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Offered in-person & online

Our therapists offer social anxiety therapy in Austin, TX

Get in-person or online care, and cover the majority of the costs with your insurance.

Connect with a therapist, psychiatrist or counselor near you
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686,000 people sought help with Thriveworks in the last year

Discover how starting therapy with a social anxiety counseling can support your own journey toward a happier, more fulfilling life.

Meet with a provider as soon as this week

ACCEPTING NEW CLIENTS

Aetna, Ambetter by Superior Health Plan, ARIA | Covenant Management Systems, +37 more
Anger, Coping Skills, Stress, Anxiety, Depression, +1 more

As I progress in my journey in life, I am determined to partner with people to transform their lives.

ACCEPTING NEW CLIENTS

Aetna, Cigna | Evernorth, United Healthcare | Optum, +2 more
Behavioral Issues, Coping Skills, Stress, Divorce / Breakup, ADHD, +4 more

I use a client-centered, strength-based approach and strive to create a therapeutic relationship where you are heard, respected, and encouraged.

ACCEPTING NEW CLIENTS

Aetna, Ambetter by Superior Health Plan, APEX Memorial Hermann, +39 more
Behavioral Issues, Coping Skills, Self Esteem, Stress, ADHD, +3 more

I am dedicated to providing a warm and welcoming space where clients can freely express themselves without fear of criticism, knowing that I am here t... I am dedicated to providing a warm and welcoming space where clients can freely express themselves without fear of criticism, knowing that I am here to listen and support them unconditionally. Read more

Starting Social anxiety counseling

What is social anxiety counseling?

Social anxiety counseling helps people better understand and manage the anxiety they experience in or because of social interactions. If you are struggling with regular anxious thoughts and feelings as a result of social interactions or settings and they’re affecting your day-to-day life, consider seeking social anxiety counseling with one of our trained Thriveworks Austin therapists. The social anxiety therapists at Thriveworks can develop a treatment plan that will help you better manage your day-to-day social anxiety or your social anxiety disorder.

How does social anxiety counseling work?

Social anxiety counseling involves talking to a therapist about your social anxiety symptoms, potential causes, and more. Your therapist will then work with you to determine where your social anxiety might stem from and teach you effective coping mechanisms.

Is social anxiety counseling conducted in person or online?

Thriveworks social anxiety counseling in Austin, TX is conducted both in person and through online therapy. We encourage you to choose the option that works best for you.

How long does social anxiety counseling last?

Social anxiety counseling can last for a few weeks, months, or longer, depending on the severity of one’s social anxiety as well as their needs and preferences.

Need more help deciding?

Jill leads a generally happy and productive life. She has good relationships with friends and family. However, there is one activity that has consistently been a struggle for her—eating alone in public. Though logically Jill knows it shouldn’t be a big deal, when she sits alone at a table she feels nervous, as though she’s doing something wrong, and the feeling only gets worse when her single meal arrives.

Allen is an intelligent person with an advanced education. He was able to get an entry level position at a prestigious firm, but has been passed over several times for promotion. He does not interview well, and during social occasions he gets very anxious, which does not leave a strong impression with his superiors.

Social Anxiety Counseling in West Lake Hills, TX

Austin has the great slogan “Keep Austin Weird,” and it’s indicative of the overall feeling you get walking around the town. The vibrant city is full of a variety of types of people, from business people to artists, all of whom, it seems, love the eclectic area.

There are street performers and tourists laughing on every corner, so people-watching in Austin might make you think social anxiety isn’t as common as it really is, but we promise you, appearances are deceiving. At Thriveworks West Lake Hills, we see patients for social anxiety counseling every day, so we know how common it is—and the good news is, it is treatable through counseling.

Characteristics of Social Anxiety

Social anxiety is easy to write off as “not that big of a deal” if you suffer from it only on occasion, or if your experience with it is very mild. However, it is definitely a big deal if it’s frequent or ongoing, intense, and/or impacts your daily life. It’s important to recognize that anxiety is a form of fear—and fear is in place to protect you from perceived danger. But what danger is your mind perceiving? With social anxiety, it’s likely the fear of judgment from others.

There is more than one type of social anxiety (WebMD). In one, the sufferer becomes anxious about all forms of social interaction—from going to the grocery store, to asking a question at the library, to public speaking. In the second, the person’s anxiety is triggered by specific types of interaction—perhaps the idea of a job interview, or the socializing required by dating. Counseling for social anxiety can help any of these situations. Thriveworks West Lake Hills is a calm, soothing location with therapists who understand the specific needs of those seeking social anxiety counseling, so be assured we’ll work to make the experience as effective for you as possible.

When to Seek Help

If anxiety is impacting your life, it’s time to seek therapy for social anxiety. If you’re constantly avoiding certain situations, struggle when speaking with others, or just feel anxious in crowds, counseling for social anxiety can help.

