Group Therapy
Building Skills. Strengthening Families. Supporting Growth.
From clinician-led social skills groups to parent and caregiver support groups, our evidence-based programs strengthen communication, regulation, and independence for children and families.
Parent and Caregiver Support Groups
Empowered Parents. Consistent Support.
Stronger Outcomes.
Why Groups?
• When families come together, the weight of feeling alone begins to lift.
• Guided conversations create space for reflection, clarity, and real understanding.
• Practical, evidence-based strategies replace guesswork with confidence.
• Skilled clinicians hold the space with care, structure, and intention — so every participant feels supported and safe.
Participants learn not only from experienced professionals, but from the shared stories, questions, and insights of others walking a similar path. That collective experience fosters deeper understanding, meaningful connection, and lasting change.
Social Skills Groups
Designed to help children and teens build meaningful peer relationships in a supportive, structured environment.
At the Adult and Pediatric Institute, our Social Skills Groups are thoughtfully designed to help children and teens build meaningful peer relationships in a supportive, structured environment.
Each group is intentionally limited to just five participants, allowing for individualized attention while still fostering authentic peer interaction. Groups are led by a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and incorporate evidence-based strategies to strengthen social-emotional development.
Age-Appropriate Groupings
We carefully pair participants by developmental stage to ensure relevant, relatable learning experiences:
- Ages 3–5: Foundations of play, sharing, turn-taking, and early emotional identification
- Ages 6–9: Conversation skills, perspective-taking, friendship building, and emotional regulation
- Ages 10–13: Social problem-solving, self-confidence, navigating peer dynamics, and coping skills
- Ages 14–17: Executive functioning, conflict resolution, self-advocacy, and real-world social preparation
What Makes Our Groups Different
- Small, personalized group sizes
- BCBA-led, evidence-based programming
- Age-appropriate curriculum
- Focus on real-life application
- Integrated support when needed from our psychiatric and therapy team
Our goal is not just to teach skills — but to help each child and teen feel confident, connected, and capable in their everyday environments.
Parent and Caregiver Support Groups
Designed to provide practical, evidence-based tools that help families implement behavior and emotional regulation strategies in everyday life.
We believe meaningful progress doesn’t stop at the therapy room door. Real, lasting change happens when families feel confident and equipped at home.
This small-group experience is intentionally limited to 10 participants, allowing for meaningful discussion, individualized guidance, and collaborative learning in a supportive setting.
What You’ll Gain
- Practical behavior-management strategies you can apply immediately
- Tools for emotional regulation and co-regulation at home
- Guidance on setting boundaries and reinforcing positive behaviors
- Insight into the “why” behind challenging behaviors
- Increased confidence navigating school and community systems
Integrated Expertise Under One Roof
Clinical & Behavioral Guidance
Sessions are led by a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) who provides structured, evidence-based behavioral strategies for real-life application.
Medication Education & Support
Participants will also benefit from medication-related discussions led by Dr. Paralitici-Morales (Dr. P), offering clarity around psychiatric medications, when they may be appropriate, and how to make informed decisions as a caregiver.
Advocacy & Community Resources
Nicole Clark, PMH-RN and Co-Founder of API, will provide guidance on:
- Navigating IEP and 504 plans
- Understanding educational rights
- Accessing local and state community resources
- Advocacy strategies to support your child in school and beyond
Why This Matters
Consistency across home, school, and clinical care is one of the strongest predictors of meaningful, lasting progress. When caregivers understand behavior, feel informed about medication options, and know how to advocate effectively, children thrive.
Our goal is to strengthen the entire family system because empowered caregivers create secure, confident children.
Frequently Asked Questions About Group Therapy
Group therapy is ideal for children and teens who would benefit from practicing social-emotional skills in a structured, peer-based environment. If your child struggles with friendship skills, emotional regulation, perspective-taking, or peer conflict, a small group setting can provide safe, guided practice.
If you’re unsure, our team can help determine the right fit.
Most sessions are developed using play-based models and developmentally appropriate interactions, tailored to the age and needs of each group.
Depending on the age group, sessions may include:
- Guided play and cooperative games
- Structured social activities
- Role-playing and modeling
- Real-world scenario practice
- Group discussion and reflection (for older groups)
Our youngest groups (ages 3–5) focus heavily on foundational play skills, turn-taking, and early emotional identification through interactive activities. As children get older, sessions gradually incorporate more structured social problem-solving, peer dialogue, and executive functioning skills.
Yes. Our groups are limited to small group sizes specifically to allow personalized support while still creating authentic peer interaction opportunities.
Absolutely. In fact, group therapy often works best when integrated with individual therapy or psychiatric care. Because API operates under an integrated model, our providers can collaborate to ensure consistency across services.
This is very common. We provide a structured and supportive environment and may offer a brief introduction visit to help ease the transition. Many children feel more comfortable after their first session once they see the supportive format.
While we don’t accept insurance for our groups, because these groups are led by licensed medical professionals, we can provide you a superbill to seek reimbursement from your insurance.
We can also directly bill Step-Up for Students FES-UA scholarship or accept care credit.
The groups are one-hour each and run in 6-week sessions.
- Small group sizes
- BCBA-led sessions
- Integrated collaboration with psychiatric and therapy providers
- Advocacy guidance for families
- Focus on real-life application, not just theory
For more information about our behavioral therapy services, check out our behavior therapy page.
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