SOCIAL SKILLS GROUPS
(aGES 8 TO 18)
OUR GOAL IS SIMPLE.
Our goal is to help equip our clients with more confidence and understanding of the social world so they can meet the goals they have within it.
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Each group provides not only a safe, inclusive and (hopefully) fun environment for them to learn side by side peers their own age and developmental level- but also focusing on natural, unstructured interactions with "teachable moments" throughout as they engage, play and goof off with age and developmentally appropriate peers!
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PEERS®
Social skills
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For our older social learners (ages 8 & Up ), we use The Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills (PEERS®) developed at UCLA in the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior is world-renowned for providing evidence-based social skills treatment to children, adolescents, and young adults with Autism Level 1, ADHD, Anxiety, Depression, and other socio-emotional difficulties.​ We couple the PEERS® curriculum with Social Thinking®, which focuses on helping kids figure out how to observe, process and respond in social situations.
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Therapeutic gaming
Therapeutic gaming uses table top role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons as a fun, structured way for tweens and teens to practice real-life social and emotional skills without it feeling like “therapy homework.” In the game, students create characters, solve problems together, take turns, read social cues, handle frustration, make flexible choices, and practice communication in a safe imaginary world where mistakes are part of the adventure. For neurodivergent kids, this can be especially helpful because the game gives them clear rules, shared goals, predictable structure, and lots of opportunities to build confidence, teamwork, perspective-taking, and emotional regulation while they are deeply engaged and having fun.
WHAT DOES A SOCIAL GROUP AIM TO HELP WITH?
KIDS STRUGGLING TO MAKE OR KEEP FRIENDS
SOCIAL ANXIETY OR SOCIAL AVOIDANCE BEHAVIORS
DIFFICULTIES ENGAGING IN NATURAL PLAY OR CONVERSATIONS
CHALLENGES IN READING THE SOCIAL CUES OF THOSE AROUND THEM
THOSE WHO ARE INFLEXIBLE WITH PEERS
DIFFICULTIES WITH PERSPECTIVE TAKING OF OTHERS
MEET THE TEAM
Curtis Valvo,B.S.
PEERS® Certified Provider & Social Skills Program Director
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Laura Labus, COTA/L
Social Coach
Maria Vorel, M.A.
Social Coach