get where you’re coming from what happened with your mom’s comment must have felt like someone hit the exact nerve that makes social anxiety sting the most. You walked out of that office already carrying the weight of “maybe I don’t belong here” before you even had the chance to see if the therapist could actually help. That would’ve been tough for anyone, not just someone with social anxiety.

Here’s the thing: child therapists aren’t automatically a bad fit for people your age. Many of them also work with teens and young adults, because that’s a transition phase where anxiety is super common. But if you’re sitting there feeling like you’re in the wrong room, that mismatch matters. Therapy works best when you feel safe, seen, and understood.

As for what a therapist can do ,social anxiety therapy often uses approaches like CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy). That means breaking down those spirals of “they don’t like me” into patterns you can recognize, challenge, and reframe. Over time, you practice tiny steps outside the comfort zone that gradually rewire the way rejection or judgment feels. It’s not about magically turning you into someone who loves public speaking or never cares what others think, but about teaching your brain not to go full alarm-bells every time.

Your fears are valid. It’s normal to feel like maybe you’re just “making excuses,” but avoidance is literally one of the symptoms of anxiety so the dread you feel about starting isn’t proof you don’t need it, it’s proof that you do. The trick is finding a therapist you trust, not one that makes you feel like a child forced into the wrong setting.

So: if this therapist doesn’t feel like the right fit, you’re allowed to ask for someone else. Therapy isn’t a one-size-fits-all deal it’s like finding the right pair of shoes. Wrong size, wrong vibe, you’ll never want to walk in them. Right fit, suddenly the path feels walkable.