Teens talking and laughing together during a social skills group in South Jersey.

Social Skills Groups for Teens and Tweens in Haddonfield, NJ

Helping bright kids and teens who want friends — but struggle socially — build real confidence and connection.

Social Help for Kids and Teens Who Struggle with Friendships

Is your child bright, kind, and capable — but friendships still feel hard? Have you noticed any of the following?

  • Difficulty with conversations

  • Missing social cues

  • Being left out

  • Friendships that start, but don’t last

  • Harder dynamics in middle & high school

Social skills can be learned — and we offer two great options…

PEERS® Groups 🧠

Evidence–based skill building & structured practice

Instead of dwelling on what they shouldn't do, we explicitly teach the what, why, and how behind everyday interactions. Then, we roleplay and rehearse in real time.

Example topics include:

  • Reading social cues & body language

  • Starting & ending conversation conversations

  • Building and maintaining real friendships

  • Responding to teasing & bullying

For verbal kids with strong language skills who haven't "just picked it up." We make invisible social rules visible and understandable in a way that supports all mines.

✔️ Clear instruction
✔️ Predictable format
✔️ Design designed for lasting change

Game Days 🎯

Low-pressure practice & real-world connection

Fun, relaxed, lightly structured groups of up to eight neurotypical or neurodivergent learners that resemble real hangouts.

We gently guide them to:

  • Compromise and pick something to do

  • Engage and get to know each other

  • Develop connections with potential friends

  • Build confidence for real-world use of skills

For kids and teens who need some practice — especially during or after a PEERS® group — or those who enjoy feeling welcomed, included, and free to engage.

✔️ Social coaching to refine new skills
✔️ Authentic practice with potential friends
✔️ Great for those unsure about joining PEERS®

  • Summer Groups Focus on Social Challenges

    • Handling arguments

    • Dealing with bad reputations

    • Responding to teasing, bullying, rumors, and gossip

    Middle School PEERS® Group

    • Wednesdays, 7:30-8:30 pm
      July 15th - August 19th
      Make-up day: August 26th

    High School PEERS® Group

    • Tuesdays, 7:30-8:30 pm
      July 14th - August 18th
      Make-up day: August 25th

    PEERS® Group Pricing

    • $550 due before start

    PEERS® Group Enrollment Steps

    1. Schedule a free consultation →
      Let’s make sure our services are a good fit for their cognitive and language skills, social needs, and motivation

    2. Complete the paperwork

    3. We’ll determine if an evaluation is needed for reimbursement from your insurance carrier, HSA, or FSA accounts

    4. Add the group schedule to your calendar

  • Game Days for Middle Schoolers

    • Mondays, 7:30-8:30 pm

    • Wednesdays, 7:30-8:30 pm

    Game Days for High Schoolers

    • Tuesdays, 7:30-8:30 pm

    • Thursdays, 7:30-8:30 pm

    Game Days Pricing

    • $25 per session

    • Save 20% with a package of 4
      Good for 2 months
      Inquire within

    Game Days Enrollment Steps

    1. Schedule a free consultation →
      Let’s make sure our services are a good fit for their cognitive and language skills, social needs, and motivation

    2. Complete the paperwork

    3. Sign up for each Game Day individually →

    4. Add each Game Day to your calendar

  • Game Days for Middle Schoolers

    • Mondays, 7:30-8:30 pm

    Game Days for High Schoolers

    • Thursdays, 7:30-8:30 pm

    Game Days Pricing

    • $25 per session

    • Save 20% with a package of 4
      Good for 2 months
      Inquire within

    Game Days Enrollment Steps

    1. Schedule a free consultation →
      Let’s make sure our services are a good fit for their cognitive and language skills, social needs, and motivation

    2. Complete the paperwork

    3. Sign up for each Game Day individually →

    4. Add each Game Day to your calendar

  • Our groups were designed to work together.

    In PEERS®, we focus on skill building — we break things down step-by-step so they know what to do, how to do it, and why it’s important.

    In Game Days, they experience a more natural setting where they get put those new skills to work with real potential friends. They might know some group members from PEERS®, but others might be new to them.

