Overcome Social Anxiety: Behavioural Strategies Worksheet

Download this free therapy worksheet PDF to help clients develop behaviours to reduce anxiety in social situations

Social anxiety, or social phobia, can restrict your client’s ability to engage comfortably in everyday social interactions. Although it is not unusual to feel a little nervous socially at times, serious social anxiety involves powerful physical symptoms like a racing heart and shallow breathing that, in turn, make it difficult to think or speak clearly.This anxiety often stems from the fear of being negatively judged or rejected in social scenarios, ranging from public speaking and attending parties to interacting in work environments.For many, even the thought of being the centre of attention can trigger overwhelming anxiety, often due to the ‘spotlight effect’ – overestimating how much other people notice or judge your actions or appearance.The major components of the Social Anxiety – Behavioural Strategies Worksheet include:

• Identify trigger situations: What specific social scenarios intensify your client’s anxiety? Recognizing these can help your client prepare and apply strategies effectively.
• Examine behavioural responses to anxiety: How do your client’s actions either amplify or alleviate their anxiety in social settings?
• Challenge the spotlight effect: How often does your client feel overly conspicuous in social interactions? What evidence do they have that others are judging them as harshly as they judge themselves?

By working through this worksheet with your client, you will equip them with strategies to build confidence and calm in social situations and:

• Enhance self-awareness: Help your client understand the specific conditions under which their social anxiety intensifies.
• Facilitate behavioural change: Guide your client through practical exercises to modify responses that contribute to anxiety, promoting more positive interactions.
• Strengthen the therapeutic alliance: The worksheet provides a structured framework for discussions about anxiety, enhancing the collaborative effort in therapy sessions.

Integrate the Social Anxiety – Behavioural Strategies Worksheet into your sessions as a tool to help your clients manage and eventually overcome social anxiety. By methodically addressing and helping them adjust the behaviours that fuel their fears, you will teach your client to enjoy social environments with more assurance and less apprehension. An editable version of this worksheet is free to members of Uncommon Practitioners’ TVThis worksheet can be used in conjunction with the Overcoming Social Anxiety: Cognitive Strategies Worksheet.