First, We Map It
Early sessions are about understanding your specific pattern — your triggers, your predictions, the safety moves you lean on. No jargon, no judgment. Just an honest look at what you're dealing with.
"We suffer more often in imagination than in reality." — Seneca
Are You Struggling With Social Anxiety?
If being around people means rehearsing conversations before you have them — and replaying them for hours after — that's not a character flaw. It's social anxiety. I'm Edward Davey, a Registered Social Worker and Psychotherapist (RSW, MSW), and it's something we can understand together and work on, one practical step at a time.
When Being Around People Feels Like Work
For some people, a gathering isn't an invitation — it's a countdown. The dread starts days ahead. Then comes the spotlight feeling: like everyone can see you sweat, hear your voice shake, and is silently rating your performance. So you say less than you wanted to, leave earlier than you planned, and spend the ride home reviewing every sentence.
Here's what I want you to hear: you're not antisocial, and you're not broken. Your brain has learned to treat social situations like threats, and it reacts the way it would to any threat — alarm first, logic later. The good news is that what got learned can be worked on, gradually and on your terms.
I'm based in Orangeville and serve clients across Dufferin County — and with virtual sessions, anywhere in Ontario. There's a small irony my clients appreciate: you can start working on social anxiety from the comfort of your own couch.
How I Work With Social Anxiety
My approach is collaborative and practical. First, we map what's actually happening — the situations that spike it, the thoughts that loop the loudest, and the little safety moves (rehearsing, avoiding, over-apologizing) that help in the moment but keep the fear in charge long-term. No jargon, no judgment — an honest look at the pattern.
Then we build your toolkit: ways to settle your body, ways to test the catastrophic predictions your brain makes, and conversation skills for the moments your mind goes blank. Between sessions you'll get small, agreed-upon practice steps — homework, my clients call it — always sized to feel like a stretch, never a shove.
I'm strength-based, which means we also keep score of the evidence you're more capable than your anxiety admits. You've survived every social situation you've ever been in. Our job is to help your brain believe that — and to make your world bigger, not smaller.
What Sessions Look Like
Tools You Can Actually Use
Then we build practical strategies for before, during, and after social situations, tailored to your real life. You'll practice them between sessions, so they become yours — not just something we talked about.
A Bigger Life, Gradually
Over time we take small steps outward — the call, the gathering, the speaking up — at a pace you help set. The goal isn't to become an extrovert. It's a life that gets bigger instead of smaller.
All sessions are currently offered virtually, available anywhere in Ontario.
Signs Therapy Might Help
- Dreading social events days in advance
- Rehearsing conversations before you have them
- Replaying interactions long after they're over
- Avoiding calls, gatherings, or speaking up
- Blushing, racing heart, or your mind going blank
- Leaving early — then feeling worse about it
Common Questions
Is social anxiety the same as being shy?
Not quite. Shyness is a personality trait — plenty of shy people are perfectly content. Social anxiety is fear that gets in the way: it makes you avoid things you'd actually like to do and leaves you drained afterwards. Either way, if it's costing you the life you want, it's worth working on.
Will I have to do terrifying exposure homework?
No ambushes, ever. Practice steps are small, graded, and agreed on together — a stretch, not a shove. You're in charge of the pace, and we adjust whenever something feels like too much.
Are sessions in person or virtual?
All sessions are currently virtual, available anywhere in Ontario. Many of my clients find it easier to open up from their own space — and there's no commute, no waiting room, no parking to worry about.
I've tried therapy before and it didn't stick. Why would this be different?
That happens more often than people admit, and it says nothing about you. My approach is collaborative and practical — we adjust together as we go. The free 15-minute consultation lets us both see if we're a good fit before you commit to anything.
Keep Exploring
Social anxiety often keeps company with a few familiar neighbours. You might also find these helpful:
Ready When You Are
Remember the proverb — the second best time is now. Start with a free 15-minute consultation: no pressure, no commitment, just a conversation about what's going on and whether we're a good fit.
Free 15-minute consultation · Individual 60 min $150 · 30 min $75
Many extended health benefit plans cover Registered Social Workers/Psychotherapists.
- 📞 (519) 942-5119
- ✉️ intake@therapywithedward.com
- 📸 @therapy.w.edward
- 📍 Virtual sessions across Ontario
- 🕐 Mon–Fri 12–10 PM · Sat closed · Sun 12–9 PM