Social Anxiety Therapy for Teens
Helping Teens Feel Less Afraid of Being Seen, Judged, and Left Out
- Anxiety counseling for teens and young adults
- In-person in New Lenox and telehealth across Illinois
- In-network with Aetna, BCBS, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare and UMR
- No waiting list, and we reply within 24 hours
Reviewed by Danielle Moon, LSW, Anxiety & Behavior Therapist · Updated October 2026
Understanding Social Anxiety and
Why It Needs Real Support
Social anxiety therapy helps teens who live with an intense fear of being judged, embarrassed, or watched. At Davis-Smith Mental Health in New Lenox, IL, we work with teenagers who want friends and a normal social life but feel paralyzed by the fear of saying the wrong thing, looking stupid, or being talked about. Maybe your teen stays quiet in class even when they know the answer, turns down invitations they secretly wish they could accept, or replays every conversation for hours afterwards, convinced they embarrassed themselves.
Social anxiety is not shyness, and it is not a personality flaw your teen needs to get over. Shyness fades as someone warms up. Social anxiety is a persistent, distressing fear of social situations that can take over a teenager’s life, shrinking their world to the few places that feel safe. It is one of the most common anxiety conditions in young people, and it responds very well to the right support. We are here to help. We serve families throughout Will County, including Joliet, Frankfort, Mokena, and Lockport, with telehealth available across Illinois. It often comes with physical symptoms, like blushing, sweating or a shaky voice, and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is one of the most effective treatments for it.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, anxiety disorders are among the most common mental health conditions affecting adolescents, and social anxiety often takes hold during the teenage years, when fitting in feels like everything. Left unaddressed, it can lead to loneliness, missed opportunities, and a habit of avoidance that grows over time. Social anxiety therapy helps teens understand the fear, challenge the harsh stories they tell themselves, and slowly build the confidence to show up as who they really are. NIMH estimates that 9.1% of adolescents have had social anxiety disorder.
“Vulnerability is not weakness. It takes courage to show up and be seen.”
– Brené Brown
In-network with
- Aetna PPO
- Cigna / Evernorth
- BCBS PPO
- UnitedHealthcare
- UMR
- Initial assessment $200
- Ongoing sessions $150
Insurance and rates
Insurance Accepted
Davis-Smith Mental Health is in network with Aetna PPO, Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO, Cigna and Evernorth, UnitedHealthcare, and UMR. Not every therapist is in every network, so we check your plan with you before your first session. If you’d rather pay privately, we can give you a Superbill to use with your out-of-network benefits.
WHEN TO REACH OUT
Signs Your Teen May Have Social Anxiety
Social anxiety often hides as ‘my teen is just quiet’ or ‘they prefer to stay in.’ If several of these ring true, social anxiety therapy for teens may help:
Staying Silent in Class
Avoiding raising a hand, answering questions, or presenting, even when they know the material, out of fear of being looked at or judged.
Turning Down Invitations They Want to Accept
Skipping parties, hangouts, and events they actually wish they could go to because the social pressure feels unbearable.
Intense Fear of Embarrassment
A deep, constant worry about saying something stupid, being laughed at, blushing, or doing something humiliating in front of others.
Replaying Conversations for Hours
Going over interactions again and again afterwards, convinced they messed up or that people are judging them.
Physical Symptoms in Social Settings
Blushing, sweating, shaky voice, racing heart, or nausea when the focus is on them or they have to interact.
Avoiding Everyday Interactions
Refusing to order their own food, make phone calls, ask a teacher a question, or use a public restroom because it means being noticed.
Few Friends Despite Wanting Them
Loneliness and isolation that come from fear, not lack of desire. Many socially anxious teens deeply want connection.
Comparison and Withdrawal Fed by Social Media
Measuring themselves against everyone online, feeling left out, and pulling further back from real-life socializing.
Skipping School to Avoid Social Situations
Dreading or avoiding class, lunch, presentations, or group work because being around peers feels overwhelming.
You Do Not Have to Figure This Out Alone
Watching your teen struggle socially is a particular kind of heartache. You see them turn down things other teenagers do without a second thought. You see how much they want to be included and how much the fear holds them back. You are never quite sure whether to gently push or give them space, and either choice feels like it might be the wrong one.
Reaching out for social anxiety therapy is not a sign that you have failed your teen. It is one of the most caring things a parent can do. Our therapists work with anxious teens and their families every day, and we meet each of you where you are. Your teen does not need to be ready to share everything, and you do not need the perfect words. You just need to take one step. We will help with the rest.
