Parenting The Socially Phobic & Avoidant Adult
The socially phobic adult with avoidant personality and overly dependent behavior presents a complex and daunting therapeutic challenge. In fact, the mental health professions have been confounded by this clinical scenario. This podcast provides critical information for parents and concerned persons of adults who have had a long-term struggle or paralysis with launching. Launching refers to social, academic, career, relationship, and emotional pursuits.
Jonathan Berent, L.C.S.W. has pioneered treatment for social and performance anxiety, having worked with thousands of patients since 1978. He is the author of "Beyond Shyness: How to Conquer Social Anxieties" (Simon & Schuster) and "Work Makes Me Nervous" (Wiley). Jonathan has extensive media experience including Oprah, NBC, CBS, ABC, CNN, Fox, The New York Times, Newsday, The Chicago Tribune, and The Boston Globe. His website is www.socialanxiety.com.
Episodes
22 episodes
Parenting The Socially Phobic & Avoidant Adult: Episode 22 - Mother of 35 Year Old Describes Hope and Anguish
"Shirley" is the mother of a 35 year old with a masters degree in psychology who does not work. In this interview she describes her anguish and hope, and the insidious and complex developmental process by which her son learned social avoidance,...
Parenting The Socially Phobic & Avoidant Adult: Episode 21 - Selective Mutism: 7-year-old “Cured”: “ It’s A Whole New World”
Lynn was told that her clingy, selectively mute (for 3 years) six-year-old daughter, would “grow out of it” by the family pediatrician, teachers, and other well intentioned professionals. The problem continued to worsen with time. “Sidney” woul...
Parenting The Socially Phobic & Avoidant Adult: Episode 20 - Psychopharmacology for Social and Performance Anxiety
When I started my psychotherapy practice in 1978, I was doing biofeedback and psychotherapy for stress related disorders to empower patients to heal without medication or to get off medication. Forty-five years and over 60.000 clinical hours la...
Parenting The Socially Phobic & Avoidant Adult: Episode 19 - An Attempt at Magic
“Talking in 5 Sessions” - Zachary did not talk to his mother. He talked only to father and sister. No other person. He was totally shut down. Dad described his son as his “little butterfly”. Mom said her son “broke the glass door” that trapped ...
Parenting The Socially Phobic & Avoidant Adult: Episode 18 - Teaching Parents to be Therapists: 10 Year Old
“We feel we gave birth to a whole new person”"Sophie" never talked in school until 4th grade. No one heard her voice besides parents, grand- parents, and sister. Mom said "we would do anything to set her free; nothing worked". Now...
Parenting The Socially Phobic & Avoidant Adult: Episode 17 - An Introduction to Mind States for Social & Performance Anxiety Resolution
When considering treatment for social and performance anxiety thoughtful evaluation would say that a model adapted to the specific needs of this specific anxiety is productive rather than trying to fit the condition into rigid restrictive exist...
Parenting The Socially Phobic & Avoidant Adult: Episode 16 - Mom Resolves “Break Your Heart Syndrome” to “Cure” Selective Mutism
Think of the last time someone tried to engage your child verbally and there was no response. As a loving parent you want to rescue your child from the stress of this kind of encounter. You probably experienced your own discomfort and anxiety, ...
Parenting The Socially Phobic & Avoidant Adult: Episode 15 - Performance Anxiety, Depression, Medication Dependence, Learning Disability - Freedom from Medicine & the Belief “I Was Born This Way”
“Mike”, a 26 yr. old ambitious entrepreneur describes his resolution of multiple psychological challenges. With dramatic insight he communicates the impact his special education experience had on his social anxiety and self- esteem. He original...
Parenting The Socially Phobic & Avoidant Adult: Episode 14 - Special Needs Selective Mutism 12 yr Old
Mom describes how “Jessica” age 12 struggled with selective mutism since age 8. In addition, profound developmental and social challenges were present. “Jessica” developed a system of body language to replace her own voice. Teachers were unable...
Parenting The Socially Phobic & Avoidant Adult: Episode 13 - "Adult Selective Mutism"
This is the perfect interview for people who think and wish that the young child will simply outgrow selective mutism. “Mike”, a 35-year old with SM and social anxiety describes his “avoidance of talking” because he thought “he had nothing to s...
