Social Courage
Coping and thriving with the reality of social anxiety
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- $9.99
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
Many people walk around with a secret: they experience social anxiety! At the same time, they are bombarded by messages from books, articles, and gurus that lead them to believe that social anxiety is a disease that needs to be cured. Consequently, along with social anxiety, they carry shame — believing that there is something wrong with them that must be fixed before they can live a ‘normal’ life. Often, they are waiting for the magical day when their social anxiety vanishes forever before pursuing their social goals, such as increasing friendships, finding a romantic partner, or advancing in their career. The problem is that social anxiety is normal and, to some degree, it will remain a lifelong companion. Social Courage presents a step-by-step, structured program for minimizing suffering in the face of social anxiety while giving readers the tools to boldly go towards their social goals. It combines strategies from Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Compassion-Focused Therapy to form ‘CBT 2.0’, to help readers cope and thrive with anxious thoughts and emotions using practical exercises and case studies. Whether readers are struggling with social anxiety of phobic proportions or are just held back when it comes to public speaking or meeting a specific social goal, Social Courage presents a path forward while minimizing suffering along the way.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Clinical psychologist Goodman's practical workbook-style self-help guide offers a number of useful strategies for people dealing with social anxiety. With the stories of his clients as examples, Goodman shows how a lifetime of dysfunctional behavioral patterns and negative thinking can contribute to being "stuck," and how learning to recognize and acknowledge these patterns can lead to freedom. He quotes John Wayne's observation that courage is "being afraid and saddling up anyway." The book starts with a self-assessment checklist to determine to what extent social anxiety interferes with one's life, and goes on to cover how problems such as loneliness and fears of public speaking, travel, using public restrooms, and looking less than perfect can be overcome using techniques of logical, self-compassionate reframing and mindful acceptance to defuse anxiety's power. Goodman's approach combines three protocols cognitive behavioral therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, and compassion-focused therapy with the overall goal not of changing one's personality, but of changing one's relationship to anxiety-inducing, negative thoughts, along with being kinder to oneself. Readers who struggle with social anxiety should find Goodman's clearly explained advice to be usable and appealing.
