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About the Practice

Two licensed clinicians.
One shared mission.

Angie and Joan founded Strengthen Social Skills because they kept seeing the same thing: families with a diagnosis and nowhere to go next. PEERS® gave them a way to close that gap.

Our Story

Why we started this practice

Angie and Joan built this practice around a gap they kept seeing in clinical work — children and adults who had been evaluated, diagnosed, and then handed a folder and sent home. A diagnosis answers the "what." PEERS® addresses the "now what."

They are both PEERS® Certified Instructors and licensed therapists, which means they can offer not just the group curriculum but the clinical context and individual support that makes it stick. Strengthen Social Skills is based in Coon Rapids and serves families across the Twin Cities North Metro.

The Team

Meet the clinicians

Angie Zachrison
Angie Zachrison, MA, LMFT
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist · PEERS® Certified Instructor · Board-Approved Supervisor

Angie has spent more than 20 years working alongside individuals and families navigating autism and neurodevelopmental challenges. Her clinical background spans individual and family therapy, partial hospitalization (PHP), in-home skills training, and autism-specific case management. She founded Strengthen Social Skills because she kept seeing the same gap: families who had a diagnosis but not much practical support for the social side of it. PEERS® gave her a way to close that gap.

She holds a Master of Arts in Developmental Disabilities and a Post-Graduate Certificate in Marriage and Family Therapy, both from St. Mary's University. She has been a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist since 2011 and is a Board-Approved Supervisor, meaning she oversees other clinicians working toward licensure in Minnesota.

Autism Social Skills Anxiety Depression PTSD Trauma Adolescents
Joan Blackman
Joan Blackman, MA, LICSW
Licensed Clinical Social Worker · PEERS® Certified Instructor · Licensing Supervisor

Joan has spent her career helping children and families thrive, with a focus on autism spectrum disorder and neurodiversity. Her clinical work spans individual and family therapy, autism-specific case management, and crisis intervention. She's also spent significant time training parents and caregivers, giving them the tools and language to support their kids at home — not just in the therapy room.

She holds a Master of Arts from the University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration and has been a Licensed Clinical Social Worker since 2009. She currently serves as a licensing supervisor per the Minnesota Board of Social Work.

Autism Spectrum Disorder Neurodiversity Family Therapy Parent Coaching Crisis Intervention Child & Adolescent Mental Health
How We Work

Our clinical approach

We believe that real change comes from practicing real skills — not just talking about them. PEERS® is one of the most rigorously researched social skills programs in the world, and we pair that curriculum with clinical insight that helps every participant and their family understand what they're learning and why it matters.

We don't take a one-size-fits-all approach. Whether your child is navigating a first friend group or your teenager is trying to manage relationships in high school, we meet families where they are.

Our practice is grounded in neurodiversity-affirming values. We're not trying to make anyone "fit in" — we're helping people build genuine, satisfying connections on their own terms.

Evidence-based
PEERS® is backed by decades of peer-reviewed research. We use what works.
Practical skills you can use
Every session includes skill instruction, role-play, and real-world homework. We're not just theory.
Family-centered
Parents learn alongside their children. Families who practice together see stronger outcomes.
Neurodiversity-affirming
We honor each person's unique way of moving through the world. Connection looks different for everyone.
Get Started

Ready to take the next step?

Enrollment is open now. Fill out a short form and we'll reach out to confirm placement and answer any questions.

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