Janet Hansen
PhD, BCBA-D, LLC

As part of our commitment to providing families with evidence-based, family-centered treatments, we offer a variety of small group interventions to meet the needs of our clients.  These groups provide an opportunity to acquire, practice, and generalize skills in a small group format with peers, enabled by an experienced, trained facilitator under the supervision of Dr. Hansen.

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Groups vary in focus, age and content according to individual and group needs. Our office currently offers five focus groups, each found below along with detailed descriptions. Please inquire about a group that may be a good fit for your child’s needs.

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While there is no one formula for a Social Skills Group, the model is to bring a small number of similarly aged and/or challenged children together to create and foster a safe, social environment where each member can practice and develop his or her social skills on a regular basis. Under the guidance of a qualified professional, the members of the group receive necessary and immediate feedback; can be redirected for continued learning; and can be praised and reinforced when they succeed, especially when they succeed together.

Central principles for Social Skills Groups include:

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• Making the abstract concrete, while providing structure and predictability

• Grouping children by language capability to maximize their interaction and reduce fear of failure

• Focusing on multiple and varied activities, particularly those that are achieved as a pair, a team or a group, rather than individually

• Selecting relevant social goals and progressing toward them sequentially and progressively

• Providing opportunities to practice learned skills beyond the group setting

For more information about Social Skills Groups, please access:
The Interactive Autism Network (IAN) Research Findings: Social Skills Groups