The Shyness & Social Anxiety Workbook
86through with the exercises in this book, then dealing with your drinking before working 
on your social anxiety is a good idea.
SEEKING PROFESSIONAL HELP
If you are interested in seeking professional help for your social anxiety, here are some 
additional suggestions to keep in mind.
How to Find a Therapist or Doctor
One of the most difﬁcult aspects of ﬁnding a therapist or doctor is knowing where 
to look. A good place to begin is with your family doctor, who will likely be aware 
of psychiatrists, psychologists, and anxiety specialty clinics in your area. You may also 
want to call nearby hospitals and clinics to see if they have programs that offer either 
CBT or medication for social anxiety. The Internet is also a great source of information 
about treatment options in your area. Check with your insurance company about the 
rules regarding coverage for treatment of psychological conditions. Your plan may have 
restrictions regarding who you can see and the number of sessions that are covered.
Another way to ﬁnd help is to contact a national organization that focuses either 
on anxiety-related problems or CBT. For example, the Anxiety Disorders Association of 
America (www.adaa.org) offers information about treatment options and self-help groups 
across the United States and Canada (the ADAA has both consumer and professional 
members). The Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (www.abct.org) is 
a professional organization that also provides information on practitioners who treat 
anxiety-related problems. Full contact information for these and other organizations is 
provided in the resources section at the back of this book. You may also contact your 
state psychological or psychiatric associations to get information about psychologists or 
psychiatrists in your area.