How coaching can impact social anxiety

Something about the summer makes the topic of social anxiety come up A LOT. I’ve heard it from coaching clients (1-2-1 Teens, Adults, Parents, and Group), Speaking attendees, and even my team!!

I’m not sure whether it’s the warmer weather and the increase in social interactions that occur during the summer, or something else, but it has been an unavoidable topic. It’s made me want to talk about the role of life coaching in social anxiety because I don’t know if people understand how transformative it can be.

I want to start by saying that it is not a replacement for therapy - if someone needs a higher level of care for their anxiety they should absolutely seek it! However, I would like to note that life coaching can be a supplement to therapy, and I have worked alongside mental health professionals many a time.

Life coaching can impact social anxiety because of its relation to courage, fear, and anxiety. A literature review by the International Coaching Federation found that life coaching with specific work targeted towards fear, anxiety, and courage, specifically in social settings showed reductions in overall levels of anxiety in social situations, as well as increased levels of satisfaction following social interactions.

Life coaching has also been linked to a reduction of social anxiety through increasing hope and building tenacity; in a study conducted on high school seniors, life coaching allowed them to build rejection, tolerance, as well as increase their self-esteem, building hope and resilience in social situations. Though conducted on high schoolers, there is no reason to believe this wouldn’t be applicable to a broader age range, given the other existing studies supporting the efficacy of life coaching.

Beyond the research, I want to share my personal perspective on the impact of coaching on social anxiety after more than a decade in this field.

I have witnessed dozens of clients blossom and overcome their social anxiety simply by being able to talk about it and feeling accepted for who they are. As a coach, my goal is never to “tell” people what to do, or direct them to who they should be. It’s to help them see the value in who they already are and help them unlock their fullest potential. I am not an authority - I’m a passive guide that helps people see what’s already there. And you would be stunned how much untapped potential exists in so many people, simply because they lack that belief in themselves first.

If this sounds like you or reminds you of someone you know, schedule a free consultation with me or share this link with them - you have nothing to lose and everything to gain from taking this step into self-exploration.

A life with reduced social anxiety is a beautiful thing - and you absolutely deserve that.