Hi everyone. This is my first time posting in this subreddit though I'm an avid lurker.

A few months ago I started going to weekly group therapy for my social anxiety by recommendation of my therapist, and it's been tremendously helpful for me. I really can't stress it enough for anyone who's on the fence about going. Anyway, there is a guy who occasionally comes to the group and I've come to really like him. Aside from being cute, he has a very calming voice and comes across as very intelligent. He doesn't often speak in group, but when he does I always enjoy hearing what he has to say. It honestly makes my entire week just to see him and I can't help but feel happy in the days following the group. I think what I like the most about him, though, is the fact that he also has social anxiety. I've never really met a potential love interest who also has SA, but going to group therapy has made me realize that the socially anxious come in all forms of people. I'm starting to think that it'd be absolutely ideal to be with someone who also has SA because they'd understand my worries and be compassionate to the things I feel day-to-day (and I'd love nothing more than to do the same for them).

I want to give myself a high dose of exposure and let him know that I think he's really great and that I'd love to get to know him, but I have no idea how to do it. Since I know he's socially anxious too, I don't know how to go about doing it without being too forward. I definitely don't want to make him feel awkward, especially if he doesn't feel the same way or if he happens to be taken (we've never talked before but he has smiled at me once). As for me, I'm terribly awkward around guys that I like so I don't even know if I could get through it seamlessly, if at all. If anybody has any advice they could lend me on how to approach another anxious person, I'd really appreciate it. And thank you for reading!