Social Anxiety Relief for Teens - (Instant Help Solutions) by Bridget Flynn Walker (Paperback)

About the Book

Social anxiety is a serious--yet often overlooked--form of anxiety commonly experienced by teens. If left untreated, it can lead to a significantly increased risk of developing depression and even addiction in adulthood. In Social Anxiety Relief for Teens, Bridget Flynn Walker presents a five-step cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) program to help teens gain confidence and stop living in fear of social situations.

Book Synopsis

A simple, five-step program to overcome the social anxiety standing between you and a happier, more confident life

Do you worry about what others think of you? Does fear of being judged trigger intense anxiety? If you're one of millions of teens suffering from social anxiety disorder (SAD), you know how it feels to miss out on life because you're avoiding people or situations that you feel like you just can't deal with. The good news is there is a way to free yourself from the fear and uncertainty keeping you from the rich and fulfilling life you deserve.

Social Anxiety Relief for Teens offers a simple, five-step cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) program to help you stop your fears and worries from getting the best of you. You'll learn to recognize your triggers and identify the unhelpful behaviors you use to try to cope with or avoid them now. Then you'll discover ways to slowly and gently challenge yourself to face anxiety-inducing situations, until you gradually increase your comfort levels. Finally, you'll develop the skills you need to build on your progress and work toward mastering your anxiety.

If you're ready to break free from social anxiety and build the self-confidence you'll need to reach your goals, this book will give you the boost you need to get there.

In these increasingly challenging times, teens need mental health resources more than ever. With more than 1.6 million copies sold worldwide, Instant Help Books for teens are easy to use, proven-effective, and recommended by therapists.

Review Quotes

"Both pithy and thorough, Bridget Flynn Walker carefully explains what social anxiety is, how avoidance and safety behaviors maintain social anxiety, and how teens can cope with and overcome social anxiety. While covering typical and more taboo aspects of social anxiety, Walker never blames or shames teens for being anxious. This amazing book talks directly to socially anxious teens in a way that is clear, direct, and relatable."
--Daniela Owen, PhD, assistant director of the San Francisco Bay Area Center for Cognitive Therapy; and author of Right Now, I Am Fine--Daniela Owen, PhD

"In Social Anxiety Relief for Teens, Bridget Flynn Walker provides all the tools kids need to start recognizing, challenging, and overcoming their social anxiety. If your life feels limited or miserable because of social anxiety, give this book a try. If you know a young person who is struggling with social anxiety, encourage them to follow the clear, simple, and easy-to-understand steps laid out in this excellent volume."
--Eli R. Lebowitz, PhD, director of the Yale Child Study Center Program for Anxiety Disorders, and author of Breaking Free of Child Anxiety and OCD
--Eli R. Lebowitz, PhD

"In clear, direct, relatable language, Bridget Flynn Walker has followed up her acclaimed book for parents of anxious kids with an indispensable guide for teens with social anxiety. The practical, step-by-step approach is grounded in the most current research and reads like your wisest relative encouraging you along the way. I hope my pediatrician colleagues place copies in their waiting rooms!"
--David Becker, MD, LMFT, clinical professor in the department of pediatrics at the University of California, San Francisco--David Becker, MD, LMFT

"In clear, teen-friendly language, Bridget Flynn Walker's Social Anxiety Relief for Teens walks the socially anxious teen step-by-step down a cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) path toward more successful social engagement. As soon as I read it, I thought of several kids to whom I must get this book!"
--Margo Thienemann, MD, clinical professor of psychiatry at Stanford University, and cofounder and lead psychiatrist at the Immune Behavioral Health Clinic at Stanford Children's Health--Margo Thienemann, MD

"Just in time, in a world awash in overwhelming worries, here is a clear and straightforward guide on how to master social phobias. Bridget Flynn Walker's prescriptive, step-by-step instructions provide the tools to successfully navigate stressful social situations. If you or your teen is struggling with anxiety and you are ready to take it on, this is the book for you."
--Laurel Schultz, MD, MPH, community pediatrician at Golden Gate Pediatrics in San Francisco, CA--Laurel Schultz, MD, MPH

"Now more than ever, this accessible and practical guide is a must-read for any adolescent suffering from social anxiety, as well as any adult in their life. It simultaneously honors the whole person and their experience, all while giving concrete and achievable steps toward healing. Bridget Flynn Walker is gifted at reaching teenagers where they're at, and this text is a reflection of her gifts."
--Katie Blaesing, counselor and anti-bias education coordinator at The Hamlin School--Katie Blaesing

"Social anxiety is very common, and it can really hold you back. This can be a really big problem when you are teenager. Fortunately, there are very effective skills to deal with this problem. This book is a step-by-step guide to manage and overcome this problem. Don't suffer in silence. There is a way out. This book will help you."
--Stefan G. Hofmann, PhD, professor at Boston University, and author of The Anxiety Skills Workbook--Stefan G. Hofmann, PhD

"This workbook is an excellent tool for teenagers struggling with social anxiety. Bridget Flynn Walker provides a stepwise and structured plan, rooted in scientific evidence, to help teens guide themselves through the process of understanding the nature of their social anxiety. The vignettes and FAQs really make the content of the book come to life. The content around exposures, which are the heart of the book, is well explained and easy to understand. I am going to definitely use this book with patients."
--Rachel Busman, PsyD, ABPP, clinical psychologist, and senior director of the Child and Adolescent Anxiety & Related Disorders Center at Cognitive and Behavioral Consultants--Rachel Busman, PsyD, ABPP

About the Author

Bridget Flynn Walker, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in the assessment and treatment of individuals with anxiety and related disorders. She is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley; and earned her doctorate in clinical psychology at California School of Professional Psychology in Berkeley, CA. She has particular expertise using cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) with anxious children and adolescents and their families. She is author of Anxiety Relief for Kids, which enjoys international readership and has been selected as an Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies Self-Help Book Recommendation--an honor bestowed on outstanding self-help books that are consistent with CBT principles, and that incorporate scientifically tested strategies for overcoming mental health difficulties.

Walker has trained doctoral-level clinicians in CBT and anxiety disorders. In addition, mental health professionals throughout the San Francisco Bay Area request her consultation and teaching services. She is a lecturer at the University of California at San Francisco-Osher Mini Medical School, and is frequently asked to educate and guide school professionals in the San Francisco Bay Area and nationally. She is known for her skill at making CBT clear and accessible to nonprofessionals. She lives in San Francisco, CA. Visit her at www.drbridgetwalker.com.

Foreword writer Michael A. Tompkins, PhD, ABPP, is author of My Anxious Mind: A Teen's Guide to Managing Anxiety and Panic. He is codirector of the San Francisco Bay Area Center for Cognitive Therapy; and assistant clinical professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley.