SOCIAL SKILLS
Although many of us assume that social skills just develop naturally, this is not the case for all children and teens. There are those who need help; those who don't naturally pick up on nonverbal signals or body language, those who may stand to close to others, or those that have difficulty managing conflicts with peers. Just as you would get your child a tutor if he/she were struggling academically, there is also remediation for social skills.
I have been running social skills groups for children for many years and have found that groups are the best way to address this particular issue. Not only does the group teach the skills directly, it is also a place where the skills can be practiced with one another. The children in the group feel less alone as they meet others struggling with the same issues. In addition, as the individual's particular social issues arise within the safety of the group, he/she can directly address these issues in a therapeutic manner. Children often enjoy the group and feel more confident afterwards.
The following is a sample group outline for an eight week program.
Social Skills Group Outline
| Session I: | Skills: | Group Cooperation and Making New Friends |
| Activity: | Introduction to Group | |
| Getting to Know One Another | ||
| Creating Group Rules | ||
| Creating a Group Name | ||
| Session II: | Skills: | Making New Friends |
| Activity: | Role Plays: How to Approach New People | |
| Small Group Interviews | ||
| Session III: | Skills: | Reading Nonverbal Social Cues/Body Language |
| Activity: | Feelings Charades | |
| Quiet Role Plays | ||
| Session IV: | Skills: | Continuation of Reading Nonverbal Social Cues/Body Language |
| Activity: | Drawings, Role Plays, Possible Worksheets | |
| Session V: | Skills: | Developing Social Scripts for Possible Social Interactions |
| Activity: | Creating Social Stories | |
| Session VI: | Skills: | Conflict Resolution |
| Activity: | Therapeutic Board Game, Role Play, Discussion | |
| Session VII: | Skills: | Review of Skills, Closure and Saying Goodbyes |
| Activity: | Discussion and Ice Cream Social at Local Ice Cream Shop | |
| Session VIII: | Meetings with Parent and Child to Discuss Progress, Strengths and Weaknesses, and Recommendations. | |
For more information, please call (773)882-0373 or email me at dr_donnamarinogershon@yahoo.com