Social Anxiety Therapy for Teens in Austin: Understanding Social Anxiety and How Parents Can Help
Why Adolescence Can Be Challenging for Teens with Social Anxiety
The adolescent years can be challenging for parents. They can be characterized by strong emotions, questionable decisions, and a transition from a child who seeks parental support to a teen who seeks support from their peers. But many of these challenges, while unpleasant for all parties, are developmentally normative as executive functioning develops. One of the most important aspects of development in teens is their social development, as they learn how to socialize at an adult level. However, for teens with social anxiety, this anxiety limits their opportunities to practice as a result of avoidance. This demonstrates the importance of seeking help for social anxiety so that teens can learn valuable social skills and build relationships with their peers.
What Social Anxiety Really Looks Like in Teens
One of the biggest misconceptions about social anxiety is that these teens are simply shy. While it is true that they are often introverted, not all introverts have social anxiety disorder. Unlike shyness alone, social anxiety disorder is characterized by a fear of embarrassment or rejection in specific social situations that are challenging for the person, and these symptoms must have an effect on their functioning. For instance, does the teen struggle with building friendships, completing schoolwork, or engaging with the family as a result of these worries? The types of situations in which this fear may arise may include going to social gatherings, having a conversation, meeting unfamiliar people, eating in public, using public restrooms, writing in public, performance situations, completing group projects, etc. These symptoms must also occur with peers and not exclusively with adults. Social anxiety disorder also requires that the teen consistently experiences fear or anxiety in the feared situations, and they experience more fear or anxiety than is expected based on the teen’s sociocultural context and the threat posed by that situation.
Social Anxiety Therapy for Teens in Austin: Cognitive and Behavioral Therapy Approaches to Social Anxiety
There are cognitive and behavioral skills that need to be learned and practiced in order to treat social anxiety disorder. Cognitively, teens must learn to recognize the unhelpful thoughts that are triggered by being in these situations. For example, maybe they notice they are engaging in mind reading, which is assuming what someone else is thinking and assuming it is negative. Or maybe they catastrophize, which involves believing or worrying that a bad outcome is coming without questioning it or seeking evidence. Some teens may learn to come up with more helpful thoughts that they can replace these thoughts with or use motivating messages, such as viewing social situations as an opportunity to practice coping with anxiety. They will also have to notice how their emotions, thoughts, and behaviors are connected and start examining whether their actions are in the direction of avoidance or in the direction of their personal values. Behaviorally, they will have to begin to face the social situations they have been avoiding. Typically, teens will start with easier situations that trigger lower levels of anxiety and progress to more challenging exposures. However, this is not a requirement and can be done in any order as long as the teen has willingness to try the exposure. Once the social anxiety has improved, teens may still worry about embarrassment or rejection, but they will be able to make choices based on their values and reduce their avoidance. This will in turn improve their ability to socialize and reduce impairment over time. Finally, the teens will have to maintain their progress and seek help if they notice they are slipping back into avoidance patterns.
Practical Tips for Parents Supporting Teens with Social Anxiety
Parents can also help support their teens with social anxiety disorder outside of therapy. Here are some tips:
Encourage teens to engage in avoided behaviors and consider their values. In general, teens with social anxiety will avoid social situations that cause them distress because of that distress caused, but they do not generally value avoiding those situations. For example, if a teen avoids eating in public due to social anxiety, so they avoid eating lunch with friends at school, it is unlikely that they value being alone when they eat. It is also likely that they hold at least one value that runs counter to eating alone. For example, if friendships and socializing are values that they do hold, eating alone would be directly in contrast to the teen’s values. You can start by asking the teen about their values. If they are unsure and are willing, you can help them explore those values. You may also wish to share the values that you personally hold and how you take actions in service of those values. However, keep in mind that forcing teens to engage in exposures they are not ready to try may lead to more setbacks than progress. The goal is for them to learn that they are ready to try these behaviors that they have been avoiding, and if they try something they are not ready and willing to try, they may learn the opposite lesson.
Set up a rewards system to support their exposure work. Going toward what scares you instead of avoiding it is hard work! As a result, sometimes people find it difficult to become motivated to face their fears. A reward system can be set up to help increase their motivation. And keep in mind that rewards do not have to cost money! They can also be experiential, such as getting out of chores one night, getting to pick what is for dinner one night (within reason), getting one-on-one time with a parent, or earning extra screen time. Encourage the teen to brainstorm reward ideas to ensure that they are rewards that the teen finds motivating, though remind them ahead of time that you still have to approve the selected worries, so they should be reasonable. For teens, token economies often work well. This can be as simple as exposures earning the teen points that they can cash in for rewards. Tangible reward systems can also be helpful for some teens, such as using stickers to track points or marbles, as these are visual representations of the rewards they earn. Regardless, be sure to give them their points or rewards as close to the exposure as possible so that it remains reinforcing.
If you avoid challenging social situations, or even if you engage in avoidance related to other types of anxiety, model facing your own fears. Some teens with social anxiety have learned to be wary of some situations by watching their parents, but they can also learn to face their fears in the same way! For some parents and teens, it may be effective to work together as accountability partners, especially if both parties are in therapy, though this will vary based on various factors, such as the type of relationship between parent and teen and their personalities.
