Social Skills Groups

At SDCST, we strive to help children and young adults succeed socially. We have a special interest in social pragmatics, and we value the importance of social skills linked to one’s success academically, in extra curricular activities, within his/her career, home life, and throughout a person’s lifetime. We work with children and young adults with a variety of social skills needs and levels, and we tailor our social groups to meet the needs of all of all of the participants.

Depending on the needs of our patients, we run a specialized program that we developed called “Social Stars” for children with social challenges, autism, and Asperger’s Syndrome.  Social Stars is a unique program in that it is based on an inclusion model where typical peers and children with social challenges are able to interact and develop language and social skills through structured-play activities. This is one of the only groups in San Diego where peer role models are grouped with the children with social-language challenges.  In our social groups, we use a variety of direct and indirect techniques and strategies derived from programs such as Floortime/DIR, Michelle Garcia Winner, Model Me, and RDI to teach language skills and socials development.  Our sessions may involve direct teaching instruction and also play-based, child-focused activities.  Our programs utilize age appropriate interactive social and language activities such as:

• Arts/crafts activities
• Cooking activities
• Sharing time
• Video modeling of social skills
• Music assisted learning
• Social stories
• Pretend/imaginary play
• Gross motor games
• Thematic acting/role play
• Comic book/cartoon creation

Topics and goal areas are introduced each session and materials for home practice are also provided. Topics are tailored to the patient’s needs and social developmental level and may include:

• Greetings
• Sharing
• Turn-Taking
• Asking Questions and Commenting To Peers
• Initiating and Maintaining Play and Conversations
• Shared Enjoyment With Peers
• Body Language and Eye Contact
• Emotions/Sensory Regulation
• Pretend/Imaginary Play
• Following Classroom Rules and Listening to the Teacher
• Engaging In Group Conversations
• Sensory Calming Strategies and Ways To Relax and “Go With The Flow”
• Ways To Be a Flexible Thinker
• How To Not Be A “Police Officer” When Someone Breaks A Rule
• Dealing With Peer Pressure
• Perspective Taking
• Ways To Be A Social Detective
• Social Problem Solving Strategies
• Understanding Sarcasm
• Reading Non-Verbal Cues
• How To Know When To Stop Talking In A Conversation
• How To Ask Other’s Questions In A Conversation
• Whole Body Listening
• Being Socially Curious
• AND MUCH MORE!!!!

Contact us to see what social groups we are currently running or what we are able to set up for your child!