In this episode, Dr. Rick and I explore the alltoocommon challenge of social anxiety. We break down what it really means to be socially anxious (hint: it's not just being shy), where those feelings come from, and why they stick around. Rick explains the roots of social anxiety, highlighting the role of attachment styles and individual temperament, before I share how to locate yourself on a spectrum from everyday nervousness to Social Anxiety Disorder. We then discuss evidencebased approaches to working with social anxiety like exposure therapy, cognitive defusion, and mindfulness techniques. Whether you experience feelings of anxiety or are trying to understand a friend who does, this episode will help you feel more confident and connected.

Key Topics:
0:00 Introduction
1:40 What is social anxiety?
7:00 Where does social anxiety come from?
13:40 Feeling worthy, and other social factors
17:05 Nature vs. nurture
23:25 Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) and comorbid diagnoses
29:05 Exposure therapy and how to practice it safely
41:20 Positive reinforcement, and responding to ruminative thoughts
55:15 Widening our view, and taking in the good
1:02:55 Talking with younger parts, and selfcompassion
1:09:55 Normalizing anxiety
1:11:15 Recap

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Who Am I: I'm Forrest, the coauthor of Resilient (https://amzn.to/3iXLerD) and host of the Being Well Podcast (https://apple.co/38ufGG0). I'm making videos focused on simplifying psychology, mental health, and personal growth.

I'm not a clinician, and what I say on this channel should not be taken as medical advice.

You can follow me here:
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https://www.forresthanson.com
  / f.hanson