About Social Skills Groups
Social thinking makes up the everyday communication skills that are required to build and maintain relationships. These skills are used in social interactions, personal management, self-control, reciprocal interactions, manners, abstract social exchanges, and in groups to name a few. For individuals who have social emotional challenges these skills do not come as easily as they do for others. Social skills groups provide a safe place for individuals to learn and practice these essential relationship skills with other children who are experiencing the same social challenges.
Who Will Benefit from Our Social Skills Groups
These groups are designed for children and adolescents with Autism, Asperger’s, and other social emotional challenges ages six to seventeen. Groups are formed based on needs and age.
Format of Social Skills Groups
Each session is divided into three parts.
I. Group will begin with the instruction of a social skill that will be the focus of the session. During this time members will participate in group discussion, modeling, and role playing, while providing each other with feedback.
II. During the second section of group, members will practice these skills through social interactions while engaging in activities related to that day’s skill. The group facilitator will coach members during this practice session providing ongoing feedback. Following the activity, group members will rate their progress towards applying that day’s skill.
III. Group will conclude with a short review where group members will inform their parents about what skill they practiced during the session and what they will do for homework to practice the skill over the next week.
Skills will repeatedly be reintroduced in subsequent sessions to assist children with skill maintenance and generalization across multiple settings.
Targeted Social Skills
· Conversational skills
· Friendship
· Self-awareness
· Self-monitoring
· Self-control
· Solving conflicts peaceably
· Emotion management
· Perspective taking
· Social problem solving
· Knowledge of social rules
Skill Practice
· Role playing with feedback
· Engaging in social interactions
· Modeling and observation
· Coaching
· Group discussion
· Self-monitoring
Curriculum Design
The assessment, curriculum, and program evaluation of the social skills groups will be done using the works of the following professionals in the field.
Think Social! A Social Thinking Curriculum for School-Age Students for Teaching Social Thinking and Related Skills to students with High Functioning Autism, PDD-NOS, Asperger Syndrome, Nonverbal Learning Disability, ADHD by Michelle Garcia Winner
Building Social Relationships: A Systematic Approach to Teaching Social Interaction Skills to Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders and Other Social Difficulties by Scott Bellini
Navigating the Social World by Jeanette McAfee M.D. and Tony Attwood
Family Involvement
Parent, sibling, and family sessions can be scheduled by request to facilitate member’s generalization of skills outside of the social skills groups. Family members will learn more about what the group member is practicing and how to support them at home as well as in other settings.
Learn About the Group Facilitator
Michelle Puster, M.Ed., Licensed Professional Counselor-Intern has been working with children who have Autism and other special needs for eight years. Michelle began working with children who have Autism during her undergraduate work as an Applied Behavior Analysis Lead Therapist. Michelle received her Bachelor of Science in Special Education and has worked as a Behavioral Support and Special Education teacher for the past six years. As a Behavior Specialist and Positive Approach to Student Success (PASS) teacher in Katy ISD, Michelle provided on-going support for children with Autism and other social emotional disabilities including running social skills groups with the school psychologist for students who have Autism and Asperger’s. Michelle also co-lead social skills groups for Katy ISD’s after school and summer social skills programs. Through a supportive environment Michelle provides unconditional positive regard for children and adolescents who are employing social thinking skills in a group of their peers.
Registration
For more information and to register for group please contact us at:
Office: 281-597-9291 Ext. 351
Direct: 832-361-1547