Everything you need to overcome social anxiety
Free, for as long as you need it and with no wait times. We’re run by peers and volunteers.
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Self-help guides
Impactful guides and interviews with leading researchers, experts and people living with social anxiety. To give you tactical advice and ideas on topics related to social anxiety.
How it works
1. Find a new cohort group
Your entry into WalkTheTalk is by joining a new cohort group. We’re launching new ones each week.
It’s a group of 10-12 members. In the years we’ve run them, we’ve found that members value consistent connections – the same group of people you meet each week (with some new faces occasionally joining).
You’ll get to know your group over the weeks. By meeting the same people over, you’ll form bonds and even friendships.
Groups meet each week or two online. They meet on the same day and at the same time, so make sure you can commit to it.
We have a simple formula for group meetings. We go around the room and check in with one another.
We each have ~5 minutes to say how we are feeling, what’s been going well/not well since last meeting and what you’d like to achieve before the next meeting.
We encourage conversation, people to ask questions, challenge negative thought patterns and to share wisdom. If you’re curious, you can ready the ‘operators manual’ here.
The formula is designed to motivate and support you to try new situations in new ways in the ‘real world’.
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A system to put you out of your comfort zone
Every aspect of WalkTheTalk helps you grow, in a safe space and at a pace that suits you. It’s modelled on this simple loop.
2. Attend your first meeting
The first time you experience the loop that’ll help you grow.
The first meeting is slightly different. It’s an induction session, run by an experienced WalkTheTalk member.
They’ll explain more about what to expect over the weeks, a little about their journey with WalkTheTalk, some of the theory behind social anxiety and breaking the cycle of avoidance.
Most of the meeting will be about you though. We’ll go around the room for the first time.
For some, it’s the first time they’ve opened up about how they feel. For everyone, it’s a new experience and the first opportunity to put yourself out of your comfort zone and feel the change.
There’s no pressure and there’s no right or wrong thing to say or do.
Though we encourage it, you can have your camera switched off to start with if it’s easier.
It’s a safe space and everyone in the meeting has experienced what you’re feeling.
Even if things go catastrophically wrong on the day, everyone else gets it.
We’ll end the first meeting by agreeing a simple rota system for future sessions. Each week one person will play the part of host.
It’s not as scary as it sounds.
It means they’ll be the person to go first before handing it to the next person to speak. They’ll also be responsible for timekeeping, making sure everyone has an equal chance to speak.
3. Keep on going!
The key to overcoming social anxiety is to continue to break the cycle of avoidance and reflect on your experiences in a way that rewires old thought patterns.
Keep coming back for as long as it’s needed. You’re welcome to join other groups if they have capacity, and can even join a brand new cohort group if you like.
Now you’re in, make use of everything we have to offer:
Join a group to start your journey
Everything’s explained in the first meeting by an experienced member.
Social practice sessions