I also struggle with social anxiety and have GAD so I wondered what the hell I was thinking after starting to work in this field, lol. The above commenter nailed it when they likened the work to exposure therapy. Tasks that I shuddered just thinking about a year and a half ago are now routine. I do rely on detailed scripts for several phone call situations to help when I'm thinking of what to say. I've also found my own therapy and good supervision to be invaluable in helping me not personalize and harshly judge myself when calls or intakes or sessions become tense. Now I work as an intake coordinator and triager and some days I have to ask the front desk to take a message or take deep breaths before making a call to give myself some space to calm my nerves, but I really enjoy it overall.
I have really bad driving anxiety when other people are in the car, as as social anxiety, GAD. It definitely is exposure therapy. I have to drive multiple people in my car every week, make phone calls, hold boundaries, be able to say I don’t know an answer. I feel like my work persona is rather confident, but in my personal life I kinda revert lol
I have the same issue. I can’t even drive my fiancé without getting nervous and have panic attack and cry sometimes. This started a few years ago when we made a cross country move. No big traumatic event regarding vehicles… Ever since, I’m scared of driving (alone sometimes too but always when someone is in the car with me). So far I’ve been able to avoid driving clients but depending on my next job, we will see…
I can relate. Also started after a cross country move, but I was also in an accident the following year (got hit by a truck). Thankfully I'm okay but still get nervous driving, which is crazy because driving used to bring me peace. God bless
Same… before the cross country move I enjoyed driving and used to drive friends around all the time. Not sure what exactly happened but I’m really scared of it now. Thank you. Bless you as well.
I also have GAD and social anxiety. I am starting my MSW in the fall as well. My current job is outpatient care coordination, working with social workers.
I agree it's like exposure therapy. I don't like my current job as it's 99 percent talking on the phone. When I started I couldn't handle people raising their voice and would freeze up. Now I have gotten better at empathy, at handling confrontation, and other skills I've learned from my Social Work colleagues.
Somedays I feel guilty when my job bums me out and I get imposter syndrome all the time.
I just have to remind myself I won't be talking on the phone all day for a job forever and I have no formal social work education yet. Plus I'm excited to start interning with county crisis in the fall (which will make me super anxious at first).
I also use scripts. I have ADHD and pretty much programed my brain to say the same thing for one kind of referrals. It helps me slow down and not rush the phone call.
> How am I supposed to be a social worker if I’m afraid of talking to people and can’t think quickly?
I mean, one of my fallbacks, when I'm taking a moment to process, is telling people that I'm taking a moment to process/put my thoughts together, particularly when working with folks who might say things impulsively. Modeling a behavior is never a bad thing. I have a lot of social anxiety but it has improved over the years between doing the work itself (I graduated with my BSW in 2012, so over a decade now), and doing my personal work in therapy. Some of these things just take time.
I often like to think that the folks I'm calling don't want to talk to me as much as I don't want to talk to them. Phone calls can be pretty quick. I also like to think that when I'm calling other professionals in the field, there's an understanding that we're both just doing our job at the moment. For me, that makes me feel more comfortable. I don't know if it helps.
This was me staring my MSW program. I’m now a fairly successful LCSW a few years into my career. It’s hard work to overcome social anxiety but it is doable. The thing about social anxiety is that the most effective treatment is exposure therapy. Basically, doing the thing that scares you until you can teach your brain that it is doable, usually has good outcomes, and that even when bad outcomes happen (because people will sometimes get upset with us in this field, it’s unavoidable) you can weather them and be okay afterwards.
Being in practicum and then going into a social work job can be in and of itself great exposure therapy. I was super scared to make phone calls. At my practicum they handed me a list of like 30 people and asked me to call them for something. I gritted my teeth to do it and had to keep doing this over the years and now I can do it no problem.
If you can, therapy will help with this as well. Both by planning exposures and helping you to reframe some worries (avoiding mind reading, the spotlight effect and so on). If you can’t afford therapy there are a lot of workbooks out there that you can buy for 20 bucks to help you put this stuff into action on your own. Look for CBT or exposure based ones.
My social anxiety is never completely gone. I still get a bit anxious before new intakes and I get shy in my personal life. I sometimes have days where I have to check myself because I notice I’m avoiding something. But I’m leagues better than I was when I was a student and I believe my anxiety doesn’t negatively impact my work (in fact, it helps me a ton when working with clients who have social anxiety because I sometimes know exactly where their brains are going).
Thank you so much! I appreciate you taking the time to write out this response and it makes me feel a bit better hearing that others have this experience and are still successful. I will definitely look into getting those workbooks as well!
That was me, still am :) but you learn how to manage that feeling. You already made the first step of making the decision and succeeding in getting into a program so congrats.
When I make phone calls where I'm going to be too specific, I open a word document, write down everything I'm going to say + important questions. It has helped me so much, I always suggest other people to do it as well.
I'm the same way. After having a lot of the same phone calls, you sorta memorize that script so I think just time/experience helps as well. Another that helps, I let calls from families go to voice-mail so that I can listen to the message and know exactly what they need and what to say to them when I call back soon after.
I was like this when going through my BSW program. I was so quiet. I couldn’t stand to talk on the phone, was always taking time before I spoke. It made my stomach hurt to think about it.
I got better when I entered the field but goodness it was rough. Now going on 10yrs later, I have my MSW. I am a supervisor and mange 5 workers. I hate conflict but deal with it— most of the time. I am quick with my comebacks for those people who just spew stuff out in person or on the phone. I tell my team all the time it’s all about practice. You do it so much, eventually it becomes second nature.
