Social Anxiety: Assessment and Treatment

About the Course

Fifteen million, or 7%, of American adults have Social Anxiety Disorder, and more than 3/4 experienced their first symptoms during their childhood or early teenage years (Harvard Medical School, 2007). This course will go over the assessment of social anxiety and effective techniques that can be used to treat clients' symptoms and reduce impairments. Emphasis will be placed on provider skills at recognizing symptoms of social anxiety and differentiating social anxiety from other diagnoses such as generalized anxiety disorder. Participants will learn practical techniques that target the primary symptoms of social anxiety including: psychoeducation, client buy-in, and cognitive and behavioral techniques that target the primary symptoms of this diagnosis.

1.5 hours CE. Recorded video format (non-interactive)

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Course Overview

ESTIMATED COURSE LENGTH: 1.5 hours 

CE CREDITS: 1.50 continuing education/contact hours for social workers, psychologists, counselors, and marriage and family therapists

TARGET AUDIENCE: Mental Health Practitioners

LEVEL OF INSTRUCTION:  Intermediate

PREREQUISITE(S): None

INSTRUCTIONAL METHOD: Recorded video format (non-interactive)

ACCESSIBILITY ACCOMMODATIONS: Closed captioning of audio components. In order to request further accessibility accommodations, please email support@psychhub.com.

COMPLETION REQUIREMENTS: To obtain your CE certificate, learners must complete a pre-test (not scored), progress through all course segments, complete a participant evaluation, and obtain a score of 80% or higher on a post-test. Learners are expected to complete the quiz within 3 attempts. If unable to do so, the learner will need to re-review the course segments.

FINANCIAL/COMMERCIAL SUPPORT STATEMENT: This course has no commercial support.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST:  This course has no potential conflict of interest or outside commercial support. Psych Hub's conflict of interest statement is found in the footer of the training center.

GRIEVANCE AND REFUND POLICIES: Grievance and refund policies are found in the footer of the training center.

PARTICIPATION COSTS:  The cost to participate in this CE activity is included in the subscription registration fee.

COURSE CREATION DATE: 11/22/2022

 

 

Learning Objectives

By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

  • Describe the clinical and informal tools that increase the accuracy of Social Anxiety Disorder diagnosis
  • List at least 2 ways to increase client’s buy-in and motivation for Social Anxiety Disorder treatment
  • Identify at least 2 therapeutic techniques that can be used to effectively reduce social anxiety symptoms and impairments
  • Describe at least two ways to track and monitor social anxiety symptoms and impairments

Course Outline

  1. Social Anxiety Disorder Basics
    1. Defining social anxiety
      1. Surprising DSM5 Diagnostic criteria
      2. Differentiating it from “shyness” or lack of social skill
    2. Contributing factors
      1. Impact of social media on social anxiety
    3. Impact of social anxiety on all aspects of daily functioning
  2. Assessment of social anxiety symptoms and impairments
    1. Assessment tools: Clinical instruments
    2. Informal assessment tools used to normalize diagnosis and symptoms
  3. Building client buy-in for treatment
    1. Importance of treatment buy-in for social anxiety disorder
    2. Specific interventions to increase treatment buy-in:
      1. Psychoeducation about how avoidance increases anxiety
      2. Motivational interviewing
      3. Art activity visualizing future
      4. Listing life goals (“compass”)
  4. Effective treatment approaches to reduce social anxiety symptoms
    1. Therapeutic-setting boundaries: consistent attendance
    2. CBT (distorted thinking counter-thoughts)
    3. Psychodrama (rehearsals)
    4. Exposure ladder
  5. Integrating assessment and monitoring into the treatment process
    1. Setting realistic treatment outcome goals and tracking outcomes
  6. Adjunct resources for psychoeducation and support
    1. Websites, handouts, social media

CE Information


American Psychological Association (APA)
Psych Hub is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Psych Hub maintains responsibility for this program and its content. Psychologists completing this course receive 1.50 continuing education credits.

Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB)
Psych Hub, #1750, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 08/20/2024 – 08/20/2027. Social workers completing this course receive 1.50 clinical continuing education credits.

California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT)
Psych Hub is approved by the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists to sponsor continuing education for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs, and LEPs. Psych Hub maintains responsibility for this program/course and its content. CAMFT Approval #1000074. Course meets the qualifications for 1.50 hours of continuing education credit for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs, and/or LEPs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences.

National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC)
Psych Hub has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7051. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Psych Hub is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. Counselors completing this course receive 1.50 continuing education hours.

New York State Education Department - Licensed Mental Health Counselors (NYSED-LMHC)
Psych Hub, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0257. New York State licensed mental health counselors completing this course receive 1.50 contact hours.

New York State Education Department - Marriage & Family Therapists (NYSED-MFT)
Psych Hub, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed marriage and family therapists #MFT-0109. New York State marriage and family therapists completing this course receive 1.50 contact hours.

New York State Education Department - Psychology (NYSED-PSY)
Psych Hub, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists #PSY-0208. New York State licensed psychologists completing this course receive 1.50 contact hours.

New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work (NYSED-SW)
Psych Hub, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0699. New York State social workers completing this course receive 1.50 contact hours.

Experts


Ofra Obejas, MSW, LCSW
Ofra Obejas is a California Licensed Clinical Social Worker (#LCSW60551) and Registered Play Therapist/Supervisor (#S2577). Her fifteen years of experience working in community mental health and private practice had her observing most diagnoses in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, and providing treatment for struggles including childhood abuse, anxiety, depression, attachment, social skills, and trauma. Her treatment modalities include play therapy, CBT, and EMDR.