When you are more than just concerned about interacting within society, any social occasion is going to increase your levels of anxiety. Some counselors believe that role-playing therapy can help individuals manage the situation so they are less stressed in the company of others.
Reducing or Eradicating Your Fears
Mixing socially works wonderfully for individuals who are confident in knowing what to say and how to behave. For others, the thought of meeting strangers within a social interaction brings with it a high level of fear and one of the worst possible situations they can imagine experiencing.
Role-playing therapy can help place individuals into the circumstances of interacting socially, with councilors. The intention is to help the individual understand what is happening and to teach skills that will help eliminate the fear of talking to someone you have never met before.
Once they have mastered these new skills, the role-playing therapy can be moved into the real world and the individual will achieve success by repeating skills, phrases and actions, that will enhance their capabilities within a social meeting.
These skills will not be developed quickly, as it is a gradual process which develops through learning the role-playing skills and then rehearsing the methods time and time again. The intention is to help relax the individual so that any nervous feelings are prevented from taking control of the situation. By feeling confident with exchanging conversations with a stranger, the role-play will quickly come into its own.
The counsellor will teach skills that may involve relaxation techniques and learning how to breathe and calm the individual down, when they sense they may become nervous and heading towards a panic outbreak.
The role-play will show the individual that when areas of conflict arise, they can recognize the situation and repeat a variety of methods including discussion pieces that can defuse the stress which affects people both emotionally and physically.