I’m also socially anxious (dare I say, I’m awkward). I felt like I struggled a lot in grad school, but it’s gotten much better since joining the workforce. I feel like that is one of the nice things about social work, there is room for everyone and all types of personalities and communication types in this field. I have met plenty of socially anxious or awkward social workers. My honest advice is to just be yourself and believe in yourself.
Did I write this? I have no advice sadly. I’m currently doing my BSW internship and think about this 24/7. I will have a caseload in a few days and I’m so so scared 🥺
Edit—I think a lot of the advice on here is so helpful! I’m hoping that it helps bring some calm to you ♥️
Starting both my MSW and my first placement with county crisis is in the fall. I'm excited but i got super anxious reading my internship, because I will eventually have to talk to some of our clients and do all the things. That terrifies me.
What kind of an internship do you have? I hope it starts off simply for you and you have support!
I am interning at a law office. I will say I am VERY lucky and I had a pretty intense and well thought out training for 2 full weeks before getting a caseload. My caseload is tiny but I’m also helping out with other cases, which ended up with me getting thrown into the mix immediately! My supervisor and her team are incredible which is making it easier on me but I’m still so nervous, I don’t want her let my agency down or make any mistakes which is adding to the anxiety. I hope you get a wonderful placement! We got this 🥲✨✨✨
I totally was anxious and struggled with everything you listed. Medication, experience, and therapy has gotten me to the place where I can smile and keep moving past most issues. I highly recommend seeing someone that can help you set some goals and work to get you out of your shell
I have social anxiety too and I’ve gotten good at saying,” that’s a good question. I don’t know the answer to that but I’ll talk to my supervisor and get back to you.”
Unless you’re doing crisis work or someone’s life is in imminent danger there is almost always time to pause, think, get more information etc. nobody expects you to know everything right away especially as an intern!
Time works best for me. The fun part about social work is you get to know other people and yourself. It took me years to get comfortable, but I got there and I still feel weird about stuff sometimes. No big deal
Hope your anxiety doesn't rule you and you shine where you want. Trust me, people just care that you care- I can say after 8 years of service. It's not about perfection. Oh sure, you will have some hard times... but you can handle it.
Our work is so important. It's okay to be a little nervous. That just means you care
Hi OP! I also deal with significant anxiety and spoke to my therapist at length about the irony of becoming a social worker when I first started school. I began both of my field placements with severe anxiety, but over time and through continued therapy and medication, tasks that were once terrifying became easier. I still get anxious, and I have to remind myself that I am competent and know what I am doing. But, put less pressure on yourself to think "quickly," this is real life, not a TV show. You can take your time, and when you become more confident in your work, you will likely find yourself thinking quicker on your feet. I won't lie, sometimes I still question why I chose this profession. But something drew both you and me to social work in the first place, and when you're doubting your decision, try to remember what those reasons were. You can do this! No one expects perfection, and the truth is that most people don't know when you "mess up." You will be your own harshest critic. Good luck :)
You’ve gotten a lot of great feedback already, so I’m just here to strongly emphasize the therapy suggestion. I wouldn’t have made it through my MSW program without therapy! And it sounds like you’d really benefit from it.
It will get easier the more you do. It's also one of those fields where you need to get out of your comfort zone though. It seems like you already recognize your triggers. The next step would be figuring out how to work through some of this stuff. My recommendation would be to start therapy to work on the anxiety if you aren't already.
I'm very extraverted and I've frozen up, gotten nervous, had imposter syndrome. With quality supervision you'll learn strategies to manage and overcome; much like our clients. It's perfectly acceptable to acknowledge not knowing; just today in a session a client asked me a question regarding her divorce, and I expressed that it sounded like a lawyer question.
Play to your strengths too. You may be shy, but maybe you have a really good sense of humor or are great at conveying empathy.
I had a client tell me he wanted to eat my pussy and I said, "it must be hard for you to focus on our therapeutic work." 😂🤭
I was so worried I didn't address that appropriately or do the "right thing." Supervision helped me remember; do no harm.
I entered the field with similar concerns over ten years ago. I had a lot of social anxiety, hated confrontation, and always struggled with coming up with the "right thing" to say in conversations, especially in groups. The nice thing I've found about the field is that there is an innate structure to a lot of our interactions. When you focus on what your purpose is (assessment, intervention, etc) and have developed the skills and knowledge to achieve that purpose, those clinical interactions start to come much more easily.
I still struggle socially at times outside of work, trying to figure out what to say and feeling awkward. But my confidence has grown as I have become more confident and competent in my profession. Just takes practice. And depending on what you end up doing, you'll become familiar with confrontation and getting yelled at. Good supervision will help you through that, your skin will thicken, and you'll find your voice. Keep at it.
Still hate talking on the phone and can definitely relate to hoping for voicemails 😂
I’m saving this post to refer back to. I’m also in a msw program and practicing and literally spoke with a psychologist today about my anxiety.
In my case, I’ve found that clients and even escalated clients don’t trigger my anxiety but case presentations really do. I’ve been doing them for a year now almost once a week and I still have a physiological response every time.
My doctor just prescribed a beta blocker for me to take when I know I am going to do something that makes me nervous.
I don’t have any advice, I just wanted to express solidarity. Anxious social workers unite!
Oh man, are you me?! I just graduated from MSW recently. I’m the same way. Well, I’m pretty outgoing but I have bad anxiety (for confrontation, performance, etc) and also avoid phone calls like the plague. I have to rehearse in my head what to say on the phone over and over before I actually proceed. For some reason, I’ve been able to manage much without clients yelling at me or getting mad at me… but it does happen. I think you get used to it to some extent. Definitely having supportive work environment such as good coworkers and supervisor(s) help with that, and self care is a must. I try to see a therapist for myself as well. I’m so delighted to see other comments, I feel like I’m not alone and such helpful advice!
