Circle of Friends Social Group

Location:  Center for Psychological and Educational Assessment

54 South Avenue

Marietta, GA  30060

Availability: 

New groups will be forming for summer of 2008

Group sizes will be kept to a minimum, so contact us as early as possible to reserve your spot

Children grouped according to skill level

Groups and times are scheduled depending on demand, so please let us know what week(s) during the summer are convenient for your schedule. 

Call or email for information.

Fees:  Cost will be approximately $60 per 2 hour session.

Sessions will be scheduled one, two, or three days per week

dependent upon parent request and age of children in the group.

Contact:  socialskills@atlantachildpsych.com

Heather-Hackett-Hayes has worked with children and adults with developmental disabilities for over 13 years. She has designed and implemented behavior intervention and skill acquisition programs for children of varying abilities in Canada and the U.S. She specializes in combining elements of research-based treatments of Autistic Spectrum Disorders. By effectively merging components of ABA, incidental teaching, positive behavior support, verbal behavior, and pivotal response training, Heather creates highly individualized and effective programming.  Her approach to treatment is both based on proven techniques and kids enjoy the “work”!

Heather completed an undergraduate degree in Psychology at Simon Fraser University even as she worked with many families to execute home-based discrete trial programs and appropriate social skills intervention plans. While completing a Master in Special Education from Seattle University, she continued to focus on the social needs associated with Autism by leading a series of social skills groups focusing on interaction with typically developing peers and appropriate play skills.

Heather has continued to focus on developing the social skills of the children she works with by organizing appropriate social skills groups, developing curricula and providing parent training. Currently, she is developing our contextual social skills groups and has been a valuable addition to our team.  Her skills extend to early intervention and reduction of problem behavior.

Goals

Enhancing social acceptance by providing a fun, safe, therapeutic environment where students learn to make and keep friends. Target behaviors include taking turns, asking for help, initiating conversation, joining social groups, expressing feelings appropriately, and 'reading' other people.  Children will be grouped based on skill level and appropriate objectives.

Structure

Facilitator to include a behavioral and educational consultant with extensive experience working with autism spectrum disorders and ADHD, and may be co-led by a child psychologist.  Activities to incorporate a multidisciplinary approach to teaching social skills.  Each group session includes structured lessons, social games, video modeling, role playing, and parent training.  To help promote generalization, each student is provided with group lessons and DVDs demonstrating the skill.