This course is held by The School of Life and places are strictly limited, please contact our reception to secure your spot.
‘Shyness is nice’, sings Morrissey in his song Ask Me. But when shyness leaves you feeling breathless, voiceless and even friendless, it can be anything but nice. This common temperament trait often manifests as social anxiety and it can stop you from doing the things you want to do in your life.
In her book Shy:a memoir (Text Publishing), Dr Sian Prior investigated the causes and symptoms of her lifelong struggle with shyness. She discovered that, even though shyness can’t be ‘cured’, some of the distressing symptoms of social anxiety can be alleviated. Drawing on her extensive research and her experience of wrangling her own shyness, Sian will explain the costs and benefits of having a shy personality and offer practical strategies for negotiating the challenges of living with shyness (and/or living and/or working with someone who faces these challenges)
In this day-long workshop you will learn: the significance of the approach-withdrawal temperament spectrum; why a shy person’s body gives them ‘stranger-danger’ signals when they meet new people; how shyness is both different and related to introversion; how shyness/social anxiety can impact on a person’s digestive system; what shy people can do to alleviate their shyness/social anxiety symptoms; what others can do to help them wrangle their shyness; what resources are available if you want to learn more about shyness/social anxiety.
The workshop will be conducted in a shyness-sensitive environment, with participants encouraged to explore new ideas in a safe and welcoming space.
All participants need to bring is an urge to understand themselves (and others) better, a journal (or notepad) and a pen. If you prefer to type please feel free to bring a laptop or iPad. There will be class activities but everyone’s writing material will be kept as private as participants wish.
Timetable
10.00am Workshop Begins
1.00pm Lunch Break (times vary)
4.00pm Workshop Ends