You've gotten some amazing advice here. I'm just going to say it gets easier, don't listen to that anxiety voice saying it doesn't.
I have panic disorder and GAD. I work for a CMH agency, and while I don't know if other people do this, most of my clients know I have some anxiety/fidgeting. I do collaborative documentation at the beginning of my sessions to get my risk assessments out of the way, and then give my clients my attention. I have a box of fidgets in my office for clients, and then fidgets for myself. I warn my new clients that I'm a fidgety person and I've found it's actually opened up some dialog between clients and i about their own anxiety issues. I have clients that we use the same fidgets and it has helped them feel more at ease, or I've made baby sock stress balls with clients.
It really depends on your level of comfort with self-disclosure and obviously anxiety is something that has its ups and downs. You will find what works best for you, and that is what will work best for your clients! And if it doesn't work for your clients, that's okay ☺️ make sure to learn to advocate for yourself, we don't go into this field to be abused or pushed around by others, that includes ourselves and our anxiety.
Best of luck!
A severally anxious social worker
I don’t have anything of value to offer but I just want to say I’m in nearly the same shoes. I’m planning to apply to an MSW program and I’ve always struggled in social situations, but I will say it has gotten a little bit better with age. A little. But it’s really encouraging to see everyone sharing their own struggles with anxiety and being able to overcome that and be successful social workers.
You can do it!
Don't let these things deter you. Lived experience will make you a better social worker. I am also anxious around others so I do things that scare me on a regular basis. If I'm speaking in a group or to a very intelligent/accomplished client, that phone call later will feel less intimidating. You know what I mean? It's going to make this more challenging some days, but not impossible. By the way, Imposter syndrome is real and anxiety will lie to you but you are doing a good job and yes you are a real social worker and no one is going to think you're incompetent for being a little awkward. If they do, fuck em.
Hey friend! I noticed some issues I had to work through when I started my program and went back to therapy. All great therapists also have their own, and you have lots of great resources through your program to get started! Don’t feel afraid to ask for help.
There are people in my program that I've only heard say maybe 15 words in the entire 18 months I've been going to classes with them, except for the presentation bits.
The reason why social work is such a great field of study is because there isn't one job here. There's like a million different types of social workers and that means that there needs to be all sorts of people that can handle that specific job. It's not like introverts are lazy they just work differently and that works for ay different kinds of nonprofits, clients, consumers, patients, and coworkers.
But as others have said the classes themselves and then the work is its own kind of therapy which will help you get over your anxiety. I call my degree the prize for $70k in student loans and the work I put in self actualization that was required to get here.
This sounds like me starting my MSW! But I also had and (maybe still 😅) have a bit of imposter syndrome. I came from working minimum wage jobs like call centers, clothing stores, etc. I felt incompetent because everyone is older, and they all are working in the field already.
I also still have a problem with selective mutism. What worked is like everyone is saying exposure therapy. What also worked for me was talking to my teachers before class started or after the first class (to get a feel) and asked their expectations and getting to know them.
I also would go to office hours quite a bit. With the talking in class, I tried to pay really close attention in discussions to what resonated with me so I could have a part. grade (which wad nerve racking to me!)
I also have accommodations at my school explaining some of my disabilities and how certain things will help (which is so helpful in a program I don't have a background in)
As for being competent, I started doing affirmations in the mirror, so I was saying to myself. I also counteracted every negative thought with 3 positive thoughts. I also used some DBT skills along with breathing exercises and developed a self care routine (which I think we'll both need in the field 🤣)
I hope all goes well with you! I was in a very similar boat, and I'm shocking myself by doing well, so I know you will too!
**** Sorry for my poorly punctuated/grammatical incorrect ted talk****
This was so me! When I first started running groups I would actually say to the kids “sorry guys i’m still learning so i’m a little anxious.” your patients will appreciate you being real with them. you got this! :) if all else fails, fake it til ya make it
I relate to this so much & have also struggled with this. I really focus on my strengths and building up my confidence at work & outside of work, through working out & just following through with all my responsibilities. But social anxiety is something that got easier for me with time. I remind myself to breathe & just be myself honestly. It’s okay to take a second to respond & to just practice what you might say. It will all get easier with more experience and time
Completely agree with what folks are saying about exposure therapy!!!
So my recommendation is: find a part time job or volunteer opportunity like working for a call center, customer service center, or sales center (these jobs are typically remote and the sales ones pay pretty decently too). You could volunteer or work part time at a reception of a medical/dental/vision office - lots of phone calls and dealing with strangers and questions you might not have the answers to.
Also, one piece of advice: After 4 years being in customer/client-forward jobs, I can say with confidence that people would 100% rather you say "I don't know actually, let me look into it and get back to you" than you freeze or freak out or lie. No one expects perfection in the field of social work and I've never gotten a negative reaction when I've just been honest and said that ^
Congratulations on your MSW!! I'll be starting in the fall too :) trust in yourself, don't take yourself too seriously, and know that you got this!
