Social Skills Groups

Social Skills Groups for ages 4 – 30

Key Areas for Social Skills Development

Individualized Goals Are Adjusted According to Social Skills Assessment Results

I. Teach Basic Social Skills—Children with ASD, even when they have some skills in social cognition, usually lack basic social skills

II. Teach Basics of Emotions and Self-Awareness of Feelings--Children with ASD lack emotional skills, which severely impacts their ability to carry on a conversation and to develop relationships

III. Teach Basic Self-Perception Skills—Finding acceptance from peers can be a great challenge for individuals with ASD, frequently because they don’t understand how they are perceived by others and what role they must play to develop successful relationships

IV. Teach Social Cues Interpretation—Managing the demands of the school and other social environments challenges individuals with ASD, and the resulting stress permeates their lives in and outside of school. The cause for this is frequently that they simply do not understand social the social cues and nonverbal communications of social interactions:

V. Teach Social Communication and Expression—Individuals with ASD lack skills in visual referencing eye contact, voice levels, rate and rhythm of speech, slang, idioms, cool expressions all components of conversational skills

VI. Teach and practice a variety of appropriate responses—Because the child with neurological impairments has a limited range of available responses, she/he may become aggressive…or withdraw—neither effective strategies for developing relationships

VII. Teach Self-Management and Sensory System Modulation and Regulation Skills—Sensory dysregulation, impulsivity, and limited coping strategies frequently cause individuals with ASD to struggle with self-management and adaptive coping behaviors.

VII. Provide extensive direction and opportunity for a wide variety of experiences, exposure, skill rehearsal, and activities—Individuals with ASD frequently have a limited range of interests and expanding the range opens up life-enriching opportunities, as well as provides the forum for skill generalization through exposure across settings and people.

GENERAL PLACMENT INFORMATION

·                      Typically 3 - 5 clients per group 

·                      Clients grouped by developmental and chronological age and by ability level

·                      Licensed facilitator with one or more assistants (Ratio 1:2 ð 1:3)

·                      1:1 Support available for extra fee    

·                      Typical peers working in most groups

·                      Ages 4 - 12 begin with “Catching on to Getting Along” and progress through other curriculum as mastered.

·                      Groups include “Guided Play and Interaction” 

·                      “How to Do Recess Games” available with most groups

·                      Older clients begin with “Teens/Tweens or Young Adults Talk and Rock.”

                        Talk—Social Skills Therapy

                        Rock—Community outings to learn  and practice social skills in natural                                         settings

·                      Individual social communication sessions available by request 

·                      Video enhanced social skills therapy also available

 

FALL, WINTER & SPRING SESSIONS

8 Week Sessions

Groups meet 1 time per week for 1 1/2 - 5 hours

Groups meet Monday - Friday after school and all day on Saturday

 

SUMMER SESSION

***Extended School Year Possibility***

8 Week Sessions

Groups meet 2 times per week for 1 1/2 - 4 hours

Groups meet Monday – Friday during the day