Our current clinical research program for social phobia gives you access to our highly effective 12 week group treatment program. This program has been developed through our research unit over the past decade and includes innovative treatment techniques that have been shown to be superior to commonly used treatment approaches. Each group consists of between six to eight participants, and is led by a therapist with specialist skills in clinical psychology and the treatment of social phobia. Groups are offered at convenient times, outside of work hours.

In addition to receiving our best-practice treatment, you will also be taking part in a new treatment component that aims to improve people’s attentional control. This part of our treatment is experimental and we do not yet know whether this will lead to further improvements for participants above the success of the existing program. This is an exciting opportunity to participate in a program that continues to research ground-breaking methods for maximising people’s success in overcoming their social anxiety.

More Info: http://www.psy.mq.edu.au/MUARU/
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (02) 9850-8711
Fax: (02) 9850-6578
Address: Macquarie University, Sydney. NSW. 2109. Australia

sounds good, didn't know this group existed, hope it's not too expensive.

Re: Costs of Treatment

I would like to vouch for the program. It helped me temendously along with everyone else in my group. It's still running now in late 2011 and seems to have a rolling intake. The cost for me in 2011 was $150 with a (there's a $50 rebate if you attend a follow up meeting taking it down from $200. This still sounds a lot until your release that for roughly 12 weeks of 3-hour sessions that $150 works out to roughly $15 a session which is very cheap. By comparison, private clinical psychologists in Sydney average $170 to $220 an hour (minus $120 with the Medicare rebate); with no real guarantee of a positive outcome.

This MACQ and UNSW clinic sessions are subsidised by the university/government as they are run by honours/masters students (who are overseen by qualified psychologists). I personally prefer these student psychologists as they are closer to my age bracket making for easier learning. Both MACQ and UNSW are also prepared to reduce the fee on an ad-hoc basis if you have limited means etc. University of New South Wales runs a similar Social Anxiety therapy course one-on-one if that's more your thing. Please ask me (or them) if you would like any information. Mind you, the information I can give you is only valid for my experience at UNSW in 2010 and Macq in late 2011. Things will probably have changed since then. ie. programs no longer exist. prices go up/down.

^ I did the course in 2010. Have I encountered you perhaps (?)

I would do it again. It is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), which I don't think has been mentioned yet. Some therapy just seems to be a talkfest. The course was positive in that it involved practical assignments or homework. It broke how SA manifests down into components and addressed each e.g. attention-focussing, challenging thoughts, trying to look at things more realistically. Then the idea is to bring it all together after working on the components.

There was also understanding of what SA is, which is obviously helpful. If a therapist does not understand what the issue is, they are handicapped. There was recognition that changing things to "normal" is like trying to speak another language, which is a really good analogy. Hence you did not get the attitude that all you needed to do was "pull yourself together".

There were also insights - avoidance increases anxiety, the underlying core belief, your own perception of events is often distorted, the role of rumination - which were new information and which rang true when pointed out. Unfortunately you do not seem to be able to work them out for yourself, although you wonder why in hindsight.

It tells you what feeds into SA, and so what is significant and needs to be worked on, and how to work on it. It also gives you an intellectual framework that you can work with independently later. There is lots of information about SA, but, as I have subsequently found out, there are so many aspects to it that a lot of information is left out too e.g. that someone with SA assumes everyone dislikes them, and their reaction tends to create a self-fulfilling prophecy.

One weakness was the assumption that social skills are either present or latent, so there was nothing about the unwritten rules of conversation.

The section on the core belief came at the end, and should have been at the beginning in my opinion, for the very reason that it lies at the core. The method of counteracting it seemed insubstantial too - you write down your new helpful core belief, and the old one, which has obviously had such a grip on you, conveniently melts away like frost before the morning sun.

There was not much on how SA tries to preserve itself through incorrect perceptions etc. That was touched on towards the end when one of the convenors pointed out in passing that the feeling you have that the exercises were silly is an example of SA trying to preserve itself. To me that insight was a highlight of the course. That could have been a separate module in itself, which should have appeared at the beginning of the course. It is helpful to know that SA is running interference on you, and that negative reactions which can be a stumbling-block are not realistic.

Overall, absolutely worth doing, and if some of the extras mentioned above were added, and it lasted correspondingly longer and\or were more intensive than weekly meetings, it would be really good. An action plan is drawn up. There is a workbook, and so you can use it on an ongoing basis.

Would like to second the opinion about the CBT approach to social anxiety. Very handy. There's an emphasis on learning new behaviours/ways of thinking. So each week you have 'homework' assigned. You don't lie down on a therapists couch and discuss childhood traumas or whatever. To be brief, it's a good appraoch and it will help you feel better.

That's really strange, i GO TO mac uni and never knew this existed... guess im a couple years too late though!

It is run by the Emotional Health Clinic at Macquarie University:

http://www.socialanxietysupport.com/...-sydney-65905/

Why are you too late?

sydney is all about money and rip off lol

Actually the course is free. There is a bond which is refundable at the end of the course. The bond is adjusted to suit your means.

I think this comment is an example the self-perpetuating nature of SA. Apparently only 25% of people take up the opportunity for treatment when it is offered to them (much less seeking it out).

I did the course in 2014. I would say it helped a lot. (But in saying that I have been working towards "curing" my social anxiety for around 6 years now. Overall the course helped and i know others in my group got a lot out from it too.

Don't expect 100% recovery (Your Recovery is up to you) But if i compared myself 6 years ago to today, I'm a very different person.... despite that i have my good days and bad days and exp small amounts of anxiety, which is when i get my workbook out and start on the exposure and challenging my behaviour exercises.