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The OCD Center of Los Angeles offers two weekly, low-fee therapy groups specifically for adults with Social Anxiety / Social Phobia. The goal of these groups is to provide an inexpensive format in which individuals with Social Anxiety / Social Phobia can learn to more effectively challenge and manage their social fears within a safe, supportive environment.
Research has shown that group therapy can be particularly beneficial in the treatment of Social Anxiety /Social Phobia. Due to the nature of this condition, individuals with Social Anxiety / Social Phobia frequently isolate and avoid situations in which they will need to socially interact. As a result, they become more and more sensitized to these situations, and have fewer and fewer opportunities to socially engage. The mere act of regularly attending a therapy group provides participants with a opportunity to socially interact on a consistent basis, and to practice social skills that they are learning in the group. Group meetings allow individuals with Social Anxiety / Social Phobia to gently face their fears with the support of others who know just how difficult it is to confront years of social avoidance.
Our weekly groups for adults with Social Anxiety / Social Phobia emphasize Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), which has consistently been found by researchers to be the most effective treatment for this condition. Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy techniques employed in our adult Social Anxiety / Social Phobia groups include Cognitive Restructuring, Imaginal Exposure, Meta-Cognitive / Mindfulness Therapy, and Exposure Therapy. With the support of other group members, participants use these tools to directly challenge their Social Anxiety / Social Phobia symptoms, including fears related to:
- public speaking
- job interviews
- business meetings
- speaking to strangers
- speaking on the telephone
- eating or drinking in restaurants
- writing in public
- reading in public
- speaking with authority figures, such as teachers or supervisors
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- dating
- parties, weddings and other social gatherings
- large public venues (i.e., concerts, stadiums)
- shopping
- movie theaters
- class outings
- speaking in class
- public restrooms (paruesis)
- situations in which performance is observed, such as dancing or team sports
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Weekly meetings of our adult Social Anxiety / Social Phobia groups are held each Tuesday and Wednesday evening at our offices in the Brentwood area of Los Angeles. Please note that these are separate groups - participants attend only one group per week, and always the same group. The Tuesday group meets from 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm and the Wednesday group meets from 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm. Each group is limited to a maximum of eight (8) members, and follows the same Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy protocol as our individual therapy program. Both groups are led by one of our professional staff therapists, and both require a one-on-one assessment prior to participation.
For more information about participation in either of these groups, please contact the OCD Center of Los Angeles at (310) 824-5200 (ext. 1), or via email at director@ocdla.com. To learn more about Social Anxiety / Social Phobia, click here. To learn more about Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for the treatment of Social Anxiety, OCD and related conditions, click here.
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Please note that the above is not meant to replace a complete and thorough evaluation by a licensed Cognitive-Behavioral therapist or other qualified mental health professional. As with OCD, some individuals with Social Anxiety / Social Phobia may benefit from medication, and may therefore require a psychiatric evaluation. Likewise, a psychiatric assessment may be necessary to differentiate between Social Anxiety / Social Phobia and other psychological conditions. If a psychiatric evaluation is indicated, the OCD Center of Los Angeles can refer you to a qualified psychiatrist in our area. Furthermore, it is imperative to make the distinction between Social Anxiety / Social Phobia and other medical conditions. For this reason, a medical examination may be necessary.
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