Social Skills & Friendship Support
Friendships are an important part of childhood and adolescence, but social interaction does not come easily to everyone. Some children want to connect but are unsure how to begin a conversation, join a group, understand social cues or manage disagreements — and ongoing friendship difficulties can affect confidence, school participation and a child’s sense of belonging.
Support may be helpful when a child or teen
- Has difficulty making or maintaining friendships
- Feels left out, rejected or misunderstood
- Struggles to begin or continue conversations
- Has difficulty joining groups or activities
- Misses or misinterprets social cues
- Becomes controlling or inflexible during play
- Experiences frequent conflict with peers
- Feels anxious or uncomfortable in social situations
- Has been bullied or socially excluded
- Communicates more comfortably with adults than peers
- Struggles with boundaries or personal space
- Wants friends but does not know how to connect
How therapy can help
Individual therapy and structured groups provide opportunities to build confidence and practice social skills in a supportive environment.
- Starting and maintaining conversations
- Joining groups and participating in activities
- Reading verbal and nonverbal social cues
- Understanding different perspectives
- Managing disagreements and repairing friendships
- Expressing feelings and needs respectfully
- Developing flexibility and cooperation
- Establishing healthy boundaries
- Responding to teasing, rejection or bullying
- Building confidence in social situations
Depending on the child’s needs, social-skills support may be provided through individual therapy, parent guidance or age-appropriate therapy groups.
Common questions
Do you offer social-skills groups?
You do not have to figure this out alone
Whether you know exactly what your child needs or simply sense that something has changed, we can help you decide on the next step. Call, or request a consultation and we will reach out.