95. Social Anxiety in Kids and Adults: Real Talk + Helpful Tools

In this short but meaningful episode, Miranda (a licensed clinical social worker) is joined by fellow therapists Letisha and Gina for a real conversation about social anxiety. They break down how it can show up in both kids and adults, and share effective ways to treat it—including CBT, ACT, and the power of social stories.

You’ll also hear about tools like the SCARED assessment that help guide diagnosis and treatment. Whether you're a clinician or just curious, you'll walk away with practical strategies and insight to better understand and manage social anxiety.

OUR HOST:

Miranda Barker, MSW, LICSW, has been practicing as a therapist for several years. She previously worked as a child protection investigator, adoption social worker, case manager, and the Director of Brand Content at Ellie Mental Health. Follow her on⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn.⁠⁠⁠⁠

The Therapist Thrival Guide is a podcast by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Ellie Mental Health⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. We want to move therapists beyond surviving and into the realm of thriving by covering all the things that graduate school didn't teach you! This mental health podcast is hosted by Miranda Barker, LICSW and a rotating cast of seasoned therapists. Each episode features a therapist speaking to their areas of expertise to help us learn how to thrive as therapists.⁠⁠

Ellie is a national mental health brand organized around community-based outpatient mental health clinics. It all began with a single office in St. Paul, Minnesota back in 2015, and has expanded to an explosive number of locations nationwide after franchising our model in 2021. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction and Episode Overview

00:32 Understanding Social Anxiety

01:40 Diagnosing Social Anxiety in Kids

03:59 Treating Social Anxiety: CBT and ACT

07:26 Using Social Stories for Anxiety

13:19 Exposure Therapy and EMDR

14:45 Conclusion and Final Thoughts