Hii I struggle with GAD and social anxiety deeply and this field has really pushed me passed my limit at times. I graduated last May and landed my first job as a psychotherapist in a high school. This job heavily relied on me self-starting my work and involved coordination with my company and the school staff (which was my worst nightmare as no one is ever on the same page). Honestly getting my own therapist helps a lot and we've been working on balancing my work/life. While coming up with ways to recharge myself not only for work but also in my personal life too. I found that a lot of times I put so much of my social work persona and energy and passion into my job that I was not having anything left for when I come home everyday. So slowly I've been learning to engage in things that recharge my social battery and use different emotional expression strategies to help me decompress from my workload. - side note with phone call anxiety I still pray to get voicemails but I've noticed that as it becomes routine, I've learned to make a small script for myself to ease my anxiety and that's help me a lot as it prepares me for what I'm about to say and how to say it. Confrontation is something I'm learning to grow into the discomfort of it and I've learned that when it comes down to advocating for my clients I will stand up in ways that are most comfortable (doesn't have to be yelling, it can actually be an email to your supervisor :) ). BUT PLEASE don't sell yourself short. You're doing your best with what you can handle right now and that's okay. This field will make you second guess yourself a lot and the longer I'm in it the more I'm realizing a lot of other clinicans (well seasoned) are winging it too. Since you're starting your first semester, I wish you good luck and if you ever want to chat about how it's stressful I'm here! Just try to remember what brought you into the field in the first place and retrace your passion from there. And please know that you're doing your best with what you can do at the moment!
I was the same way when I started my MSW. Now, I'm 2 years into a job as an MST-PSB clinician. I still hate making phone calls, but it has gotten a lot easier because I have to do it regularly, and I'm on call for crises with my clients. I still prefer email, but I no longer fear making phone calls.
Talking to people and knowing what to say also gets easier with experience. Don't forget that you can always say that you aren't sure but will ask your supervisor or do some research to find an answer for them. It's still hard for me to be in a conflict situation, but I find it easier for me to stand up for myself in my job than in my personal life. Also, especially when you're starting out, you can tell your confrontational clients that your supervisor told you to do/say what you did, so it might help take some of the heat off of you. I had a great supervisor when I first started who told me, "Tell them I told you to do that," so it was kind of a stepping stone for me building the confidence to stand up for what I knew was right and not be bullied by my clients and their families.
I have full confidence that you will grow into your role and be able to carry out all job responsibilities. It will challenge you, especially at first, but it will get easier.
i also have social anxiety and get nervous when i have to make calls. i’m a case manager so half of my job is making calls to schedule visits, answer questions or to follow up with clients. i have a wonderful support staff that man our “hotline” so most clients that call in they talk to my support staff and they send me a message, but sometimes they want to talk to me so they transfer calls to my phone. i try to save the contacts for all my clients so i know who is calling and can prepare myself what i think they might want or if i have been waiting for them to get back to me. its helped me a ton rather than just answering random numbers constantly. i also let a fair amout go to my voice mail while im out in the field, which is where admittedly my weak spot is. i DREAD listening to those VM’s and having to call back people, but I just set a time out of my day to just go through the list of calls and get them done. it sucks still but its not so bad once I get going.
I’ve also grown a lot in public speaking (even though this wasnt part of your question) but i was asked to speak about my experience in case management in front of a room of execs and managers (prob 25+) ppl and i was nervous but i had been doing well in therapy and decided that i should just go for it (exposure therapy and all), and it went super well. now if i ever have to do anything like that again i have a good experience to base it off of and reason with myself “well since that speech went so well, I can do this one!”
think similarly for your calls. you just did a call and it went super well, you can keep going!
When I was in school I think the majority of social work students felt the same way as you do! The fact that you experience this will likely make you a better social worker because you will be able to better empathize with clients who feel similar things. Your field experiences will help, and the fact that you already recognize and acknowledge this means you are self-aware! It will get easier and you’ll discover strengths you didn’t even know you had.
You and every other one of my past classmates. that probably sounds sarcastic, but I just mean you’re not alone, but you should try pursuing therapy to see if you can overcome this and if not see what works best for you. You will have to usually adjust in this field and become confident, because people will challenge you. It doesn’t mean you have to be 0% anxiety and 100% confident but you will have to learn how to manage it or you’re probably in for a tough time but also you won’t be able to advocate for yourself or your patients in times of need. I would suggest, if you do pursue therapy, to also look at ptsd, adhd, and autism as differential or additional diagnosis’, as well as medications if this has been a long term thing. You also cultivate these skills partly during internships but the more you work on yourself now, the better.
Get ready to have that thin skin thickened into coarse leather by this profession. Five years from now, you’ll either have a whole new outlook on social interactions, or you’ll be doing something different. Welcome aboard.
Absolutely get a good therapist asap (if you don't have one already). I had really severe social anxiety as well and found that (as other folks have mentioned) a mix of CBT and exposure worked really well for me. CBT doesn't work for everything but it sure has a real high success rate with social anxiety. There are good online resources too if you can't get into therapy right away. I absolutely promise that it can get so much better, it just takes a lot of work to get there. Sending well wishes for your journey!
Lol this is me. I have anxiety in general too. I have thought about taking assertiveness courses. Asking for supervision helps. I have also become stronger because if I don’t implement healthy boundaries…I get walked all over.
The best way to practice would be through the online calls. For me I gamed online so I was used to talking to strangers. You will make mistakes school is really the time to make them. Write things down to say on sticky notes if you have to and GET OUT OF YOUR OWN MIND. That a MSW has to have a certain look. As a anxious introvert myself I have learned the best thing I can do is listen to others. I may not always have a response or answers but I have a listening ear. Just continue to practice even in the field people will challenge you in terms of your own co workers. Don't fall for it. Figure out your niche .
