"Humans are imperfect people,
and by showing your imperfections and your flaws
you’re able to connect with people that much more."

M's Story

(video)
31-year-old gay, white man
Washington, DC

"I can just be me....
I moved forward. I took a risk, and the result has paid itself out so many times!"

K's Story

(video)
33-year-old married, white woman
Maryland, suburban DC

"I felt like I didn't really fit in with most people...
I felt like I was just bad at having conversations,
that I never knew what to say."

R1's Story

(written)
30-year-old African-American woman
Washington, DC

"I was bullied by all of my classmates....
I am a good person. No one can ever make fun of that."

Liz's Story

(audio & written)
27-year-old Hispanic woman
Maryland, suburban DC
(immigrant from Peru)

"People are finally starting to see me differently.
I'm pretty confident that there are going to be more great things along the way
that are still there for me to discover later.
Social anxiety therapy has really changed my life."

D's Story

(written)
37-year-old white, male writer
Colombia, South America
(formerly of Washington, DC)

"I struggled with shyness and low self-esteem,
specifically with regard to my physical appearance and feelings of attractiveness."

S's Story

(written)
44-year-old single, female nurse
Washington, DC

"My life is different now.
I feel like I can be who I always was inside."

I's Story

(audio and written)
56-year-old gay male, retired investment banker
Washington, DC

"It is possible to find personal strength and happiness."

Mike's Story

(written)
34-year-old Jewish man
Costa Rica, Central America
(formerly of Maryland, suburban DC)

"I finally had the courage to do things I'd always hoped I'd be able to do"

C's Story

(written)
33-year-old transgender, white woman
Maryland, suburban DC

"I fell into a core belief that
I'm fundamentally different and defective
and that I have nothing in common with
those I perceive to be 'normal.'"

R2's Story

(written)
26-year-old African American woman
Washington, DC

"I was living too much in my head,
instead of being mindful and in the moment in social situations."

J's Story

(written)
24-year-old gay man
Washington, DC

"Did I fit in? Was I gay enough?"

T2's Story

(written)
29-year-old South Asian man
Washington, DC

"Would people notice my nervousness?
Would I say something dumb?"

Judy's Story

(National Public Radio audio broadcast)
57-year-old white lesbian
Washington, DC

"Now it just seems like the experiments I did in the very beginning look so easy to me,
that I could do it without even thinking or without becoming at all nervous."

Justin's Story

(written)
25-year-old white man
Washington, DC

"Just having any person stopping by my cubicle at work
would bring feelings of trembling, blushing, sweating, and extreme tension."

N's Story

(written)
36-year-old African-Caribbean female
Washington, DC

“I felt tense, self-conscious, and paralyzed by the fear that
others would notice my anxiety and ridicule or think less of me.
I feared that asserting myself would erode my relationships
and alienate cherished family and friends."

Social Anxiety Help

T1's Story

33-year-old African American female Washington, DC

OTHER PERSONAL CHANGE STORIES

(video) 31-year-old gay, white manWashington, DC

"I can just be me.... I moved forward. I took a risk, and the result has paid itself out so many times!"

(video) 33-year-old married, white woman Maryland, suburban DC

"I felt like I didn't really fit in with most people... I felt like I was just bad at having conversations, that I never knew what to say."

(written) 30-year-old African-American woman Washington, DC

"I was bullied by all of my classmates....I am a good person. No one can ever make fun of that."

(audio & written) 27-year-old Hispanic woman Maryland, suburban DC (immigrant from Peru)

"People are finally starting to see me differently. I'm pretty confident that there are going to be more great things along the way that are still there for me to discover later. Social anxiety therapy has really changed my life."

(written) 37-year-old white, male writer Colombia, South America (formerly of Washington, DC)

"I struggled with shyness and low self-esteem, specifically with regard to my physical appearance and feelings of attractiveness."

(written) 44-year-old single, female nurse Washington, DC

"My life is different now.I feel like I can be who I always was inside."

(audio and written) 56-year-old gay male, retired investment banker Washington, DC

"It is possible to find personal strength and happiness."

(written) 34-year-old Jewish man Costa Rica, Central America (formerly of Maryland, suburban DC)

"I finally had the courage to do things I'd always hoped I'd be able to do"

(written) 33-year-old transgender, white woman Maryland, suburban DC

"I fell into a core belief that I'm fundamentally different and defective and that I have nothing in common with those I perceive to be 'normal.'"

(written) 26-year-old African American woman Washington, DC

"I was living too much in my head,instead of being mindful and in the moment in social situations."

(written) 24-year-old gay man Washington, DC

"Did I fit in? Was I gay enough?"

(written) 29-year-old South Asian man Washington, DC

"Would people notice my nervousness?Would I say something dumb?"

(National Public Radio audio broadcast) 57-year-old white lesbianWashington, DC

"Now it just seems like the experiments I did in the very beginning look so easy to me, that I could do it without even thinking or without becoming at all nervous."

(written) 25-year-old white man Washington, DC

"Just having any person stopping by my cubicle at workwould bring feelings of trembling, blushing, sweating, and extreme tension."

(written) 36-year-old African-Caribbean female Washington, DC

“I felt tense, self-conscious, and paralyzed by the fear that others would notice my anxiety and ridicule or think less of me. I feared that asserting myself would erode my relationships and alienate cherished family and friends."

33-year-old African American female
Washington, DC

(video)
31-year-old gay, white man
Washington, DC

"I can just be me....
I moved forward. I took a risk, and the result has paid itself out so many times!"

(video)
33-year-old married, white woman
Maryland, suburban DC

"I felt like I didn't really fit in with most people...
I felt like I was just bad at having conversations,
that I never knew what to say."

(written)
30-year-old African-American woman
Washington, DC

"I was bullied by all of my classmates....
I am a good person. No one can ever make fun of that."

(audio & written)
27-year-old Hispanic woman
Maryland, suburban DC
(immigrant from Peru)

"People are finally starting to see me differently.
I'm pretty confident that there are going to be more great things along the way
that are still there for me to discover later.
Social anxiety therapy has really changed my life."

(written)
37-year-old white, male writer
Colombia, South America
(formerly of Washington, DC)

"I struggled with shyness and low self-esteem,
specifically with regard to my physical appearance and feelings of attractiveness."

(written)
44-year-old single, female nurse
Washington, DC

"My life is different now.
I feel like I can be who I always was inside."

(audio and written)
56-year-old gay male, retired investment banker
Washington, DC

(written)
34-year-old Jewish man
Costa Rica, Central America
(formerly of Maryland, suburban DC)

(written)
33-year-old transgender, white woman
Maryland, suburban DC

"I fell into a core belief that
I'm fundamentally different and defective
and that I have nothing in common with
those I perceive to be 'normal.'"

(written)
26-year-old African American woman
Washington, DC

"I was living too much in my head,
instead of being mindful and in the moment in social situations."

(written)
24-year-old gay man
Washington, DC

(written)
29-year-old South Asian man
Washington, DC

"Would people notice my nervousness?
Would I say something dumb?"

(National Public Radio audio broadcast)
57-year-old white lesbian
Washington, DC

"Now it just seems like the experiments I did in the very beginning look so easy to me,
that I could do it without even thinking or without becoming at all nervous."

(written)
25-year-old white man
Washington, DC

"Just having any person stopping by my cubicle at work
would bring feelings of trembling, blushing, sweating, and extreme tension."

(written)
36-year-old African-Caribbean female
Washington, DC

“I felt tense, self-conscious, and paralyzed by the fear that
others would notice my anxiety and ridicule or think less of me.
I feared that asserting myself would erode my relationships
and alienate cherished family and friends."