Social anxiety may not be affecting only you—it may be affecting your family. If you are unable to be present at important events where there will be crowds, particularly if the event is for your children, that may cause a rift over time. Perhaps your inability to seek promotion at work is frustrating for your spouse to watch, given that they know you are capable of the increased workload. Or perhaps your internal frustration with your anxiety is causing you to withdraw from your important relationships.

Immediate Ways to Manage Anxiety

Though counseling for social anxiety will help you recognize problematic thought patterns that create or exacerbate anxiety, there are a couple of things you can do right now to begin managing social anxiety when it starts to manifest. One, take a deep breath—and another. And another. Deep breathing calms the nervous system that is beginning to heighten.

Next, make yourself aware of neutral factors in your surroundings (Markaway): Notice the texture of the surface under your hand—is it the hard surface of a table? The rough texture of couch fabric? Find an item in your view you find pleasing to the eye and focus on it. These actions take your focus from the internal dialogue you’re experiencing and redirect it to the outside world.

If you’re experiencing anxiety severe enough to warrant techniques such as those above, social anxiety counseling could absolutely be of benefit to you. You’ll meet with a counselor in private who understands the unique situation you are in. Your trained therapist will work with you to make the experience a beneficial one.

How Social Anxiety Counseling Can Help

At Thriveworks West Lake Hills, we see both generalized social anxiety and situation-specific social anxiety in our office on a regular basis. There are a couple of techniques used most often to treat social anxiety. First, cognitive behavioral therapy, in which the person is first helped to identify anxieties and then situations that provoke the anxiety, is useful in reframing the anxiety. Second, exposure therapy is extremely helpful in overcoming anxieties. During exposure therapy, the client will first visualize themselves acting out the behavior. Then, the client may be taken to a more public space with their therapist where the behavior would normally occur and visualize the activity there. Steps continue from there, until finally the person is able to perform the activity successfully in public.

Other types of counseling may be included as needed, including management skills and family counseling when the behavior has affected the strength of the family unit.

Thriveworks West Lake Hills Social Anxiety Counseling

Imagine a world in which you’re free to engage with others, free of the weight of social anxiety. It’s possible. You’re not the first person to experience the very real struggle with anxiety—and you won’t be the first person we’ve helped. If you experience social anxiety, give us a call. Our counselors can meet you where you are and help get you on the path to recovery.

Further Reading
Markway, Barbara, PhD. “Must-Have Coping Strategies for Social Anxiety.” May 2013. PsychologyToday.com.
WebMD. “Social Anxiety—Topic Overview.” WebMD.com

Pricing & insurance

Our therapists accept most major insurances. We accept 585+ insurance plans, and offer self-pay options, too.
Learn more about pricing for therapy and counseling services at Thriveworks.

Our Austin therapists and counselors accept 42 insurance plans

  • APEX Memorial Hermann

  • ARIA | Covenant Management Systems

  • Aetna

  • Ambetter by Superior Health Plan

  • Auto Club Enterprises (Employers Health Network)

  • Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas HMO

  • Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas PPO

  • Blue Cross Blue Shield | Anthem (Blue Card)

  • Buist Byars and Taylor (Employers Health Network)