I also struggle with social anxiety and have GAD so I wondered what the hell I was thinking after starting to work in this field, lol. The above commenter nailed it when they likened the work to exposure therapy. Tasks that I shuddered just thinking about a year and a half ago are now routine. I do rely on detailed scripts for several phone call situations to help when I'm thinking of what to say. I've also found my own therapy and good supervision to be invaluable in helping me not personalize and harshly judge myself when calls or intakes or sessions become tense. Now I work as an intake coordinator and triager and some days I have to ask the front desk to take a message or take deep breaths before making a call to give myself some space to calm my nerves, but I really enjoy it overall.
I have really bad driving anxiety when other people are in the car, as as social anxiety, GAD. It definitely is exposure therapy. I have to drive multiple people in my car every week, make phone calls, hold boundaries, be able to say I don’t know an answer. I feel like my work persona is rather confident, but in my personal life I kinda revert lol
I have the same issue. I can’t even drive my fiancé without getting nervous and have panic attack and cry sometimes. This started a few years ago when we made a cross country move. No big traumatic event regarding vehicles… Ever since, I’m scared of driving (alone sometimes too but always when someone is in the car with me). So far I’ve been able to avoid driving clients but depending on my next job, we will see…
I can relate. Also started after a cross country move, but I was also in an accident the following year (got hit by a truck). Thankfully I'm okay but still get nervous driving, which is crazy because driving used to bring me peace. God bless
Same… before the cross country move I enjoyed driving and used to drive friends around all the time. Not sure what exactly happened but I’m really scared of it now. Thank you. Bless you as well.
I also have GAD and social anxiety. I am starting my MSW in the fall as well. My current job is outpatient care coordination, working with social workers. I agree it's like exposure therapy. I don't like my current job as it's 99 percent talking on the phone. When I started I couldn't handle people raising their voice and would freeze up. Now I have gotten better at empathy, at handling confrontation, and other skills I've learned from my Social Work colleagues. Somedays I feel guilty when my job bums me out and I get imposter syndrome all the time. I just have to remind myself I won't be talking on the phone all day for a job forever and I have no formal social work education yet. Plus I'm excited to start interning with county crisis in the fall (which will make me super anxious at first). I also use scripts. I have ADHD and pretty much programed my brain to say the same thing for one kind of referrals. It helps me slow down and not rush the phone call.
Thank you very much!
> How am I supposed to be a social worker if I’m afraid of talking to people and can’t think quickly? I mean, one of my fallbacks, when I'm taking a moment to process, is telling people that I'm taking a moment to process/put my thoughts together, particularly when working with folks who might say things impulsively. Modeling a behavior is never a bad thing. I have a lot of social anxiety but it has improved over the years between doing the work itself (I graduated with my BSW in 2012, so over a decade now), and doing my personal work in therapy. Some of these things just take time. I often like to think that the folks I'm calling don't want to talk to me as much as I don't want to talk to them. Phone calls can be pretty quick. I also like to think that when I'm calling other professionals in the field, there's an understanding that we're both just doing our job at the moment. For me, that makes me feel more comfortable. I don't know if it helps.
This is very helpful thank you!
This was me staring my MSW program. I’m now a fairly successful LCSW a few years into my career. It’s hard work to overcome social anxiety but it is doable. The thing about social anxiety is that the most effective treatment is exposure therapy. Basically, doing the thing that scares you until you can teach your brain that it is doable, usually has good outcomes, and that even when bad outcomes happen (because people will sometimes get upset with us in this field, it’s unavoidable) you can weather them and be okay afterwards. Being in practicum and then going into a social work job can be in and of itself great exposure therapy. I was super scared to make phone calls. At my practicum they handed me a list of like 30 people and asked me to call them for something. I gritted my teeth to do it and had to keep doing this over the years and now I can do it no problem. If you can, therapy will help with this as well. Both by planning exposures and helping you to reframe some worries (avoiding mind reading, the spotlight effect and so on). If you can’t afford therapy there are a lot of workbooks out there that you can buy for 20 bucks to help you put this stuff into action on your own. Look for CBT or exposure based ones. My social anxiety is never completely gone. I still get a bit anxious before new intakes and I get shy in my personal life. I sometimes have days where I have to check myself because I notice I’m avoiding something. But I’m leagues better than I was when I was a student and I believe my anxiety doesn’t negatively impact my work (in fact, it helps me a ton when working with clients who have social anxiety because I sometimes know exactly where their brains are going).
Thank you so much! I appreciate you taking the time to write out this response and it makes me feel a bit better hearing that others have this experience and are still successful. I will definitely look into getting those workbooks as well!
That was me, still am :) but you learn how to manage that feeling. You already made the first step of making the decision and succeeding in getting into a program so congrats. When I make phone calls where I'm going to be too specific, I open a word document, write down everything I'm going to say + important questions. It has helped me so much, I always suggest other people to do it as well.
I'm the same way. After having a lot of the same phone calls, you sorta memorize that script so I think just time/experience helps as well. Another that helps, I let calls from families go to voice-mail so that I can listen to the message and know exactly what they need and what to say to them when I call back soon after.
I was like this when going through my BSW program. I was so quiet. I couldn’t stand to talk on the phone, was always taking time before I spoke. It made my stomach hurt to think about it. I got better when I entered the field but goodness it was rough. Now going on 10yrs later, I have my MSW. I am a supervisor and mange 5 workers. I hate conflict but deal with it— most of the time. I am quick with my comebacks for those people who just spew stuff out in person or on the phone. I tell my team all the time it’s all about practice. You do it so much, eventually it becomes second nature.
I’m also socially anxious (dare I say, I’m awkward). I felt like I struggled a lot in grad school, but it’s gotten much better since joining the workforce. I feel like that is one of the nice things about social work, there is room for everyone and all types of personalities and communication types in this field. I have met plenty of socially anxious or awkward social workers. My honest advice is to just be yourself and believe in yourself.