The Power of Social Anxiety Therapy for Teens
How Social Anxiety Therapy for Teens Can Help
Social anxiety therapy gives your teen more than coping tips. It changes how they see themselves around other people. Here is the difference it can make:
Quieting the Inner Critic
Helping your teen notice and challenge the harsh, automatic thoughts that tell them they are being judged or are not good enough.
Facing Fears Step by Step
Building confidence through gradual, doable challenges, from speaking up in a small group to joining an activity, so avoidance loses its grip.
Real Social Skills
Practicing conversations, eye contact, and handling awkward moments, so social situations feel less like a test they will fail.
Calming the Body
Tools for the blushing, shaking, and racing heart, so physical symptoms stop feeding the fear of being noticed.
Letting Go of the Replays
Learning to stop the endless after-the-fact analysis that keeps social anxiety alive long after the moment has passed.
A Healthier Relationship With Social Media
Reducing the comparison and FOMO that fuel anxiety, and rebuilding connection in the real world.
Genuine Friendships
Helping your teen show up as themselves so they can build the connections they have been longing for.
Lasting Confidence
Building self-trust and resilience that will serve your teen in college, work, and relationships for the rest of their life.
How Social Anxiety Impacts Daily Life
Social anxiety rarely looks dramatic from the outside. It looks like the teen who eats lunch alone, who never volunteers an answer, who says ‘I’m fine staying home’ a little too quickly. Inside, though, the fear is exhausting. Every interaction is rehearsed, scanned for danger, and dissected afterwards. Over time, avoidance becomes the main coping strategy, and the teen’s world quietly narrows to the few situations that feel safe, often at the cost of friendships, opportunities, and self-esteem.
Friendships, School, and Self-Esteem
Social fear touches almost everything in a teenager’s life. Group projects become dreaded. Speaking in class feels impossible. Parties and after-school activities get declined. Many socially anxious teens end up lonely not because they want to be, but because the fear keeps winning. The longer this goes on, the more it chips away at their confidence and how they feel about themselves. With support, teens learn that they can handle social situations, and that they are far more likeable than their anxiety lets them believe.
Social anxiety therapy helps teens quiet the fear of judgment, build real friendships, and feel more like themselves around others.
New Client
How getting started works
It can be overwhelming coming to counseling. Here’s every step, from your first call to the sessions that follow.
Step 1
Reach out
Request a session online or call (815) 409-5940 to schedule your first appointment.
Step 2
Fill out your intake forms
Your welcome email has everything. Finish the forms at least 48 hours before your appointment, on a phone, tablet or computer, and share your preferred times and therapist.
Step 3
We check your benefits
If you’re using insurance, we check your benefits before confirming your appointment, so you have a good idea of your cost before your first visit.
Step 4
Your first session
Check in on the iPad in our waiting room. Your therapist walks you through confidentiality, answers your questions, and gets to know you and your goals.
Step 5
Plan next steps together
Most people start with weekly sessions, at least three to build a connection, then adjust together as things improve.
Warm, Real, and Built Around You
Our Approach to Social Anxiety Therapy for Teens
At Davis-Smith Mental Health, we understand that a socially anxious teen is not going to open up to a stranger who feels like one more person judging them. So we go slowly and earn their trust first. Our therapists are warm and real, and we make the space feel safe, because a teen who feels safe is a teen who can do the work.
As part of our anxiety therapy, we use approaches like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help teens identify the thinking traps behind social anxiety, such as mind-reading and assuming the worst, and learn to challenge them. A core part of the work is gentle, gradual exposure, facing feared social situations in small steps so the fear loses its power, paired with practical social skills they can actually use. We also address related struggles such as depression and emotional regulation, which often travel with social anxiety.
Our goal is not to turn your teen into someone they are not. It is to free them from the fear that is keeping them small, so they can show up as themselves and build the connections they want. We believe every socially anxious teen has more courage and likeability than they currently believe.
We proudly serve families in New Lenox, Joliet, Frankfort, Mokena, and Lockport, with telehealth available throughout Illinois.
Sometimes they just need the right support to find it. Learn more about what to expect when you get started.
Personalized care
Therapists Who Help Teens With Anxiety
Every therapist on our team works with anxiety. We will match you with the right person for your teen.
Anxiety at the center
Anxiety is the foundation of everything we do.
EMDR-trained care
EMDR helps clients process what talk therapy alone can’t reach.
Every age and stage
From children and teens to young adults and adults.
In-person and telehealth
Our New Lenox office or secure online therapy for clients in Illinois.
