Getting into treatment.

The first hurdle to overcoming social anxiety disorder is finding the right therapist. This is by no means a trivial case. In my quest to find psychiatric help I have called my insurance company many times, over 20 psychologists, written dozens of emails, and had several "failed" first sessions. (Fail as in, you go in, and realize the therapist knows little about CBT or how to conduct it.)

It's very difficult to find qualified CBT therapists for social anxiety disorder. Even harder still is to find one on your insurance plan. In fact, I found no one - I had to eventually resort back to graduate students at my university.

However, my recommendation to you is to not get discouraged, after all with each failed attempt you're showing yourself your commitment. "Hey I might not have gotten what I wanted now, but because I've trying despite not getting anywhere tells me that I'm committed."


Clinical psychologists, those with PhD's and specifically talk about CBT for SA are the very first and really only people you should seek out. Masters psychologists/generalists/or psychologists in general offer you not only nothing, but they offer you nothing and take your time and money.

If you have any questions about getting involved in a program, please by all means ask. I feel I've become an expert in my several week quest.

Now, also what's important is that you understand the basics of CBT so that in your first appointment you can screen if your psychologist is someone you want to be around. Ask specific questions about new and old points of CBT in the literature and see how they respond. For instance, ask "Is exposure therapy only as effective as CBT (exposure + cognitive)." The answer should be relatively "yes" since two studies have been published on the issue and found statistically similar results between the two treatments.

Ask about their general expertise in conducting CBT, if they researched any components of it, the experience they have with other patients, what their view is on the therapy.

Ask what their philosophy is towards completing homework assignments and if they'd be able to do exposures in the appointments. It's actually very important that they have access to other people for you to talk with so that you can do exposures in session and receive live feedback.