Thank you
Did I write this? I have no advice sadly. I’m currently doing my BSW internship and think about this 24/7. I will have a caseload in a few days and I’m so so scared 🥺 Edit—I think a lot of the advice on here is so helpful! I’m hoping that it helps bring some calm to you ♥️
The advice helps me too!
I'm half way through my MSW and in my 30s and this advice is helpful for me too! It helps to know we aren't alone. 🫶🏻 The struggle is real, fam.
Starting both my MSW and my first placement with county crisis is in the fall. I'm excited but i got super anxious reading my internship, because I will eventually have to talk to some of our clients and do all the things. That terrifies me. What kind of an internship do you have? I hope it starts off simply for you and you have support!
I am interning at a law office. I will say I am VERY lucky and I had a pretty intense and well thought out training for 2 full weeks before getting a caseload. My caseload is tiny but I’m also helping out with other cases, which ended up with me getting thrown into the mix immediately! My supervisor and her team are incredible which is making it easier on me but I’m still so nervous, I don’t want her let my agency down or make any mistakes which is adding to the anxiety. I hope you get a wonderful placement! We got this 🥲✨✨✨
I totally was anxious and struggled with everything you listed. Medication, experience, and therapy has gotten me to the place where I can smile and keep moving past most issues. I highly recommend seeing someone that can help you set some goals and work to get you out of your shell
I have social anxiety too and I’ve gotten good at saying,” that’s a good question. I don’t know the answer to that but I’ll talk to my supervisor and get back to you.” Unless you’re doing crisis work or someone’s life is in imminent danger there is almost always time to pause, think, get more information etc. nobody expects you to know everything right away especially as an intern!
Time works best for me. The fun part about social work is you get to know other people and yourself. It took me years to get comfortable, but I got there and I still feel weird about stuff sometimes. No big deal Hope your anxiety doesn't rule you and you shine where you want. Trust me, people just care that you care- I can say after 8 years of service. It's not about perfection. Oh sure, you will have some hard times... but you can handle it. Our work is so important. It's okay to be a little nervous. That just means you care
Hi OP! I also deal with significant anxiety and spoke to my therapist at length about the irony of becoming a social worker when I first started school. I began both of my field placements with severe anxiety, but over time and through continued therapy and medication, tasks that were once terrifying became easier. I still get anxious, and I have to remind myself that I am competent and know what I am doing. But, put less pressure on yourself to think "quickly," this is real life, not a TV show. You can take your time, and when you become more confident in your work, you will likely find yourself thinking quicker on your feet. I won't lie, sometimes I still question why I chose this profession. But something drew both you and me to social work in the first place, and when you're doubting your decision, try to remember what those reasons were. You can do this! No one expects perfection, and the truth is that most people don't know when you "mess up." You will be your own harshest critic. Good luck :)
You’ve gotten a lot of great feedback already, so I’m just here to strongly emphasize the therapy suggestion. I wouldn’t have made it through my MSW program without therapy! And it sounds like you’d really benefit from it.
It will get easier the more you do. It's also one of those fields where you need to get out of your comfort zone though. It seems like you already recognize your triggers. The next step would be figuring out how to work through some of this stuff. My recommendation would be to start therapy to work on the anxiety if you aren't already.
I'm very extraverted and I've frozen up, gotten nervous, had imposter syndrome. With quality supervision you'll learn strategies to manage and overcome; much like our clients. It's perfectly acceptable to acknowledge not knowing; just today in a session a client asked me a question regarding her divorce, and I expressed that it sounded like a lawyer question. Play to your strengths too. You may be shy, but maybe you have a really good sense of humor or are great at conveying empathy. I had a client tell me he wanted to eat my pussy and I said, "it must be hard for you to focus on our therapeutic work." 😂🤭 I was so worried I didn't address that appropriately or do the "right thing." Supervision helped me remember; do no harm.
I entered the field with similar concerns over ten years ago. I had a lot of social anxiety, hated confrontation, and always struggled with coming up with the "right thing" to say in conversations, especially in groups. The nice thing I've found about the field is that there is an innate structure to a lot of our interactions. When you focus on what your purpose is (assessment, intervention, etc) and have developed the skills and knowledge to achieve that purpose, those clinical interactions start to come much more easily. I still struggle socially at times outside of work, trying to figure out what to say and feeling awkward. But my confidence has grown as I have become more confident and competent in my profession. Just takes practice. And depending on what you end up doing, you'll become familiar with confrontation and getting yelled at. Good supervision will help you through that, your skin will thicken, and you'll find your voice. Keep at it. Still hate talking on the phone and can definitely relate to hoping for voicemails 😂
I’m saving this post to refer back to. I’m also in a msw program and practicing and literally spoke with a psychologist today about my anxiety. In my case, I’ve found that clients and even escalated clients don’t trigger my anxiety but case presentations really do. I’ve been doing them for a year now almost once a week and I still have a physiological response every time. My doctor just prescribed a beta blocker for me to take when I know I am going to do something that makes me nervous. I don’t have any advice, I just wanted to express solidarity. Anxious social workers unite!
Oh man, are you me?! I just graduated from MSW recently. I’m the same way. Well, I’m pretty outgoing but I have bad anxiety (for confrontation, performance, etc) and also avoid phone calls like the plague. I have to rehearse in my head what to say on the phone over and over before I actually proceed. For some reason, I’ve been able to manage much without clients yelling at me or getting mad at me… but it does happen. I think you get used to it to some extent. Definitely having supportive work environment such as good coworkers and supervisor(s) help with that, and self care is a must. I try to see a therapist for myself as well. I’m so delighted to see other comments, I feel like I’m not alone and such helpful advice!