Validate teens’ anxiety about the social situations that are challenging for them. Many teens with anxiety have been told often that they should not worry about the feared situations. While this is often intended to be supportive, teens may hear this as if the person is saying that their worries do not make sense. Instead, you may try asking them what they are feeling, and tell them you are sorry they are struggling with those emotions. You can also tell them that you understand why they are anxious or that their emotions make sense. Either way, find a way to support their emotions without dismissing them. You can work together with your teen to find the way they would prefer you to react when they express their fears. And don’t forget to note how brave they are being when they face those fears!
If the teen agrees, you can practice making anxiety obvious at home. One of the challenges with social anxiety is that people worry that someone will notice that they are anxious. You can try making yourself look anxious at home to practice people noticing it. For example, if someone worries about blushing, you can try to make yourself look flushed by exercising or putting a warm cloth on the cheeks. If someone worries about shaking, you can make your hands visibly shake while drinking water. Maybe turn it into a game of who can look the most anxious. Find ways to make it fun!
About the Author - Rebecca Suffness, PhD
Dr. Rebecca Suffness is a licensed psychologist based in Austin who specializes in working with children, adolescents, and families, with a strong focus on anxiety disorders, including social anxiety in teens. She uses evidence‑based approaches such as cognitive‑behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and exposure‑based treatments to help young people build skills, face feared situations, and improve daily functioning. Dr. Suffness emphasizes personalized care and collaborative treatment planning to meet each teen’s unique needs, drawing on her extensive experience in outpatient, inpatient, and school‑based settings. Her work is rooted in compassion and practical strategies that empower teens to reduce avoidance and grow socially and emotionally.
Individual Therapy for Social Anxiety in Austin
At Austin Anxiety & OCD Specialists, teens with social anxiety can access individual therapy, providing personalized one-on-one support. In these sessions, an experienced therapist with expertise in social anxiety helps teens identify unhelpful thoughts, build coping skills, and gradually face feared social situations using evidence-based approaches such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and guided exposure exercises. Individual therapy allows for tailored treatment, giving teens the tools they need to manage anxiety, increase confidence, and improve their relationships with peers. Parents can work closely with therapists to support progress at home, ensuring gains translate to real-world social interactions.
Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) for Social Anxiety in Austin
For teens who benefit from a more structured and immersive approach, Austin Anxiety & OCD Specialists offers a Social Anxiety IOP in Austin, TX. This program combines multiple therapy sessions per week with skills training and guided exposure exercises, all while allowing teens to maintain school and daily routines. The IOP is designed to accelerate progress, help teens face fears in a supportive environment, and build social confidence through real-world practice. It is particularly beneficial for those who feel “stuck” in weekly therapy or want a faster, structured path toward meaningful improvement.
Meet the Caring Team Guiding Your Teen’s Social Anxiety IOP Treatment
At Austin Anxiety & OCD Specialists, our Teen Social Anxiety Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) is led by a compassionate, experienced team of therapists dedicated to helping teens regain confidence, face fears, and build lasting social skills. Each teen receives evidence-based, individualized care, and every treatment plan is tailored to their unique goals, values, and needs. Our team works closely with both teens and their families to ensure support extends beyond therapy sessions and into everyday life.
Dr. Samantha Myhre, PhD – Assistant Clinical Director & IOP Coordinator
Dr. Myhre offers extensive experience in treating anxiety and OCD through evidence-based practices. Her clinical interests include mindfulness, depression, and self-worth. Working with clients ages six and older, she creates a collaborative, empowering space that fosters confidence, emotional insight, and meaningful growth.
Ann Elise focuses on adult therapy and holds advanced certification in perinatal mental health through Postpartum Support International. With expertise in anxiety, OCD, trauma, and postpartum transitions, she integrates CBT, ACT, ERP, and EMDR to help clients restore balance, resilience, and self-compassion.
Ayla specializes in supporting children, teens, and families managing OCD, ADHD, anxiety, and behavioral concerns. Using CBT, ERP, and PCIT, she takes a strengths-based, family-centered approach that helps young clients face fears, regulate emotions, and apply coping strategies in everyday life.
No matter your age or background, our IOP team offers research-driven, compassionate care designed to meet you where you are. Together, we’ll walk the path toward confidence, resilience, and a more grounded sense of well-being.
Take the Next Step: Helping Your Teen with Social Anxiety in Austin
Social anxiety can make the teen years challenging, but with the right guidance and support, teens can learn to face fears, build confidence, and form meaningful social connections. Therapy, whether through individualized sessions or a specialized social anxiety intensive outpatient program, gives teens practical tools to manage anxiety while fostering independence and resilience.
If your teen is struggling with social anxiety, our team of anxiety experts can help. At Austin Anxiety & OCD Specialists, our experienced team provides compassionate, evidence-based care tailored to each teen’s needs. Schedule a consultation call today to explore individual therapy or our Social Anxiety IOP and help your teen take the first step toward thriving socially and emotionally.
Here’s how to get started:
Reach out today by calling 512-246-7225 or emailing hello@austinanxiety.com to schedule your free consultation.
Learn more about our IOP for social anxiety in Austin, TX, and how we tailor care to meet your unique needs and comfort level.
Take your first step toward change with a team that will walk beside you, offering encouragement and expertise every step of the way.
Your teen’s story doesn’t have to be defined by fear or isolation. Connection and confidence are possible, and our team of social anxiety specialists is here to help!