Spectrum Psychology Practice conducts the Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills (PEERS) for teens between the age of 13 and 18, and who are currently accessing the mainstream school curriculum. PEERS is a world renowned evidence-based social skills programme developed by the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) that aims to equip interested teens with a wide variety of skills to help them make and maintain friendships as well as handle rejections and conflicts.
A wide range of topics will be covered during the 14 weeks such as:
- How to use good conversational skills
- How to appropriately use electronic communication
- How to enter and exit conversations with peers
- How to choose appropriate friends
- How to use humour appropriately
- How to setup a successful get-together with others
- How to handle teasing and bullying
- How to change a bad reputation
- How to handle arguments and disagreements with others
It is important that the teen agrees to participate voluntarily and that both teen and at least one parent are able to commit to the entire programme. Parent’s participation is also mandatory as they play an important role in supporting and assisting their teen throughout the programme.