Group Therapy for Social Anxiety
Grounded in cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), this psychotherapy group offers a supportive space to better understand and manage social anxiety. Through guided strategies and practical tools, participants will explore the thoughts, behaviours, and beliefs that keep social anxiety going—and learn how to face feared situations. Sessions run weekly for 50 minutes and are held either online or in person. This group runs for a total of 10 weekly sessions and is open to adults aged 18 and up.
CBT GROUP THERAPY
Social Anxiety: Courage in Connection
Group Description
This therapy group is designed to support adults who struggle with fear of judgment, avoidance of social situations, and constant self-monitoring in everyday interactions. Rooted in cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), each session offers practical tools to help you better understand social anxiety, challenge self-critical thoughts, and approach social situations with more confidence and ease.
Week by week, we’ll explore topics such as what causes and maintains social anxiety, how negative thinking and avoidance reinforce it, and how to gradually step into feared situations in a manageable, supportive way. The group blends psychoeducation, structured exercises, and meaningful discussion to help you build self-trust, reduce internal pressure, and reconnect with others more authentically.
You’ll receive a weekly PDF with key concepts, reflection worksheets, and strategies to shift unhelpful patterns, quiet your inner critic, and strengthen new, more empowering beliefs about yourself in social contexts.
Group Facilitator
Michelle Lehoux holds dual professional registrations with the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario (CRPO) and the Ontario College of Teachers (OCT). With a background in both psychotherapy and education, she has facilitated workshops across diverse sectors—including mental health, family wellness, and refugee resettlement—bringing a trauma-informed lens and deep respect for each person’s lived experience. Known for her calm and grounding presence, Michelle brings a gentle, steady energy to her work, creating a safe and supportive space where clients can reflect, connect, and grow.
Weekly Topics
Week 1
Understanding Social Anxiety
- We’ll begin by exploring what social anxiety is, what it looks and feels like, and how it’s maintained. You’ll start to identify your own patterns and triggers in a compassionate and nonjudgmental way.
Week 2
Challenging Negative Thinking
- This week focuses on the role of unhelpful thoughts in social anxiety. You’ll learn a practical CBT strategy to catch and question the negative beliefs that shape your anxiety in social situations.
Week 3
Moving Beyond Avoidance
- We’ll look at how avoidance keeps anxiety alive—and how facing your fears, in manageable steps, can help build confidence and reduce distress over time.
Week 4
Creating Stepladders for Exposure
- This session introduces the concept of behavioural experiments using “stepladders”—a structured, step-by-step way to gradually re-engage with avoided situations while building self-trust.
Week 5
Letting Go of Safety Behaviours
- You’ll explore the small, subtle behaviours you may use to “play it safe” in social situations—and learn how these habits can actually reinforce anxiety. We’ll begin identifying and gently reducing them.
Week 6
Training Your Attention
- This week focuses on how attention works in social anxiety. You’ll learn strategies to shift from internal self-monitoring to more present-focused, outward engagement.
Week 7
How You Think You’re Seen
- We’ll examine the gap between how you think you appear to others and how you actually come across. You’ll design experiments to test your assumptions and gain clearer insight.
Week 8
Exploring Core Beliefs
- This session dives deeper into the beliefs you hold about yourself that fuel social anxiety—like “I’m awkward” or “I’m not good enough”—and how to begin reshaping them.
Week 9
Strengthening New Beliefs
- Now that you’ve started to challenge old patterns, we’ll focus on reinforcing the more balanced and compassionate beliefs you’ve been cultivating.
Week 10
Moving Forward & Staying Grounded
- In our final session, we’ll review your progress, identify strategies for handling future setbacks, and celebrate the work you’ve done to show up more fully and authentically in your life.
Next Session:
Start Date:
End Date:
Format:
Frequency: Weekly
Total sessions: 10
Cost per session: $40/session (Total: $400)
Group size: Limit of 6