New Group Therapy for Social Phobia Begins July 13
June 29, 2004
ThedaCare™ Behavioral Health is offering a new group therapy for people suffering from social phobia. These group sessions will include education about anxiety and social phobia, social skills training and the involvement of a friend, spouse or other “coach” to support the patient outside of the therapy.
Social phobia is a condition where people fear social situations because they are afraid of others making negative judgments about them. People with severe social phobia often avoid situations they fear, including public speaking, eating in restaurants, dating or using public restrooms. Even thinking about an upcoming event can cause a person with social phobia to experience sweating, trembling and other symptoms.
“Group therapy is the most effective treatment for anxiety disorders like social phobia. Patients receive more therapy in a shorter amount of time, all with the support of others who are struggling with the same issues. Even small successes become highly motivating for everyone in the group,” said therapist Karen Adair, MS, LPC.
Approximately 2-3 percent of Americans suffers from social phobia, and another 20 percent experience lesser symptoms.
“People with this condition tend to seek treatment when they notice their fears are causing them to miss our on life,” said therapist Lisa Bredael, MSE, LPC. “When they join the group and meet others who have the same fears, patients can feel reassured to know they are not the only person struggling with this condition.”
People who are interested in joining the group will first receive an initial evaluation. The sessions will be from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. each Tuesday beginning July 13. All of the sessions will be held at ThedaCare™ Behavioral Health Community Room, 1095 Midway Rd., Menasha.
To arrange for an initial evaluation or for more information, people may go to www.thedacare.org on the Web or call ThedaCare™ Behavioral Health at (920) 720-2300. Space is limited!
ThedaCare™ is a community-owned health system consisting of Appleton Medical Center, Theda Clark Medical Center, New London Family Medical Center, ThedaCare™ Physicians, Touchpoint Health Plan™, and other health care services. ThedaCare is the second largest employer in Northeast Wisconsin with more than 5,100 employees.
For more information, media may contact Katie Ostrander, ThedaCare public relations, at (920) 830-5847, or John Gillespie, manager of ThedaCare public and government relations, at (920) 830-5846, (920) 554-1317 (pager).