Social anxiety therapy for kids, teens, & young adults
Evidence-based therapy that helps kids connect with confidence.
Support for social phobia, fear of judgment, and social avoidance in children, teens, and young adults.
Insurance accepted. Appointments often available within days.
teens, & families
Social anxiety, at a glance
Social anxiety, at a glance
5-10%
of children and teens meet criteria for social anxiety disorder
Ages 8-15
is the typical age of onset for social anxiety
75%
of youth with social anxiety respond well to CBT
Understanding social anxiety
When shyness becomes something more.
Social anxiety disorder goes beyond ordinary shyness. It is a persistent fear of social situations where a child feels they will be judged, embarrassed, or humiliated. It can significantly limit friendships, school participation, and daily functioning.
A licensed clinician distinguishes between normal developmental shyness and clinical social anxiety by evaluating the severity, duration, and impact on your child's daily life.
Fear of judgment
Intense worry about being embarrassed, rejected, or negatively evaluated in social situations.
Social avoidance
Avoiding parties, group activities, or speaking in class to escape anxiety.
Physical symptoms
Blushing, sweating, trembling, nausea, or racing heart in social settings.
Common signs of social anxiety by age
Symptoms look different at every stage of development.
Young Children (4-7)
Refusing to speak to adults
Hiding behind parents
Crying before social events
Difficulty with unfamiliar children
School-Age (8–12)
Avoiding answering questions in class
Eating alone at lunch
Dreading group projects
Few or no close friendships
Teens (13-17)
Skipping school for social reasons
Refusing to attend parties
Intense fear of embarrassment
Physical symptoms: blushing, trembling
Young Adults (18-25)
Avoiding job interviews
Difficulty in college classes
Social isolation despite wanting connection
Using avoidance as primary coping strategy
Could it be social anxiety?
Take a quick, clinically validated screening to better understand your child's symptoms.
GAD-7 Anxiety Screening
The GAD-7 is a brief, clinically validated tool used by healthcare providers to screen for generalized anxiety disorder. It takes about 2 minutes and can help you understand whether your child's symptoms may benefit from professional support.
This screening is not a diagnosis. A licensed clinician reviews the results and recommends next steps.
How social anxiety therapy helps
Evidence-based strategies for building social confidence and reducing avoidance.
- Challenges negative thoughts about social situations
- Builds confidence through gradual social exposure
- Develops assertiveness and conversation skills
- Manages physical anxiety symptoms
- Supports healthy friendship development
Why families choose Emora
Specialized pediatric anxiety care vs. general providers.
Other providers
Licensed pediatric and young adult clinicians
Generalist providers
Evidence-based CBT and exposure therapy
One-size-fits-all approaches
Parent-inclusive therapy model
Limited parent involvement
Virtual sessions reduce initial social anxiety barriers
In-person visits that intensify social fear
Insurance accepted
Insurance not always accepted
Built-in screening and progress tracking
Limited progress visibility
Get started in minutes
Three simple steps to connect with the right clinician.
- 1
Share what's going on
Answer a few questions about symptoms and goals.
- 2
Verify coverage
See insurance estimates and available times.
- 3
Start sessions
Meet your clinician and begin building skills.
Frequently asked questions
What parents and young adults ask most about social anxiety therapy.
Real stories of growth
Every session is rated by parents. Our therapists maintain a 4.9+ average, because results matter.
She make my daughter feel exelente
Parent of a 13 year old
1 hour ago
Morgan Tulley, RCSWI
Very happy with Ms Tamika! My daughter looks forward to talking with her every week.
Parent of an 8 year old
13 hours ago
Tamika Brown, LPC
The coping skills exercise was very helpful
Parent of a 12 year old
13 hours ago
Shantel Rayford, LPC
She was excellent with my daughter and made her feel very comfortable for her first appointment. She was very nervous but opened up a lot with her.
Parent of a 6 year old
14 hours ago
Maygen Hicks, LCSW
My child felt comfortable the first visit. This is great news because she has tried plenty of counselors and therapist's.
Parent of a 13 year old
14 hours ago
Lillian Tinsley, RMCHI
We are so happy with Harper’s care. It feels thorough and well-planned.
Parent of a 13 year old
14 hours ago
Leah Medina, PMHNP, FNP
We love emora health. Ms. Jerome-Saintil is an amazing listener. She really tries to engage my child in the activities they are doing in their session. I'm hopeful that my child will take real life lessons from her.
Parent of a 10 year old
15 hours ago
Magdala Jerome-Saintil, LMHC
I think she will be very helpful with Harper. She was super kind
Parent of a 7 year old
15 hours ago
Nelda Hunt, LSW
Fabulous! Dr. Nitsch cares and is making a difference!
Parent of a 10 year old
15 hours ago
Dr. Liz Nitsch, PsyD
she was so patient kind and took her time to understand my son and his thoughts n thought process she was excellent
Parent of a 17 year old
15 hours ago
Lisa Raigeluw, LCSW
The session was fun! We read a story and did a worksheet activity! We talked about triggers and how anger can start. Chely is a great therapist! I would definitely recommend her! - From the 11 year old child
Parent of an 11 year old
16 hours ago
Chely Craig, LCSW-A
My son is very excited to begin!
Parent of a 7 year old
17 hours ago
Katherine Vasquez Lugo, RMHCI
She listens very well and has help me in her sessions.
Parent of a 15 year old
17 hours ago
Leah Malloy, LPC-A
She ought to understand what I was asking and looking for and provided it, which was mostly listening. And I found her insight about grief and grieving very helpful.
An Adult client
18 hours ago
Sandra Serna, LPC
Helped me find the perfect therapist!
Parent of a 13 year old
18 hours ago
Jennifer Clark, LCSW
She was super sweet and I can feel the improvement already. Made her feel cared for.
Parent of a 13 year old
18 hours ago
Shemise Michael, LPC
I came to Carrie with deep concerns about the aggression and violent episodes that have been really negatively impacting my other children so much so that one of my sons is so scared of his brother he has been staying at my parents house. She took it very seriously and started us on a new medication immediately. She really cares about the well being of the whole family not just her patient.
Parent of an 8 year old
20 hours ago
Carrie Colson, PMHNP
Stephanie knows how to guide us with our teenager and our teenager enjoyed her talks very much. Wonderful addition she is to have her!
Parent of a 12 year old
1 day ago
Stephanie Rodriguez, LPC-A
Social anxiety does not define your child
Structured, developmentally informed therapy can help build skills that last.
Not sure where to start? Book a clinical matching session.
