Social Skills Group

Group sessions focus on teaching children a variety of basic social skills. Sample topics include:

  • How to introduce oneself
  • How to display friendly body language
  • How to start a conversation
  • How to keep a conversation going

The sessions are also experiential, with skills practice through games and roleplays, so participants can develop and refine skills in real time. Parents are invited to join for the last 10 to 15 minutes of each session, so the group members can share what they learned and practice the skills again with parents and each other. This way, parents can learn how to help their children practice the skills outside the sessions.

The group meets weekly for one hour and is designed for children ages 10 to 12 years. The group is offered in six-week cycles with the option to continue for additional cycles. Feedback is individually provided to parents at the end of the six-week cycle. This group meets Mondays from 5 to 6 p.m. and Wednesdays from 4 to 5 p.m.

Boys’ Group

Boys’ Group is an ongoing process-oriented group for middle and high school boys. The group provides a confidential space for boys to be open about personal issues and to gain support from their peers. The topics discussed each week arise from group members themselves rather than from a set curriculum chosen by the group leader(s). Group members can discuss:

  • Personal concerns or everyday problems
  • Relationships with friends, family members or significant others
  • Specific reactions, thoughts or feelings to events within the group

Boys’ Group currently meets on Tuesday afternoons from 4 to 5 p.m.

Executive Function Skills Group

Skills group focused on building self-awareness and strategies in:

  • Setting goals
  • Starting activities or tasks
  • Planning and organizing
  • Following directions
  • Managing time
  • Remembering
  • Thinking flexibly
  • Controlling oneself

The group is designed for middle and high school students who struggle with executive functions, which are a set of cognitive processes that have to do with managing oneself and one's resources in order to achieve a goal. This group meets on Thursday afternoons from 4 to 5 p.m. on an ongoing basis with an eight-week cycle.

For more information, email the intake coordinator, Cristina, at cristina.rivera@inova.org with “group therapy” in the subject line.