Hi. I hope your local SA group goes well. What workbook will you be
using? I highly recommend Managing Social Anxiety: A
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy Approach Client Workbook by Debra A.
Hope, Richard G. Heimberg, Harlan A. Juster, and Cynthia L. Turk.
There's an associated therapist's workbook, too, which is interesting
for both patient and therapist alike.

Dr Richards does his own form of CBT. The Cognitive portion is quite
different from the CBT that most therapists do, as you can tell from
his tapes. As you point out, he's definitely a man on a mission to
cure SA. He also has a large amount of clinical experience, judgment,
and techniques that are lacking in the normal forms of CBT. Too bad
there is no grad student out there that wants to take one of his
techniques and write a thesis comparing it to normal CBT; such a study
would be a valuable contribution and also provide additional tools to
therapists.

The big lesson I got from the 3-week program is that avoidance is the
thing that prevents progress, and the cure is to make your exposures
really small. By small I mean really small. As long as you are
avoiding it, make it smaller and do it. For instance, if you are
avoiding reading a handout out loud just read the first sentence out
loud. If you are avoiding reading the first sentence out loud then
just read the first 3 words out loud. Whatever it is has to be
active, though, not passive like just listening.

Sounds like you are really going after this with great thoroughness!

--Bob


On Sat, Jun 20, 2009 at 3:54 PM, spatler1 <spatler1@...> wrote:
>
>
> Bob, Thanks for the welcoming greeting. I'm very glad to hear your high
opinion of the 3 week group. I have tried twice to take it, this past spring and
this summer. Unfortunately, it was cancelled both times due to not enough
people. I am chomping at the bit to get into a good group, and I eventually
will, but I have had to be patient.
>
> Next month ASDI in Towson, MD, where my therapist is, is starting an SA group.
They don't have experience with SA groups, but it is a start and I am grateful.
Then in October I really get rolling. I am signed up for Larry Cohen's 20-week
group in DC. I don't know as much about him, but my therapist knows him and says
he is very good and he is listed on Dr. R's mailing list, which I take as an
endorsement. His website also gives me reason for optimism as he seems to be all
business about SA (socialanxietyhelp.com).
>
> There is also a grad of the Phoenix 3-week intensive in Havre De Grace, MD who
will also be running an all-day Saturday 20-week group starting in the Fall. By
the time the next 3-week intensive rolls around I may not need it, although I
have listened to the tapes so many times I feel like I know Dr. R, and would be
temped to go to meet him and experience his group! My impression is he is the
best of very few options. It seems he is "on a mission" against SA...would you
agree?
>
> I've never heard of meetup.com, but will definately check it out. Many thanks
for that info. Sorry for the long post.
>
> --- In SocialFitnessForum@yahoogroups.com, Bob Mayo <soc-yg2@...> wrote:
> >
> > Welcome. I took Dr Richards' 3-week intensive in Arizona, which was
> > amazing. Having a like-minded group can really accelerate your
> > progress. Have you checked meetup.com for a local "shyness" group?
> > Or perhaps you would consider organizing one.
> >
> > The group support can add a lot of momentum to your exposures.
> >
> > --Bob
> >
> >
> > On Fri, Jun 19, 2009 at 7:47 PM, spatler1<spatler1@...> wrote:
> > >
> > >
> > > I just found this group too. I am 52 and have had SA my entire life,
> > > although it was not until 9 months ago that I found that out. I just
thought
> > > it was the way I was and that I was depressed. Since then I have been
using
> > > Dr. Richards tape series (very helpful) and seeing a CBT psych one-on-one
> > > (because I can't find a local group). I have made progress, with a lot of
> > > work, but I really need an SA group.
> > >
> > > --- In SocialFitnessForum@yahoogroups.com, "videodrone323" <stomoxys23@>
> > > wrote:
> > >>
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> I've been dealing with social anxiety for a while now. I am making
> > >> progress, albeit rather slowly. I've been looking around for
> > >> resources, and happened upon this forum. I've perused the posts, and
> > >> you all seem like a friendly group, I hope to share what I know, and
> > >> learn from others.
> > >>
> > >
> > >
> >
>
>