Our social skills therapy courses provides instruction, demonstrations, modeling, practice, and promotion of transfer and generalization in the following areas to increase skills and opportunities for positive social interactions for teens with Asperger Syndrome and high-functioning autism.
Course Offerings
American Girls’ Self-Awareness I & II
This course, for girls only, will focus on building healthy friendships with peers, identifying problems in friendships and learning strategies to deal with them. The girls will learn about the qualities of a true friend and compare those qualities with current friends to determine healthy friendships.They will learn about the behaviors that most frequently hinder a friendship, like being left out, jealousy or bullies. At the end of the course, they will celebrate healthy friendships, both in characteristics of others and in themselves.
Cracking Current Communication Codes I, II & III
Reports indicate that only seven percent of the emotional meaning in language is actually expressed with words. Through instruction, demonstrations and extensive practice, participants develop, increase and expand their ability to navigate the world of body language, non-verbal cues, facial expression and other forms of non-verbal communication.
Developing Relationships Through Communication
This course explores the reasons, components and strategies for “Starting a Friendship” while developing social understanding and social thinking skills. Participants will learn and practice a variety of social and conversational responses, and consider the reasons for different types of conversation, small talk and “getting to know others” communication.
Formulas for Social Success
For ages 11 to 15. Social understanding, social thinking and the ability to recognize and honor others’ perspectives provide the key ingredients for social success. Participants develop skills and motivation to combine these ingredients to make good impressions on others and \establish positive reputations as they think about others, what others think of them, respect authority and respect themselves.
Transition to Work I & II
This course will help develop skills related to choosing job/career directions, conducting a job search, writing resumes and cover letters, interview skills, scripts for networking, responding to criticism and the “do’s and don’ts” of maintaining a job.
Peer Relationships in the Workplace I & II
Employee relationship skills, work skills, job site behavior and time management skills will be taught through direct teaching, facilitated practice, and a hands-on work experience. Each participant will create an individualized work portfolio.
Social Boundaries and Self-Management I, II, III & IV
Adapted from Kari Dunn Buron’s A 5 is Against the Law! and including Michelle Garcia Winner’s work, this dynamic course facilitates dramatic changes in social and behavioral success with a framework that guides social understanding, social thinking, self-management, perspective-taking, and vital, unwritten social expectations and rules.