  • Christus Health Plan Exchange

  • Christus Health Plan Medicare Advantage

  • Cigna | Evernorth

Show more
Self-pay costs at Austin
Talk therapy

Talk therapy

Includes individual, couples, child/ teen, & family therapy

First session

$1

Ongoing sessions

$1

Talk therapy

Psychiatry

Includes reducing symptoms with medication & management

First session

$1

Ongoing sessions

$1

Hear from our clients

3.7 Thriveworks Austin reviews are collected through Thriveworks.com.
★★★★★
Amazing!!! I am beyond happy with the services provided by Dr. Nunez. She has been so amazing with my children and I am beyond grateful for her and ThriveWorks. I’d recommend her to anyone. She is incredibly talented and listens without judgement. If I could I’d give her a zillion stars for having the most positive, profound impact on our lives!
Read more Amazing!!! I am beyond happy with the services provided by Dr. Nunez. She has been so amazing with my children and I am beyond grateful for her and ThriveWorks. I’d recommend her to anyone. She is incredibly talented and listens without judgement. If I could I’d give her a zillion stars for having the most positive, profound impact on our lives!
West Lake Hills Sep 2018
Review left on Thriveworks.com
★★★★★
I needed someone who was strong, kind, listened and was action oriented who had the experience to deal with the trauma I was struck with when I experienced severe loss of a loved one in 2016. Linda was and is present, intelligent, professional, human, warm and kind and at every session she has offered me practical solutions to face my life and my day to day activities. I highly recommend her. She Is so good it is very hard to get an appointment with her but if you can get one keep it. She is fabulous and will heal your spirit and soul in a safe and loving place. I love her strength more than anything and her optimism that anyone can get to a better place and not be stuck in pain and hopelessness. She is healing my heart and I feel like I have found a person who truly cares. This is a very good place.
Read more I needed someone who was strong, kind, listened and was action oriented who had the experience to deal with the trauma I was struck with when I experienced severe loss of a loved one in 2016. Linda was and is present, intelligent, professional, human, warm and kind and at every session she has offered me practical solutions to face my life and my day to day activities. I highly recommend her. She Is so good it is very hard to get an appointment with her but if you can get one keep it. She is fabulous and will heal your spirit and soul in a safe and loving place. I love her strength more than anything and her optimism that anyone can get to a better place and not be stuck in pain and hopelessness. She is healing my heart and I feel like I have found a person who truly cares. This is a very good place.
West Lake Hills Sep 2017
Review left on Thriveworks.com
★★★★★
I am gonna cry as I write this review... I have been working with Linda M. since I was married to my abusive ex husband and through my single time and my time meeting and marrying my current very wonderful husband. She has pushed me to be the very best person I can be and literally saved my life on several occasions. I'm moving to VA so I can't see Linda anymore and I'm telling you, this is my hardest goodbye. This woman is beyond amazing. She has forced me to take a good hard look at myself and work on everything: anxiety, borderline and PTSD to make me be a better person. You CANNOT go wrong with Linda. It's amazing how much one person and one session can change your life. I've tried therapy before, many times, with no luck until I got dragged to Thriveworks by someone close to me who wanted therapy to fix me! Well it didn't "fix me" it made me a totally new person. A happier, more confident person willing to take on the world. I even wanted Linda to come to my wedding, but knew she couldn't as she is very professional and this is against policy. But I would have had her there in a heart beat!
Read more I am gonna cry as I write this review... I have been working with Linda M. since I was married to my abusive ex husband and through my single time and my time meeting and marrying my current very wonderful husband. She has pushed me to be the very best person I can be and literally saved my life on several occasions. I'm moving to VA so I can't see Linda anymore and I'm telling you, this is my hardest goodbye. This woman is beyond amazing. She has forced me to take a good hard look at myself and work on everything: anxiety, borderline and PTSD to make me be a better person. You CANNOT go wrong with Linda. It's amazing how much one person and one session can change your life. I've tried therapy before, many times, with no luck until I got dragged to Thriveworks by someone close to me who wanted therapy to fix me! Well it didn't "fix me" it made me a totally new person. A happier, more confident person willing to take on the world. I even wanted Linda to come to my wedding, but knew she couldn't as she is very professional and this is against policy. But I would have had her there in a heart beat!
West Lake Hills Apr 2017
Review left on Thriveworks.com
★★★★★
The office is quiet and peaceful. It is hard to beat an appointment within 24 hours and no waiting once you get there.
Read more The office is quiet and peaceful. It is hard to beat an appointment within 24 hours and no waiting once you get there.
West Lake Hills Mar 2017
Review left on Thriveworks.com
☆☆☆☆
Sadly, I was in at vulnerable time and felt taken advantage of with Lisa. She was late for appointments and cut appointments short with no apology. I had been charged for full appointments. If the patient is late or misses, we are charged regardless of the circumstances. Unfortunately, it doesn't go the other way with the therapists. I felt she was defended by Thriveworks for her actions. I can only hope that for the sake of the patients this will change.
Read more Sadly, I was in at vulnerable time and felt taken advantage of with Lisa. She was late for appointments and cut appointments short with no apology. I had been charged for full appointments. If the patient is late or misses, we are charged regardless of the circumstances. Unfortunately, it doesn't go the other way with the therapists. I felt she was defended by Thriveworks for her actions. I can only hope that for the sake of the patients this will change.
West Lake Hills Jun 2015
Review left on Thriveworks.com
☆☆☆☆
My teenage daughter with diagnosed social anxiety and anxiety and depression was dropped because your counselor could not meet at times that worked for the patient. No other doctor was recommended. A nice note was written but now I’m empty handed with a serious situation. And you all dumped us.
Read more My teenage daughter with diagnosed social anxiety and anxiety and depression was dropped because your counselor could not meet at times that worked for the patient. No other doctor was recommended. A nice note was written but now I’m empty handed with a serious situation. And you all dumped us.
West Lake Hills Apr 2015
Review left on Thriveworks.com

Where to find us

Getting here

Thriveworks Counseling & Psychiatry Austin is located in the same building as Detect Lab, Oakin Adams & Kilmer LLP, Actum Processing, MaQro Advisors, Cobalt Group Inc., Tribe Design Group, Virtus Financial Group, and Ecolab. Across the street is Hill Country Animal Hospital. We are near the intersection of Bee Cave Rd and St Stephens School Rd S, which has a Texaco nearby, as well as Rob Roy Chevron and Half Off Fireworks.

Phone number

(512) 601-5098

Languages spoken by TX providers

  • English
  • Spanish
Tuesday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Wednesday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Thursday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Friday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Saturday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Sunday 8:00am - 9:00pm
Monday 8:00am - 9:00pm

Shown in CT

Tuesday 7:00am - 9:30pm
Wednesday 7:00am - 9:30pm
Thursday 7:00am - 9:30pm
Friday 7:00am - 9:30pm
Saturday 7:00am - 6:00pm
Sunday 8:00am - 5:00pm
Monday 7:00am - 9:30pm

Shown in CT

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