Group therapy can help people who are shy learn how to express themselves more easily and learn how to make better connections with other people.

Group therapy can help shy people become more comfortable when meeting new people.

Group therapy can provide ongoing support, direction, and feedback for shy people to help build healthy friendships and partner relationships.

Group therapy can help shy people change shy behavior and improve communication skills through regular practice.

In group therapy self expression, healthy assertiveness, and connection is modeled by other people and shy people have the opportunity to learn about healthy relationships from others.

HOW DOES GROUP THERAPY WORK FOR PEOPLE WITH SOCIAL ANXIETY?
© Nancy Wesson, Ph.D.

Group therapy works best for shy people if they have been in or currently are in individual counseling. A very effective means of changing shy behavior is to participate in both forms of therapy, individual and group, at the same time. A group is made up of six to eight people who have joined the group in order to learn how to connect better with others. Some group members are shy and some are not shy.

JOINING THE THERAPY GROUP AS A SHY PERSON
© Nancy Wesson, Ph.D.

A shy person typically listens more than participates at first.

A shy person little by little discloses information about him or herself as the other group members (the group) get to know him or her.

The group provides ongoing support and direction to help the shy person be less critical of him/herself and become emotionally involved with the other people in the group.

A shy person in a therapy group learns about relationships by listening and helping other people in the group work on their relationships. This is an especially valuable learning experience for people who are shy and have had little relationship experience.

The group observes and points out when a shy person is avoiding social contact with others and helps him or her understand why this is happening and to change this behavior.

The group offers support as shy behavior is changed to communication that increases connection with others.

The group offers support and direction as a shy person enters and builds new, healthier relationships.