What Are Social Skills Groups?
Learn more from group leader, Carly Klayman:
Our social skills groups help teach children how to enhance their relationship with peers through more meaningful social interactions. Our groups are small and structured, led by a trained professional and supported by clinical trainees.
Our groups teach children the vital social skills that they will need to feel confident and succeed in socializing with their peers. Since 2008, we have been running co-ed social skills groups for children ages 3-14. Group sizes are small, usually 3-5 kids per group, with at least 2 adults. Participants are grouped with similar aged peers.
We offer groups in our Upper West Side office and Long Island City office.
Who could benefit from a Social Skills Group?
Children who want to make friends but have a hard time making new friends, who have trouble fostering and/or maintaining meaningful relationships with peers would benefit from a social skills group. Kids who struggle with impulse control and emotional regulation in social settings could also benefit from this group.
Children and teens are assigned to groups after a clinical interview to determine “goodness of fit” for the group. The intake is intended to make sure the child/teen would benefit from the group based on their individual characteristics including strengths, weaknesses, and goals. Our groups are not designed for kids with significant cognitive or language delays, who are aggressive, require 1:1 attention, or have severe medical issues. Patients that are not ready for therapy in a small group setting will be recommended to participate in an individualized social skills primer series, which will be offered at the same rate as the group series and facilitated by a Clinical Intern.
Social Skills Groups for Children
The social skills group for children ages 3-14 follows a social thinking model that highlights Michelle Garcia Winner's Social Thinking Curriculum. We teach social skills by using social stories, video demonstration, role-plays, board games, drawing, and discussion during each group. Our therapists teach one social skill per week. Each session is highly structured, where the skill is defined and explicitly taught, which prepares children to carry-over their learned social skills into the natural environment.
Groups focus on overcoming trouble with: anxiety, assertiveness, impulsiveness, expressing feelings, problem-solving, bullying, anger, and self-esteem to increase confidence in social situations.
Parents participate by meeting separately for the last 10 minutes of the group to review weekly handouts and discuss supporting generalization of skills outside of the group.
Examples Of Social Skills Taught Each Week
- Making Introductions
- Asking for Help
- Following Directions
- Self-control: Stop and Think Before You Act
- Making Small Talk
- Resisting Peer Pressure
- Teasing vs. Bullying
- Identifying Emotions
- Personal Space
- Apologizing
- Being a Social Detective: Non-verbal cues
- Flexibility: Being a Fun Player/Dealing with Losing
- Problem Solving
- Sharing
- Being Part of the Group: Collaborating and Giving and Receiving Compliments
Group Schedule
Groups are led by Carly Klayman and Ayal Goldberg as well as our clinical trainees.
Groups range from 3-6 participants. Groups will be held in-person at our Upper West Side and Long Island City offices, once per week for children ages 3-14. Our Virtual group options are available upon request.
Sessions: Schedule
Now enrolling for Winter.
Groups meet once per week for 50 minutes.
Groups are available on Saturdays in Long Island City. Specific dates to come, in part based on participant availability and preference. Late enrollment and additional dates/times may be available upon request. Submit this form to inquire further about options on the Upper West Side. Submit this form to inquire further about options in Long Island City.
Participants learn and practice social skill building in the office during each session. Participants are grouped based on age and needs. Session times will be shared a week prior to the start of the group and are subject to change due to enrollment.
Social Skills Group Series: 8-10 Sessions
Mondays with Carly Klayman on the Upper West Side at 4, 5, 6, and 7 pm.
Tuesdays with Ayal Goldberg on the Upper West Side at 6 pm.
Saturdays with Alex/Stephanie on the Upper West Side at 10 am.
Saturdays with Prashasti & Zoe in Long Island City at 11 am.
Sample Schedule:
- Week 1 – Being a Social Detective
- Week 2 – Collaborating
- Week 3 – Problem Solving
- Week 4 – Empathy
- Week 5 – Facts Vs. Opinions
- Week 6 – Making Small Talk
- Week 7 – Respecting Personal Boundaries
- Week 8 – Apologizing and Accepting Blame
- Week 9 – Resisting Peer Pressure
- Week 10 – Making Friend Connections
- Week 11 – Make up date if needed
Group participants will meet for 50 minutes together; during the last 10 minutes of the group, the group leader meets with the participants' parents/caregivers in order to provide feedback and home practice recommendations. Participants remain in group to practice skills learned.
Intakes: Intakes are conducted with both the parent (approximately 45 minutes) and child (approximately 15 minutes) as early as two months prior to the start of the group to assess the patient's current skills, needs and goodness of fit. Patients that are not ready to participate in a small group setting will be recommended to participate in an individualized social skills primer series, which will be offered at the same rates as the group series.
Participants that had their intake more than 6 weeks prior to the group start date will be offered a 15 minute catch up call with the parent within two weeks of the groups start date.
The total cost of the intake is $300 for patients on the Upper West Side and included in the group cost in Long Island City. The intake fee is waived for current MPG patients as well as for new patients who enroll 3 or more weeks prior to the group’s start date. Current MPG patients receive a 10% discount on all second services, including groups.
Pricing: For our Social Skills Groups on the Upper West Side, the cost is $1,500 total ($150 per session) paid in full prior to intake. They are clinician-led. For our Social Skills Groups in Long Island City, the cost is $850 total, including 8 sessions and the intake. They are trainee-led.
*We accept payments via credit card. Your credit card will be charged for the cost of the group prior to your intake appointment by our practice portal, TheraNest, and appear as such on your statement. There will be no fee for using your card credit card fee, so the amount charged will be the total group rate. We also accept payments via cash or check.
NYC Social Skills Group Training Location
Our social skills groups run at our Upper West Side office located at:
107 West 82nd St. and Columbus Ave
Lower Level Professional - Suite #101
New York, NY 10024
And our Long Island City office located at:
47-20 11th Street
Long Island City, NY 10111
*Remote group options available upon request.
