Social Skills Therapy in the Charlotte, NC Area
Book Your Social Skills Therapy Appointment with Natalie Stainback
What is Social Skills Therapy?
Social skills therapy (also called SST) is a type of psychotherapy that works to help people improve their skills interacting and communicating so they can become socially competent. I provide counseling to people who experience challenges and anxiety in social situations.
Social Skills Therapy in Charlotte, NC
Social skills are important because they allow us to have positive relationships with others who may be our partners, friends, and co-workers. Interactions with others is a foundation of who we are as humans. We are social creatures. Having social skills and the ability to effectively communicate are important in connecting with people on a level that is important in life so you can have more in-depth relationships with others.
Fearing interactions with people one-on-one or in groups can lead to isolation and depression. Do you avoid situations where you are faced with being socially engaged? If so, it can become a Catch-22 because the less you are exposed to these situations the more isolated you feel. When the stress of being in social situations becomes too great to handle, it can be dibilitating.
Causes for Social Anxiety
A person may suffer from social phobia due to underlying reasons such as mental and psychological disorders like autism, schizophrenia, or past trauma. As with many other mental health conditions, social anxiety arises from complex interwoven factors like inherited traits, brain structure, and environment.
Social Skills Therapy Can Help With:
- Making eye contact during conversation
- Smiling when greeting others
- Shaking hands when meeting someone
- Flirting
- Dating
- Entering rooms
- Going to parties
- Starting conversations
- Using an appropriate tone and volume of voice
- Perceiving how others are feeling and showing empathy
- Having appropriate response like crying when something sad happens or laughing when something is funny
Social Skills Therapy with Natalie Stainback
Social skills and effective communication can be learned and then practiced through counseling. Therapy for social skills has been shown to be effective in improving social skills regardless of the social issue. If you have a skills deficit, you can learn how to better manage social interactions through therapy.
In my counseling sessions, I start by assessing your specific skill deficiencies. By identifying the major social problem and its source, I then set specific goals to master. For example, do you primarily have a fear of large gatherings? Or, is it speaking to people at work? Or, is it mingling at a dinner party? I address individual issues in my goal-driven therapy program. Once each goal or skill is mastered, the next session addresses another one that may be more difficult.