Social skills development
is one of the greatest areas of need among neurodiverse teens
and yet the most difficult to get right.
Most social skills therapy groups are run with good intentions
but without empirically validated methods.
PEERSⓇ is different.
PEERSⓇ is a highly-structured social skills intervention designed for for middle and high school students. Its effectiveness has been demonstrated in dozens of studies around the globe, including randomized control trials, the gold standard of treatment research.
The 14-week program includes training components for the teen and their parents or caregivers. Each week, 2 sessions are run simultaneously. In one session, the teens work with our PEERSⓇ Certified Provider to learn new social skills through structured lessons and role play as well as real-world practice and experiences. In the other session, parents or caregivers participate in their own structured session in which they learn how to support their teen in applying the targeted skills in their daily life. The curriculum is focused on impactful, real-world skills such as:
| Conversational Skills | Handling Rumors & Gossip |
| Recognizing and Choosing Friends | Teasing and Bullying |
| Changing Reputation | Planning and Attending Get-togethers |
| Navigating Disagreements | Texting and Group Chats |
Each week, the teens and their parents/caregivers go home with an assignment for putting the new skill into action. The program includes baseline and post-treatment measurements so individual outcomes can be identified and plans made for future steps.
Frequently Asked Questions:
When are you running the program?
Our next session dates are:
High School Group (Teens in Grades 9-12): Tuesdays, 6:00 – 7:30 pm
January 14, 2025 – April 15, 2025
Middle School Group (Teens in Grades 6-8): Thursdays, 6:00 – 7:30 pm
January 16 – April 24, 2025 (No session on 3/27)
Note: We must enroll a minimum of 4 students to run each group. Group sizes will be capped at 8 participants.
How much does the program cost?
The fee for the program is $1600. This fee covers the 14 teen and parent therapy sessions as well as pre-program screening, baseline assessment, post- program assessment, and progress reporting.
Can this program be covered by insurance?
PEERSⓇ is a form of Speech-Language Therapy, so you may be entitled to some insurance coverage. We do not participate directly with any insurance plans. We can provide you with a coded superbill with a breakdown of the program in individual sessions. You can submit this superbill your insurance plan for out-of-network reimbursement. We have a certified medical biller on staff who can help make sure you have what you need for your submission.
How long are the sessions?
The therapy sessions are 90 minutes each. The teen and parent/caregiver groups run simultaneously during this time.
Will my child receive homework?
Yes! At the end of each session, teens are assigned a phone call with another group member to practice the skills covered that week.
What is my role as a parent/caregiver?
Each week, caregivers attend a separate 90-minute session to learn the skills covered with their child each week. At the end of each session, each child is assigned a phone call conversation with another group member to carry over the skills learned. As a caregiver, you will be responsible for coaching your child through the conversation and integrating the language introduced that week into the hands-on practice.
Do we have to do the whole program?
PEERSⓇ is designed as a cohesive curriculum. Every participant must enroll in the entire 14 week session and plan to attend from start to finish. Naturally, unavoidable absences will sometimes occur. In that event, the provider will work to help the participant catch up on the content that was missed.
I am really interested in PEERSⓇ but my child isn’t in grade 6-12. Do you offer groups for younger students?
Right now, PEERSⓇ does not have an elementary curriculum. The middle school curriculum may be appropriate for some 5th graders. Give us a call if you’d like to discuss you child’s situation. We will post updates on opportunities for younger children as they develop.
Will you run PEERSⓇ as a summer program?
We intend to! The plan is to run the group with twice weekly meetings over 7 weeks during the summer of 2025. If you’re interested and would like to be added to our potential group member list, please reach out and we will get you started on the planning process.
