anxiety often looks like competence on the outside and intense self-monitoring inside. You may replay conversations, fear being judged, or avoid situations that matter, meetings, dating, presentations, speaking up.
I offer social anxiety therapy in Central London (W1 / W1W) and online. My work integrates CBT strategies for safety behaviours and avoidance, alongside ISTDP-informed work for shame and emotional inhibition.
From an ISTDP perspective, social anxiety often involves shame and emotional inhibition: feelings (anger, need, vulnerability) feel risky, so anxiety rises instead. Therapy builds capacity to tolerate emotion and reduce shame-driven defences.
We work to:
Early sessions:
Ongoing work:
You may also find these pages helpful:
Is it just introversion?
Not necessarily, social anxiety is fear-based, not preference-based.
How do we reduce rumination after social events?
We reduce the safety behaviours and self-monitoring that fuel replay, then build attention-shifting and boundaries around “post-event review” so the brain stops treating it as necessary.
What if I mask and look confident?
That’s common, many people appear confident while internally anxious. Therapy helps reduce masking and self-monitoring so social situations cost you less and confidence becomes steadier.
Does online therapy work?
Yes.
W1W?
Yes.
Insurance?
See Fees & Insurance.
Next steps