Social Skills Group
Opportunity for pre-teen and teen boys to socialize begins in August!! We are excited to announce the Teen Boys Detective Club (social skills group) run by Autism Spectrum Consultants.
Pre-teen and teen boys with autism face ongoing social skill challenges that may leave them at risk for emotional problems such as: loss of confidence, frustration, fatigue, avoidance, withdrawal, anxiety, suspiciousness, depression, increased dependency and loss of social support and activities.
Three male therapists will meet weekly to guide preteen and teen boys in an experientially based social skills group. The goal is to tackle the “hidden curriculum” of our everyday social-life, and to teach the boys how to handle themselves in a variety of social settings from restaurants to movie theaters and community facilities.
Additionally, while the boys go on their adventure, the parents will meet with a parent support group leader in order to review social skills progress, discuss concerns and address related behavioral strategies.
The groups will be limited to a maximum of 9 pre-teen to teen boys (ages 11 to 16) to experientially learn how to socialize in 1:1, small groups and large groups of people across a variety of contexts. The tasks they engage in will promote positive interpersonal relationships by working on the following skills: using appropriate levels of eye contact, planning social events, staying on topic, initiating and ending conversations appropriately, and referencing others (feelings, thoughts, actions) before acting. Additionally, the detective club will work on money management, navigating the community, practicing phone skills and using computers for information and communication between peers. Weekly homework assignments will consist of staying in contact with peers and group leaders via email and/or the phone throughout the week to organize for the next sessions activities.
When: Monday evenings, 5 - 7:00 p.m. (2 hours)
Parent group meets from 5:30-6:30 p.m. allowing 30 minutes of drive time to drop off and pick up their boys.
Where: ASC’s office location is in Irvine, California at 2151 Michelson, suite 268, Irvine, CA (meeting places for future meetings will be given on the first day of the group)
Fee: $400. TACA member families in need are eligible for a scholarship.
Register: Please call Jacob Benor or Sean Gorgie, at (949) 474-5577 for more information and to register.
Parents will be asked for a commitment to have their boys attend each of the six weeks of sessions and to complete questionnaires prior to and after the six weeks with the group.
Important notes:
- TACA is starting Teen Boys Detective Club in Orange County due to funding received and professionals available with experience with autism. In October, TACA will fund the existing Teen Boys Detective Club in San Diego.
- First come, first serve – please sign up as soon as possible before availability is gone.
- Thank you to our TACA friends & Autism Spectrum Consultants, Inc. for making this much needed program happen!
- No shows on the first date of the social skills group will lose their spot in the program to the first people on the wait list.
- No changes on meeting dates or times can be made – sorry. Please check your schedule before committing to this program.
- Special thanks to TACA's anonymous sponsor for helping us start this important program.
- You must be a TACA member and have a child with autism or Asperger’s to receive a TACA scholarship for this program.A minimum of 1 parent per teen is required to attend the parents support group with the Assistant Clinical Director while their teen is on the social skills excursion with the social skills group leaders.
