Social anxiety therapy for kids, teens & young adults

Evidence-based therapy that helps kids connect with confidence.

Support for social phobia, fear of judgment, and social avoidance in children, teens, and young adults.

Insurance accepted. Appointments often available within days.

Check availability

4.94

Trusted by 5,000+ kids, teens, and families.

Social anxiety, at a glance

5-10%

of children and teens meet criteria for social anxiety disorder

Ages 8-15

is the typical age of onset for social anxiety

75%

of youth with social anxiety respond well to CBT

When shyness becomes something more.

A young woman or teen sits comfortably on a grey couch, looking down at a laptop with a gentle smile, indicating an engaged online interaction in a bright indoor setting.

A smiling young adult with a shaved head and nose piercing looks directly at the camera while sitting at a desk with a laptop in a bright, modern indoor setting. They appear friendly and engaged.

Social anxiety disorder goes beyond ordinary shyness. It is a persistent fear of social situations where a child feels they will be judged, embarrassed, or humiliated. It can significantly limit friendships, school participation, and daily functioning.

A licensed clinician distinguishes between normal developmental shyness and clinical social anxiety by evaluating the severity, duration, and impact on your child's daily life.

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Fear of judgment

Intense worry about being embarrassed, rejected, or negatively evaluated in social situations.

Avoiding parties, group activities, or speaking in class to escape anxiety.

Physical symptoms

Blushing, sweating, trembling, nausea, or racing heart in social settings.

Symptoms look different at every stage of development.

Young Children (4–7)
Refusing to speak to adults
Hiding behind parents
Crying before social events
Difficulty with unfamiliar children
School-Age (8–12)
Avoiding answering questions in class
Eating alone at lunch
Dreading group projects
Few or no close friendships
Teens (13–17)
Skipping school for social reasons
Refusing to attend parties
Intense fear of embarrassment
Physical symptoms: blushing, trembling
Young Adults (18–25)
Avoiding job interviews
Difficulty in college classes
Social isolation despite wanting connection
Using avoidance as primary coping strategy

Take a quick, clinically validated screening to better understand your child's symptoms.

GAD-7 Anxiety Screening

The GAD-7 is a brief, clinically validated tool used by healthcare providers to screen for generalized anxiety disorder. It takes about 2 minutes and can help you understand whether your child's symptoms may benefit from professional support.

This screening is not a diagnosis. A licensed clinician reviews the results and recommends next steps.

Take the GAD-7 Screening

A thoughtful young girl with curly hair and glasses, wearing denim overalls, sits on a couch with an adult man who has dreadlocks and a beard. The man attentively looks at the girl, gently holding her knee, as she leans her head on her hand with a pensive expression, suggesting a serious conversation or comforting moment.

Evidence-based strategies for building social confidence and reducing avoidance.

Challenges negative thoughts about social situations
Builds confidence through gradual social exposure
Develops assertiveness and conversation skills
Manages physical anxiety symptoms
Supports healthy friendship development

Why families choose Emora

Specialized pediatric anxiety care vs. general providers.

Other providers

Licensed pediatric and young adult clinicians

Generalist providers

Evidence-based CBT and exposure therapy

One-size-fits-all approaches

Parent-inclusive therapy model

Limited parent involvement

Virtual sessions reduce initial social anxiety barriers

In-person visits that intensify social fear

Insurance accepted

Insurance not always accepted

Built-in screening and progress tracking

Limited progress visibility

Get started in minutes

Three simple steps to connect with the right clinician.

1
Share what's going on
Answer a few questions about symptoms and goals.
2
Verify coverage
See insurance estimates and available times.
3
Start sessions
Meet your clinician and begin building skills.

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Frequently asked questions

What parents and young adults ask most about social anxiety therapy.

Real stories of growth

Every session is rated by parents. Our therapists maintain a 4.9+ average, because results matter.

Very thorough and made our son very comfortable with the new process

Parent of an 8 year old

2 hours ago

Provider:

Alexandra Longa, LMHC

Ms. Campos is incredible. With her help I am establishing healthier thought processes. Incredibly positive counseling session.

An Adult client

4 hours ago

Provider:

Catherine Campos, LCSW

Diana is simply experienced and amazing. We appreciate all the help end her resourcefulness as well as being a genuine great person. We are privileged to have her as our therapist in difficult times.

Parent of a 15 year old

4 hours ago

Provider:

Diana Schaffer, LMHC, LPC

Felt said everything was fine

Parent of a 14 year old

4 hours ago

Provider:

Dr. Nacona Bunker, PsyD

My child felt very comfortable and confident after her first session.

Parent of an 11 year old

5 hours ago

Provider:

Linda Marie Rodriguez, LPC

I liked the positivity and the new ideas mixed with old techniques to work on coping strategies. -Mom

Parent of a 13 year old

6 hours ago

Provider:

Dr. Jon Skidmore, PsyD

She’s very nice and I can’t talk to her

Parent of a 14 year old

6 hours ago

Provider:

Martha Mateo, LCSW

My daughter really enjoyed just chatting and finding things in common with someone new.

Parent of a 14 year old

7 hours ago

Provider:

Morgan Tulley, RCSWI

Dr. Smart-McCarthy was so welcoming and friendly. I really appreciated how she asked open ended questions to get to know our child and situation. She was very child friendly and was thorough in explaining the process!

Parent of a 6 year old

7 hours ago