"The skills we teach here are ones people carry for years."
Young Adult PEERS® · Ages 18–28
PEERS® Social Skills Program
Our 10-week group classes are built on the most researched social skills curriculum in the world. It was developed at UCLA, is used in 35+ countries, and is designed for real-world results.
Our Programs
For children who struggle with making and keeping friends. Focuses on conversation skills, peer entry, handling teasing, and organizing playdates. Parents attend a simultaneous group every week and learn exactly what their child is learning, so they can coach at home.
What's Included
For pre-teens and early teens moving into middle school, where friendships get more complicated and the social rules change fast. Covers conversation skills, joining and exiting groups, handling teasing and disagreements, and getting together with friends outside of school. Parents attend a concurrent group each week.
What's Included
The original PEERS® program. Teaches teens the unwritten rules of friendship: how to start and maintain conversations, join and exit groups, handle rejection, and navigate peer conflict. Parents attend a concurrent group each week to reinforce skills at home.
What's Included
Adapted for adults navigating workplace relationships, dating, and making friends as a grown-up. A more independent format, where participants take greater ownership of their own social goals and practice strategies in real-life contexts between sessions. Whether a concurrent support group runs alongside depends on the group itself, and we’ll confirm that with you before it starts. Our next Young Adult group is forming now. Let us know you’re interested and we’ll be in touch as soon as a start date is set.
What's Included
Fall 2026 Session
All fall groups meet on Mondays for ten weeks, October 19 through December 21, 2026. Groups run straight through the Thanksgiving week without a break.
Is your child 13? They can join either the Early Adolescent or the Adolescent group. We’ll help you work out which one is the better fit for them.
Every participant meets individually with Angie or Joan before their first group session. Walking into a new room full of people you don’t know is hard, and it’s a lot easier when you already know one adult there. These sessions also let us shape the group around your child instead of the other way around.
What these sessions are for:
Getting to know your child, by building rapport before day one and giving them a familiar face in the room.
Understanding what’s actually hard: joining a group, keeping a conversation going, reading social cues, handling conflict or rejection, or the anxiety that comes before any of it.
Making sure the group is the right fit. For some children, individual or family therapy first is the better starting point, and we’d rather know that early than halfway through.
Setting their own goals. We finish by naming two or three specific social goals in your child’s own words, so they start the group knowing what they’re working toward.
Session 1 · Telehealth
A clinical intake appointment you can do from home. We’ll talk through what’s been happening, what you’re hoping your child gets out of the group, and any history that helps us plan.
Session 2 · In person
PEERS® preparation and individual goal-setting with Angie or Joan. Both sessions are included in the program cost. If you’re using insurance, they are billed to your plan like any other session.
Get StartedThe Process
Fill out the enrollment form. We'll confirm your placement in the appropriate group.
Two individual sessions with Angie or Joan before the group starts, to get to know your child, check the group is the right fit, and set their goals.
Attend 60-minute group sessions every week for 10 consecutive weeks.
Participants and parents meet simultaneously, so everyone learns the same skills.
Between sessions: structured homework and real-world social assignments to build confidence.
Celebrate progress, connect with the group, and receive resources for continued growth.
The Evidence
PEERS®, the Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills, was developed at the UCLA PEERS® Clinic by Dr. Elizabeth Laugeson. Unlike general social skills curricula, PEERS® is grounded in decades of rigorous clinical research and has been validated across multiple age groups, diagnoses, and cultural contexts.
The program teaches the specific, concrete behaviors that lead to real friendships, not abstract concepts. Skills are broken down step by step, practiced in a group setting, and reinforced through real-world assignments between sessions.
With over 40 peer-reviewed published studies and active use in more than 35 countries, PEERS® is one of the most extensively validated social skills interventions in the world. The skills participants gain have been shown to persist 3–5 years after the program ends.
Good Fit?
PEERS® works best for individuals who are motivated to build friendships and are ready to put in the practice. Here's who tends to thrive:
A formal diagnosis is not required to enroll. The best candidates are individuals who want to build friendships and are motivated to practice. If you're unsure whether PEERS® is the right fit, reach out. We're happy to talk it through before you commit.
Ready to Get Started?
Enrollment is simple. Fill out the form, we'll confirm your child's placement, and you'll receive everything you need to show up on day one.
Small groups fill quickly. Once a cohort is full, we open a waitlist. Reserve your spot early to guarantee placement in your preferred session.
Reserve Your SpotQuestions? Call us at 763.250.1004