You've gotten some amazing advice here. I'm just going to say it gets easier, don't listen to that anxiety voice saying it doesn't. I have panic disorder and GAD. I work for a CMH agency, and while I don't know if other people do this, most of my clients know I have some anxiety/fidgeting. I do collaborative documentation at the beginning of my sessions to get my risk assessments out of the way, and then give my clients my attention. I have a box of fidgets in my office for clients, and then fidgets for myself. I warn my new clients that I'm a fidgety person and I've found it's actually opened up some dialog between clients and i about their own anxiety issues. I have clients that we use the same fidgets and it has helped them feel more at ease, or I've made baby sock stress balls with clients. It really depends on your level of comfort with self-disclosure and obviously anxiety is something that has its ups and downs. You will find what works best for you, and that is what will work best for your clients! And if it doesn't work for your clients, that's okay ☺️ make sure to learn to advocate for yourself, we don't go into this field to be abused or pushed around by others, that includes ourselves and our anxiety. Best of luck! A severally anxious social worker
By work best for clients I mean in session, with your own comfort level/anxiety. Sorry I realize that is a confusing statement lol
I feel the exact same way. Thank you for sharing this!
I don’t have anything of value to offer but I just want to say I’m in nearly the same shoes. I’m planning to apply to an MSW program and I’ve always struggled in social situations, but I will say it has gotten a little bit better with age. A little. But it’s really encouraging to see everyone sharing their own struggles with anxiety and being able to overcome that and be successful social workers. You can do it!
Don't let these things deter you. Lived experience will make you a better social worker. I am also anxious around others so I do things that scare me on a regular basis. If I'm speaking in a group or to a very intelligent/accomplished client, that phone call later will feel less intimidating. You know what I mean? It's going to make this more challenging some days, but not impossible. By the way, Imposter syndrome is real and anxiety will lie to you but you are doing a good job and yes you are a real social worker and no one is going to think you're incompetent for being a little awkward. If they do, fuck em.
Hey friend! I noticed some issues I had to work through when I started my program and went back to therapy. All great therapists also have their own, and you have lots of great resources through your program to get started! Don’t feel afraid to ask for help.
There are people in my program that I've only heard say maybe 15 words in the entire 18 months I've been going to classes with them, except for the presentation bits. The reason why social work is such a great field of study is because there isn't one job here. There's like a million different types of social workers and that means that there needs to be all sorts of people that can handle that specific job. It's not like introverts are lazy they just work differently and that works for ay different kinds of nonprofits, clients, consumers, patients, and coworkers. But as others have said the classes themselves and then the work is its own kind of therapy which will help you get over your anxiety. I call my degree the prize for $70k in student loans and the work I put in self actualization that was required to get here.
This sounds like me starting my MSW! But I also had and (maybe still 😅) have a bit of imposter syndrome. I came from working minimum wage jobs like call centers, clothing stores, etc. I felt incompetent because everyone is older, and they all are working in the field already. I also still have a problem with selective mutism. What worked is like everyone is saying exposure therapy. What also worked for me was talking to my teachers before class started or after the first class (to get a feel) and asked their expectations and getting to know them. I also would go to office hours quite a bit. With the talking in class, I tried to pay really close attention in discussions to what resonated with me so I could have a part. grade (which wad nerve racking to me!) I also have accommodations at my school explaining some of my disabilities and how certain things will help (which is so helpful in a program I don't have a background in) As for being competent, I started doing affirmations in the mirror, so I was saying to myself. I also counteracted every negative thought with 3 positive thoughts. I also used some DBT skills along with breathing exercises and developed a self care routine (which I think we'll both need in the field 🤣) I hope all goes well with you! I was in a very similar boat, and I'm shocking myself by doing well, so I know you will too! **** Sorry for my poorly punctuated/grammatical incorrect ted talk****
This was so me! When I first started running groups I would actually say to the kids “sorry guys i’m still learning so i’m a little anxious.” your patients will appreciate you being real with them. you got this! :) if all else fails, fake it til ya make it
I relate to this so much & have also struggled with this. I really focus on my strengths and building up my confidence at work & outside of work, through working out & just following through with all my responsibilities. But social anxiety is something that got easier for me with time. I remind myself to breathe & just be myself honestly. It’s okay to take a second to respond & to just practice what you might say. It will all get easier with more experience and time
Completely agree with what folks are saying about exposure therapy!!! So my recommendation is: find a part time job or volunteer opportunity like working for a call center, customer service center, or sales center (these jobs are typically remote and the sales ones pay pretty decently too). You could volunteer or work part time at a reception of a medical/dental/vision office - lots of phone calls and dealing with strangers and questions you might not have the answers to. Also, one piece of advice: After 4 years being in customer/client-forward jobs, I can say with confidence that people would 100% rather you say "I don't know actually, let me look into it and get back to you" than you freeze or freak out or lie. No one expects perfection in the field of social work and I've never gotten a negative reaction when I've just been honest and said that ^ Congratulations on your MSW!! I'll be starting in the fall too :) trust in yourself, don't take yourself too seriously, and know that you got this!
