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Updated June 17, 2013.



The Shyness & Social Anxiety Workbook for Teens is an easy-to-read illustrated self-help manual for socially anxious teenagers. Author Jennifer Shannon provides practical steps and exercises for teens to follow using the principles of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). Woven throughout the workbook are the stories of four teens: Liz, Alex, Bella and Brandon.

Illustrator Doug Shannon brings the stories of these teens to life with cartoon drawings. This book will be of help to teenagers and young adults battling social anxiety and looking for straightforward advice on how to incorporate self-help strategies into daily life.

Overview

This workbook starts with an overview of social anxiety and what may have caused the disorder to develop. A description is then given of how thoughts, feelings and actions can influence social anxiety; teens are also told why avoiding situations can make anxiety worse and how thought distortions contribute to social fears.

Teens are directed to identify their life values and see whether social anxiety is preventing them from living in accordance with those values. Thoughts are checked to see if they are accurate and if they lead toward avoidance or toward values. The last chapter on thinking deals with how to retrain the brain with alternative thoughts that help to lower anxiety.

The book then moves to exposures and, using a ladder analogy, shows teens how to expose themselves to social and performance situations using a fear hierarchy.

An example is provided using Bella's character and suggestions are given for dealing with challenges when facing feared situations.

Finally, teens and parents are provided with tips for finding a therapist and the pros and cons of taking medication. The book finishes with a list of resources, a section about paruresis (shy bladder syndrome) and other types of anxiety.

What I Like

• I like the easy-to-read language used in this book; although it is directed at teens, I think many adults might benefit from the straightforward descriptions and conversational tone. The author makes it easy to understand difficult concepts.
  
  
• The inclusion of illustrations helps this book to stand out from the rest, breaks up the text, and keeps things entertaining.
  
  
• The book sticks to a few main ideas so it is easy for teens to know where to start. They are not overloaded with information.
  
  
• To my knowledge this is the only social anxiety workbook geared towards teenagers and written in a language and style suitable for an adolescent audience.
  
  
• The book describes how to practice exercises without going into too much detail about the mechanics of how the different therapies work. The focus is on the practical aspects of how to make changes.
  
  
• The author is an experienced therapist and the workbook is based on therapeutic practices that have research support.

Areas for Improvement

• A glossary at the back of the book might help some teens to remember what the different terms mean.
  
  
• Although this book does a much better job of keeping the plan of attack simple than many other social anxiety self-help books, a teen who reads through all the way to the end before starting the exercises might still feel a little overwhelmed. A one-page summary list of steps at the end might be a good way to make sure teens go back and start working on the exercises.

The Bottom Line

The Shyness and Social Anxiety Workbook for Teens is a great resource and self-help tool for any teen looking to overcome social fears. The book offers practical and concrete steps for change in an entertaining format that is easy to read.

Parents, teachers, and others who come into contact with socially anxious teens could also use this book as a way to start a conversation about social fears and how they can be overcome.