Children
Interpersonal Skills Training
Effective and appropriate social skills are components of a happy and successful life. Some children need extra help to learn how to master the skills that lay the foundation for building friendships and social success. Groups provide:
- Fun and enjoyable activities designed to build positive peer relationships
- Small group size in which to safely practice and build skills
- Individualized goals tailored to the child’s needs
- Parent and school component to reinforce learning and aid in transference of skills to other settings
- Learn conflict resolution, negotiation, anger control, assertiveness and self-esteem
Click here for more information: Interpersonal Skills Groups
Anxiety Treatment Groups
Anxiety is the most prevalent presenting issue for children seen in psychotherapy. Anxiety can be misconstrued as behavioral problems and/or an irritable disposition. Many children with anxiety seek constant reassurance but never seem to be satisfied with rational explanations. Oftentimes, children with anxiety strongly protest when asked to join social groups such as organized sports/activities even though they may have expressed a true interest. Anxiety can present itself in many ways for children such as complaints of body aches and pains that have no medical reason or excessive time spent on homework or getting ready for school in the morning. As every child is unique, so too is the way they manifest their stress. If you notice that such behaviors seem to be interfering in your child’s life, clinical anxiety may be at the heart of the problem. Therapy for children with anxiety involves teaching the child to recognize the signs, symptoms, and causes of the anxiety and building their skill set to lessen their stress. Treatment also involves helping parents become ‘coaches’ to support their child as well as working with teachers or other adults in the community who are involved.
Groups are based on “Coping Cat Treatment Manual for Child Anxiety” by renowned child anxiety expert Philip Kendall, Ph.D. of Temple University.
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Children of Divorce and Separation
Parental separation and divorce is a most difficult transitional period for children and families and brings on feelings that can be confusing, painful and overwhelming. In this program, children learn to:
- Identify feelings and express themselves appropriately
- Cope with common changes associated with separation and divorce
- Gain support from their peers with whom they can identify and share
- Communicate more openly with their parents
Parent Groups
Positive Parenting Approaches
Effective Parenting Skills can be quickly learned and implemented. Not to be underestimated, their importance is fundamental to harmony in the home and happy and well-adjusted children. Weekly Parenting groups offer:
- Strategies to improve parent-child communication and relationships
- Understanding important underlying issues with regard to child development
- Effective limit-setting and child discipline
- Effective sibling conflict resolutions
Adolescents
Groups for adolescents include open-ended and more structured programs to address a range of issues. For support and social empowerment, our groups are process oriented with specific goals to help the teen connect with others and build friendships that are reciprocal and satisfying. By teaching teens skills of assertiveness and managing conflicts they are encouraged to make healthy choices regarding their friendships. Teens with specific issues managing anxiety may benefit from a cognitive-behavioral approach oriented group that is curriculum based and skill specific.
Adolescents with depression may benefit from the Adolescent Depression Awareness Program. This free educational program, developed by Johns Hopkins University, is designed to provide up to date, accurate information to the community in order to raise awareness regarding the symptoms of depression and the importance of detection and treatment. This program is offered to high school students, teachers, and parents.
Contact us today at 215-348-3300 to learn more about our groups or to enroll your child.
Adults
Parenting Support
Effective Parenting Skills can be quickly learned and implemented. Not to be underestimated, their importance is fundamental to harmony in the home and happy, well-adjusted children. Weekly parenting groups offer:
- Strategies to improve parent-child communication and relationships
- Understanding important underlying issues with regard to child development
- Effective limit-setting and child discipline
- Effective sibling conflict resolution
Questions? Contact us via this form or call 215-348-3300.