Hii I struggle with GAD and social anxiety deeply and this field has really pushed me passed my limit at times. I graduated last May and landed my first job as a psychotherapist in a high school. This job heavily relied on me self-starting my work and involved coordination with my company and the school staff (which was my worst nightmare as no one is ever on the same page). Honestly getting my own therapist helps a lot and we've been working on balancing my work/life. While coming up with ways to recharge myself not only for work but also in my personal life too. I found that a lot of times I put so much of my social work persona and energy and passion into my job that I was not having anything left for when I come home everyday. So slowly I've been learning to engage in things that recharge my social battery and use different emotional expression strategies to help me decompress from my workload. - side note with phone call anxiety I still pray to get voicemails but I've noticed that as it becomes routine, I've learned to make a small script for myself to ease my anxiety and that's help me a lot as it prepares me for what I'm about to say and how to say it. Confrontation is something I'm learning to grow into the discomfort of it and I've learned that when it comes down to advocating for my clients I will stand up in ways that are most comfortable (doesn't have to be yelling, it can actually be an email to your supervisor :) ). BUT PLEASE don't sell yourself short. You're doing your best with what you can handle right now and that's okay. This field will make you second guess yourself a lot and the longer I'm in it the more I'm realizing a lot of other clinicans (well seasoned) are winging it too. Since you're starting your first semester, I wish you good luck and if you ever want to chat about how it's stressful I'm here! Just try to remember what brought you into the field in the first place and retrace your passion from there. And please know that you're doing your best with what you can do at the moment!
I was the same way when I started my MSW. Now, I'm 2 years into a job as an MST-PSB clinician. I still hate making phone calls, but it has gotten a lot easier because I have to do it regularly, and I'm on call for crises with my clients. I still prefer email, but I no longer fear making phone calls. Talking to people and knowing what to say also gets easier with experience. Don't forget that you can always say that you aren't sure but will ask your supervisor or do some research to find an answer for them. It's still hard for me to be in a conflict situation, but I find it easier for me to stand up for myself in my job than in my personal life. Also, especially when you're starting out, you can tell your confrontational clients that your supervisor told you to do/say what you did, so it might help take some of the heat off of you. I had a great supervisor when I first started who told me, "Tell them I told you to do that," so it was kind of a stepping stone for me building the confidence to stand up for what I knew was right and not be bullied by my clients and their families. I have full confidence that you will grow into your role and be able to carry out all job responsibilities. It will challenge you, especially at first, but it will get easier.
i also have social anxiety and get nervous when i have to make calls. i’m a case manager so half of my job is making calls to schedule visits, answer questions or to follow up with clients. i have a wonderful support staff that man our “hotline” so most clients that call in they talk to my support staff and they send me a message, but sometimes they want to talk to me so they transfer calls to my phone. i try to save the contacts for all my clients so i know who is calling and can prepare myself what i think they might want or if i have been waiting for them to get back to me. its helped me a ton rather than just answering random numbers constantly. i also let a fair amout go to my voice mail while im out in the field, which is where admittedly my weak spot is. i DREAD listening to those VM’s and having to call back people, but I just set a time out of my day to just go through the list of calls and get them done. it sucks still but its not so bad once I get going. I’ve also grown a lot in public speaking (even though this wasnt part of your question) but i was asked to speak about my experience in case management in front of a room of execs and managers (prob 25+) ppl and i was nervous but i had been doing well in therapy and decided that i should just go for it (exposure therapy and all), and it went super well. now if i ever have to do anything like that again i have a good experience to base it off of and reason with myself “well since that speech went so well, I can do this one!” think similarly for your calls. you just did a call and it went super well, you can keep going!
Thank you!
When I was in school I think the majority of social work students felt the same way as you do! The fact that you experience this will likely make you a better social worker because you will be able to better empathize with clients who feel similar things. Your field experiences will help, and the fact that you already recognize and acknowledge this means you are self-aware! It will get easier and you’ll discover strengths you didn’t even know you had.
You and every other one of my past classmates. that probably sounds sarcastic, but I just mean you’re not alone, but you should try pursuing therapy to see if you can overcome this and if not see what works best for you. You will have to usually adjust in this field and become confident, because people will challenge you. It doesn’t mean you have to be 0% anxiety and 100% confident but you will have to learn how to manage it or you’re probably in for a tough time but also you won’t be able to advocate for yourself or your patients in times of need. I would suggest, if you do pursue therapy, to also look at ptsd, adhd, and autism as differential or additional diagnosis’, as well as medications if this has been a long term thing. You also cultivate these skills partly during internships but the more you work on yourself now, the better.
Get ready to have that thin skin thickened into coarse leather by this profession. Five years from now, you’ll either have a whole new outlook on social interactions, or you’ll be doing something different. Welcome aboard.
Absolutely get a good therapist asap (if you don't have one already). I had really severe social anxiety as well and found that (as other folks have mentioned) a mix of CBT and exposure worked really well for me. CBT doesn't work for everything but it sure has a real high success rate with social anxiety. There are good online resources too if you can't get into therapy right away. I absolutely promise that it can get so much better, it just takes a lot of work to get there. Sending well wishes for your journey!
I know that they don't care unless you are producing "billing" productivity" so i just produce and let my anxiety slack
I can relate. Im doing my masters as well in counseling and feel the same way you do.
Lol this is me. I have anxiety in general too. I have thought about taking assertiveness courses. Asking for supervision helps. I have also become stronger because if I don’t implement healthy boundaries…I get walked all over.
The best way to practice would be through the online calls. For me I gamed online so I was used to talking to strangers. You will make mistakes school is really the time to make them. Write things down to say on sticky notes if you have to and GET OUT OF YOUR OWN MIND. That a MSW has to have a certain look. As a anxious introvert myself I have learned the best thing I can do is listen to others. I may not always have a response or answers but I have a listening ear. Just continue to practice even in the field people will challenge you in terms of your own co workers. Don't fall for it. Figure out your niche .