Social Skills Groups for Kids

Why Social Skills Matter

Social skills are not about teaching children what to say. They are about helping children understand how interactions work - how to read situations, regulate emotions, adapt to change, and stay connected even when things feel challenging.

Many children want friendships but struggle in the moment. They may understand expectations, yet feel overwhelmed when social situations become unpredictable or emotionally charged.

Why Social Skills Groups Work

Social skills are learned through action, not instruction. Group therapy provides children with a goal-oriented social environment where learning happens through experience.

From a neuroscience perspective, procedural learning - a form of implicit memory - allows skills to be encoded through repeated practice rather than conscious memorization. When children repeatedly engage in social situations within a structured, supportive group, the brain begins to process these experiences as familiar and manageable.

Over time, this shifts social processing away from anxiety-driven responses and toward a sense of safety and predictability.

(Squire & Dede, 2015; Graybiel, 2008)

Why Social Scholars Is Different

• High-level social concepts delivered in approachable ways
• Real-world practice instead of scripted responses
• Structure without rigidity
• Opportunities to reflect, experiment, and try again

What Our Groups Look Like

Social Scholars groups are clinically supervised group therapy sessions overseen by a Licensed Educational Psychologist. Groups are led by licensed clinicians and associate clinicians, with program oversight to ensure consistency, quality, and responsiveness.

Groups are designed with a strong facilitator-to-student ratio, and sessions regularly shift between full-group interaction and smaller breakout activities to maximize engagement and individualized support.

Explore our social skills groups for kids and teens in Encino.

Frequently Asked Questions