Parenting The Socially Phobic & Avoidant Adult: Episode 12 - Physician Describes How 5-Year Old Daughter Resolved Selective Mutism
"It was like a miracle."This interview highlights a comprehensive treatment process, which occurred via telephone and skype. The father describes the steps of The Berent Methodology including; productive diagnostics, empowering parentin...
Parenting The Socially Phobic & Avoidant Adult: Episode 11 - 20 Year Old Emerges from Avoidance, Depression, and Primitive Functioning
Numerous variables can enable primitive functioning, which is defined as “spending the minimal amount of energy required to sustain a baseline lifestyle”. “Baseline” refers to substantially substandard emotional growth and development. In this ...
Parenting The Socially Phobic & Avoidant Adult: Episode 10 - Social Anxiety: The Real & Untold Story - A Deep Clinical Dive
Welcome. This is Jonathan Berent. I’m going to tell you the real story about social anxiety. You are not going to hear the real story anywhere else. I guarantee you that! This is a deep dive into a complex subject the reality of which remains v...
Parenting The Socially Phobic & Avoidant Adult: Episode 9 - Depression, Social Inhibition, & Medication Dependence Resolve: "My Quietness in social situations made people feel weird"
“I avoided social situations; especially ones where I had to walk in by myself. More and more I made excuses to avoid. I had problems with my relationship. I was depressed”. “Vicki” discusses the process of healing.
Parenting The Socially Phobic & Avoidant Adult: Episode 8 - A Profile of Anger: Bullied as a Child
Anger and rage occur at different levels of consciousness. Anger is energy. Unresolved; it recycles and drives obsessive worry , anxiety, and a myriad of problems from substance dependence to pain. Internalized anger causes depression. While it...
Parenting The Socially Phobic & Avoidant Adult: Episode 7 - "Selective Mutism: Free Seminar With Professional Baseball Player"
Kirk Rueter was a pitcher in the major leagues for 13 years. He won the most games as a lefthander for the San Francisco Giants. He and his wife Karla had two wonderful children. One had selective mutism. In this stimulating, realistic, and fra...
Parenting The Socially Phobic & Avoidant Adult: Episode 6 - Intimacy Phobia Resolved - “I Had Been Celibate My Whole Life.”
“Mike” a corporate vice president describes his long term suffering; “I never had the possibility of finding a girlfriend. I was petrifies about finding a real relationship. Now I can let loose and socialize”. This interview includes dramatic i...
Parenting The Socially Phobic & Avoidant Adult: Episode 5 - 18 Year Old Woman Conquers Social & Performance Anxiety
In this rare interview patient "Z" describes how she overcame debilitating perfectionism and performance anxiety. The average teen suffering with social anxiety does not have initiative for their mental health which requires therapeutic parenti...
Parenting The Socially Phobic & Avoidant Adult: Episode 4 - School Phobia, Avoidant Personality, Learning Disability: From School Refusal to a Graduate Degree
With special insight into the avoidance-dependence dynamics of a close knit and loving family, “David” describes his struggle with learning disabilities, social anxiety, phobic avoidance, and eventual success. David’s healing journey evolved fr...
Parenting The Socially Phobic & Avoidant Adult: Episode 3 - Adolescent Selective Mutism Resolved
The older the child, the more that selective mutism becomes ingrained into the personality and lifestyle. It can evolve into a developmental challenge as many aspects of maturation are impacted. In this case avoidant personality disorder was in...
Parenting The Socially Phobic & Avoidant Adult: Episode 2 - School Phobia, Social Phobia, Social Isolation, and Depression “Cured” - From School Refusal to “Social Butterfly”
The last thing 16 yr. old “Arthur” wanted was to go to therapy when he was in the midst of his school phobia. This social anxiety-driven problem had persisted since elementary school. He spent his days depressed; in his room playing computer ba...
Parenting The Socially Phobic & Avoidant Adult: Episode 1 - Critical Information for Parents and Concerned Persons of Adults
The socially phobic adult with avoidant personality and overly dependent behavior presents a complex and daunting therapeutic challenge. In fact, the mental health professions have been confounded by this clinical scenario. This pod...