Social Anxiety Counselling

Social anxiety is more than shyness. It is a pattern of heightened self-consciousness and avoidance that can quietly limit your life. You may turn down invitations, avoid speaking up at work, rehearse conversations in advance, or spend hours replaying interactions afterward. Over time, the avoidance becomes the bigger problem, narrowing what you are willing to do and reinforcing the belief that social situations are threatening.

As a therapist in Westmount, I work with clients whose social anxiety is affecting their work, their relationships, or their willingness to engage with ordinary situations. Therapy provides a structured way to understand what is driving the anxiety and to change how you respond to it.

How Social Anxiety Shows Up

Social anxiety activates the body’s threat response in situations that are not actually dangerous. Your system treats a work meeting, a casual conversation, or a social gathering as though something is genuinely at stake. The result is a cycle of anticipation, discomfort, avoidance, and self-criticism that becomes harder to break the longer it runs.

Common patterns include:

• Avoiding situations where you might be noticed or evaluated
• Excessive worry before social events, meetings, or conversations
• Self-consciousness that makes routine interactions feel effortful
• Difficulty speaking up, making eye contact, or asserting yourself
• Physical symptoms such as sweating, trembling, or rapid heartbeat
• Replaying interactions afterward and fixating on perceived mistakes
• Declining invitations or opportunities to avoid discomfort
• Relying on alcohol or other substances to manage social situations

Left unaddressed, social anxiety tends to compound. Avoidance leads to isolation, isolation affects mood, and low mood makes re-engaging feel even harder. Many clients describe years of working around the anxiety rather than confronting it.

How Social Anxiety Therapy Works

Avoidance is the mechanism that keeps social anxiety in place. Every time you sidestep a situation that makes you uncomfortable, the anxiety is reinforced. Therapy works by targeting that cycle directly.

In the first session, we review the specific situations that trigger your anxiety, how long the patterns have been running, and what impact they are having on your life. From there, we build a focused plan.

Ongoing sessions are practical. You will learn to recognise the thought patterns that amplify self-consciousness, understand the physiological responses that drive avoidance, and develop strategies for engaging with social situations in a way that builds confidence rather than draining it. The work is gradual and structured. You will not be pushed into anything before you are ready, but you will be challenged to move beyond avoidance at a pace that produces real change.

I offer both in-person sessions at my office in Westmount and secure virtual sessions.

What to Expect

Social anxiety responds well to structured therapy, but progress requires consistent effort. The skills you develop in sessions need to be applied in real situations between appointments. That is where confidence is built, not in the therapy room itself.

Some clients notice improvement within a few sessions once they begin testing new responses. Others benefit from longer-term work, particularly when avoidance has been deeply ingrained over many years. There is no fixed timeline. We track progress together and adjust the approach as things shift.

Schedule a Free 10-Minute Phone Consultation

Professional Background

Academic qualifications and professional memberships:

• Master of Counselling and Psychotherapy
• Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy
• Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC), Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association

Learn more about my background and qualifications.

Counselling That Fits in With Your Schedule

I’m available for appointments Monday to Friday from 8 am to 8 pm and Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm, either in-person at my office in Westmount, or online for your convenience.

You don’t need a referral to make an appointment. You can contact me directly by phone, email, or book a session through the website.

If you're not quite ready to book but would like to learn more or get a sense of how I work, I offer a free 10-minute consultation by phone.

Your First Appointment

In our first session, we’ll talk through the following:

• Your main concerns and what has brought you to therapy
• How these concerns are impacting your day-to-day life and relationships
• Your expectations, goals, and hopes for the work ahead

This initial session is also an opportunity for you to get a sense of how I work and to ask any questions you may have.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is social anxiety?
Social anxiety is a pattern of heightened self-consciousness and avoidance in social or performance situations. It goes beyond normal nervousness and can significantly affect work, relationships, and daily functioning.

How is social anxiety different from introversion?
Introversion is a preference for less social stimulation. Social anxiety is a fear-driven response that leads to avoidance and distress. Introverts may enjoy social situations in smaller doses. People with social anxiety avoid them because they feel threatening.

How does therapy help with social anxiety?
Therapy targets the thought patterns, physiological responses, and avoidance behaviours that maintain social anxiety. The goal is to reduce the grip anxiety has on your decisions and build genuine confidence in social situations.

How long does social anxiety therapy take?
This depends on how long the patterns have been in place and how consistently you engage with the process. Some clients see meaningful progress within a few months. Others benefit from longer-term work.

What happens in the first session?
We discuss the situations that trigger your anxiety, how these patterns are affecting your life, and what you want to change. It is also a chance for you to assess whether the approach feels like a good fit.

Do you offer virtual sessions?
Yes. I offer both in-person sessions at my office in Westmount and secure virtual sessions.

Do you issue insurance receipts?
Yes. I provide receipts that can be submitted to your insurance provider. Confirm directly with your insurer whether counselling services from a Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC) are covered under your plan.

What is your cancellation policy?
I require 48 hours’ notice for cancellations or rescheduling. This allows me to offer the time slot to other clients.

Schedule a Free 10-Minute Phone Consultation