What factors would a social worker need to consider when working with a person with social phobia?

Question

What factors would a social worker need to consider when working with a person with social phobia?

Answer 1

You unfortunately won't like my answer, but as a practitioner and anxiety expert you shouldn't be working with someone (if by working you mean therapy) if you're not appropriately trained and/or competent in that area.  In other words, if you have to ask on this website, you really should be asking yourself should you be treating this person.  Do you see MD's asking how to treat the flu on here, etc.???

On the flip side, this could be a good opportunity to find a local supervisor who is experienced in anxiety and get supervision for the case.  In this way, you'll be serving your client ethically while also improving your own skills.

Answer 2

As a person with this problem I can say that just being with you in a closed room is extreme anxiety. Usually, this person has been in a private environment before where they were threatened or made to feel afraid, so being in a social environment in itself it a problem. I would say that first establish trust about being with u in a closed private environment, and then expand that to how they feel in more open environments. Try to get to the bottom of why they feel threatened. Remember, all of these phobias have a grain of truth