Frequently Asked Questions About
Social Anxiety Therapy for Teens
Find the Support Your Teen Needs
Tell us a little about what is going on. We will match you with the right therapist and reach out to schedule.
Trouble seeing the form? Open it in a new window or call us at (815) 409-5940.
What People Are Saying About Us
5.0 Based on 6 Google reviews
“Davis-Smith Mental Health truly cares about their clients. The therapists are compassionate, skilled, and genuinely committed to helping you grow and heal. It’s clear that Jessica has built a team that shares her values and dedication. Highly recommend to anyone looking for meaningful support and real results.”
Kasia Budyn · Posted on Google
“Jessica provides a safe and welcoming environment for all the teens she sees. She tailors treatment to each teen and is incredibly patient and open to their needs. I have seen first hand the work she does and the connection she has with kids. I cannot recommend her enough as someone who will care for your teen and your family!”
Google User · Posted on Google
“Davis-Smith Mental Health is a trusted resource for providing compassionate, high-quality therapy for teens and emerging adults. I know confidently that clients are supported with empathy, professionalism, and respect. Jessica leads her team with integrity and intention. She clearly prioritizes the well-being of her staff, which allows them to show up fully for the clients they serve. Their commitment to the healing journey is evident in every interaction. I’m grateful to have them as a referral partner and deeply value their work in the mental health community.”
Sherri Wick · Posted on Google
“Jessica is a dedicated therapist and absolutely loves working with teens. You are able to feel the love from the moment you walk through the door. She and her staff will provide a safe and private environment for that one on one attention you deserve.”
Melanie K. Hall · Posted on Google
“Jessica and her team are so passionate and helpful! I would recommend this practice to anyone looking!”
Biljana Krzywinski · Posted on Google
More ways we can help
Other Ways We Help
Anxiety Therapy
Anxiety is the most common reason families come to us, and it’s the foundation of everything we do. Whether your teen is avoiding school, your young adult can’t stop overthinking, or worry has taken over your daily life, we can help. Our therapists use CBT and EMDR to help clients understand what’s driving their anxiety and build real tools to manage it.
Teen Anxiety Counseling
The teen years are when anxiety tends to hit the hardest. School pressure, social stress, comparison, and the weight of figuring out who they are can leave teens feeling overwhelmed and stuck. We work with teens to understand what’s behind the anxiety and give them real skills they can actually use, at school, at home, and in the moments that feel like too much.
EMDR Therapy
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a well-researched approach for trauma, and it’s also used for anxiety. It works by helping the brain reprocess difficult memories and experiences that are keeping you stuck. Our EMDR-trained therapist works with teens, young adults, and adults.
Depression Therapy
Depression and anxiety often show up together. If your teen has lost interest in things they used to enjoy, is sleeping too much or too little, or seems hopeless about the future, therapy can help. We work with clients to find what’s underneath the depression and build a path forward that actually feels possible.
Trauma Counseling
Trauma is one of the most common drivers of anxiety in teenagers and young adults. It doesn’t always look like what you’d expect. It can show up as constant worry, anger, trouble concentrating, or emotional shutdown. Our therapists help clients work through trauma at their own pace, in a space where they feel safe.
Emotional Regulation
When anxiety runs high, emotions feel unmanageable. Some children, teens, and adults feel everything. Small frustrations become explosions. Sadness becomes despair. We help clients understand their patterns and develop strategies for handling intense feelings without shutting down or lashing out.
Relationship Counseling
Anxiety doesn’t just affect the person experiencing it. It changes how they show up in every relationship. We help teens, young adults, and adults work through the ways anxiety and other challenges are impacting their connections with family, friends, and partners.
Life Transitions
Starting high school. Leaving for college. A new job, a divorce, a move. Life transitions can trigger anxiety, depression, and self-doubt, even when the change is something you wanted. We help clients work through the uncertainty and build confidence in who they’re becoming.
Young Adult Counseling
The years between 18 and 30 come with a unique kind of pressure. A lot of young adults are dealing with anxiety they’ve carried since their teenage years but never had the chance to address. We help them get unstuck and start building a life that feels like theirs.
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You don’t have to figure this out alone
If something told you to keep reading this far, trust that feeling. Whether it’s for yourself, your teen, or your young adult, the hardest part is deciding to start. We are here when you are ready.
there is courage in change ♥
- Anxiety counseling for children, teens and adults
- Rated 5.0 on Google
- In-network with Aetna, BCBS, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare and UMR
- Telehealth for clients in Illinois
- In-person in New Lenox
- EMDR therapy for anxiety and trauma
- We truly care about every client
- There is courage in change