@litemindedtherapy: Most people don’t realize that how comfortable they feel speaking in groups was shaped long before they ever walked into one.. 👇🏻 If, growing up, attention felt inconsistent, conditional, or a little unpredictable, your nervous system likely learned that speaking was safest when the space felt contained. One person, clear focus and turn-taking. Or a sense of being “received.” So your body got good at waiting, at reading the room and holding back until it felt right. That can look like being articulate and engaged one-on-one… but going quiet in groups. Losing your train of thought. Needing to be invited in. Or feeling oddly disconnected even when you care about the people you’re with. As an adult, this is confusing because you might actually want to join in more. You might enjoy people, have things to say, and still find yourself hesitating. Not because you lack confidence but because your body is still running an old rule: don’t interrupt, don’t disrupt, don’t risk misattunement. Changing this usually isn’t about forcing yourself to be louder or more outgoing. It’s about slowly noticing the reflex to wait, to monitor, to stay contained - and sometimes choosing to enter the conversation before it feels perfectly safe. Letting yourself speak without a clear opening. Letting yourself interrupt. Trusting that connection doesn’t disappear just because you take up a little more space. That old strategy probably once protected your relationships but it doesn’t have to lead anymore. Who resonates? 👀 #socialanxiety #therapysession #therapytruths #highfunctioninganxiety #anxietytok

Alivia Hall | NYC Therapist

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Thursday 30 April 2026 11:53:05 GMT