    If it were as easy as simply telling them what to do, you wouldn’t need us. It takes time, work, patience and practice — but the outcome can be life changing 🌟

  • We prefer that you relax in our parent room or waiting room and observe. Observing the group allows for:

    • 100% transparency 👀

    • Integrated parent training 🧑‍🧒

    • Game-changing carryover 🤝

    • Social coaching when they need it most 🫂

Social Skills Group Schedules, Costs & Enrollment Steps

Schedule a free consultation

Not sure? Have a quick question?
Text or email us — we’re happy to help.

Real Results from Haddonfield, NJ Families in Our PEERS® Social Skills Groups

  • "My 13 year old son (with autism) had been struggling with Social Skills and making friends. After his course, my son turned to me and said "mom, I wish I had this last year." It changed his life! He has friends now and engages people so much more! My 12 year old daughter (also with autism) took her course. She is lower functioning than my son and always had to be coached to talk to people. When she meets new people, she introduces herself all on her own and strikes up a very appropriate conversation. If I try to coach her at all she will even say "let me do it, I got this." Bottom line is Ellen changes lives. I could not imagine where we would be without her!"

    —Christine

    ARE YOU READY TO CHANGE YOUR CHILD’S LIFE?

    Schedule a Free, in-person Consultation

  • "This past summer I enrolled both my sons in classes with Ellen. Ellen is amazing with the kids. She is very engaging and the kids like her a lot! As a parent, I got to watch what they are learning, without them seeing me, and I can reinforce this at home. My sons learned valuable life skills that are priceless and so worth every ounce of time and money. It's very uplifting to know that I gave my boys that gift because they will surely use that way more than they will ever use calculus!"

    —Julie

    ARE YOU READY TO GIVE YOUR CHILD THE GIFT OF SOCIAL SKILLS?

    Schedule a Free, in-person Consultation

  • "She is extremely knowledgeable about the PEERS program and also respects the family's privacy. My children are on the road to achieving the social goals set for them. How do you ever thank someone for giving that kind of a gift to your child(ren). You want results, then go see Ellen."

    —Julia

    ARE YOU READY TO SEE RESULTS, TOO?

    Schedule a Free, in-person Consultation

Questions about Friendships and Social Skills Groups for Teens and Tweens

  • Yes — we will teach them the skills needed to do exactly that.

    But, real progress takes work outside of the office. You’ll want to:

    • Pay attention to what they’re learning in group and talk about it at home

    • Practice the skills together at home, over the phone with family members, and at gatherings

    • Remind them of the skills they’re focusing on before they head off to school or other activities

    • Have them join a new activity so they can practice with unfamiliar peers and get natural feedback — we know that’s hard, so we offer Game Days 🎯 to help fill that need

  • Many children and teens who join social skills groups feel unsure about social situations or have had difficult peer experiences.

    Our groups provide a supportive, neurodivergent-friendly environment where participants can practice new skills with peers who are working on similar challenges.

    Over time, new skills lead to more successful social interactions and those interactions lead to more confidence.

  • Sessions include direct teaching, video modeling, guided practice, and real-time coaching. Children and teens learn how to send the signals and messages they want by exploring:

    • What they could do

    • What they could say

    • How they could say it

    • How it might be received

    Then they practice sending their intended messages through role-play activities and conversations. Over time, the strategies they learn begin to feel natural and are used outside of the group.

  • PEERS® groups teach practical, research, and evidence-based strategies for building and maintaining friendships and handling difficult social situations.

    There are numerous topics! They include understanding and using body language, facial expressions, and tone of voice; figuring out what the other person thinks, feels, and wants to do; handling teasing, bullying, and other forms of conflict; conversation skills, entering and exiting group conversations, using humor appropriately, and maintaining friendships over time.

  • We have a serious love affair with PEERS® and have seen amazing transformations 💯

    Not only is it based on decades of research and countless clinical trials, but it is specifically designed for the kids who are often left out of other groups — either because they’re too advanced or too old.

    When needed , we will also tie in content from Unstuck & On-Target!®. This research and evidence-based program focuses on the social end of the executive function skill set.

    View the evidence on PEERS →

    Read our 5-star reviews →

Located in Haddonfield, NJ, we provide social skills groups for teens and tweens residing in Cherry Hill, Moorestown, Mount Laurel, Voorhees, and surrounding South Jersey communities.