Through psycho-education and play, children will learn and practice developmentally appropriate social skills. The specific group topics will be tailored to the group individuals based on a social skills rating scale to be completed by parents before the group begins. Previous groups have covered topics such as negotiation and taking turns during play, inviting someone to play, sportsmanship, active listening and appropriate expression of frustration/anger.

This group is all about mindfulness and connection! The girls will learn about the power they have over their brains and how to use it to increase self-control, optimism, empathy and focus. The facilitator will use the evidence-based program MindUp as guide for group topics and activities.

Middle School is a tough time for everyone. Add-in a familial change, and life gets just that much more confusing and overwhelming. This group is for middle school aged boys or girls experiencing a major family change. Such changes include, but are not limited to: divorce, death of a family member, deportation of a family member, a family member suffering from mental illness or a family member in jail. This group will help adolescents process their thoughts and feelings surrounding the change, as well as guide them to healthy coping skills.

Contact: Brittany Karakostas, LPC-R at bkarakostas@movingforwardplc.com for more information or call the office at 571.483.0306

Contact: Michele Cole, BS, BSW, MSW, LCSW at mcole@movingforwardplc.com for more information or call the office at 571.483.0306

Contact: Amy Lehman, LPC at alehman@movingforwardplc.com for more information or call the office at 571.483.0306

Both adolescence and preadolescence can be times of great stress and change for girls. These two separate groups will focus on processing teenage/preteen girl dynamics, handling academic demands, and balancing school and social pressures. We will also work on making friends, targeting the group you want to join in with and doing that successfully, starting and holding a conversation, and other useful tools and tips for navigating school successfully. The other girls in this group are successful academically but may have difficulty managing associated anxiety. This group will build on foundational coping and social skills by increasing the child’s ability withstand stress and anxiety. The goal is to foster, engage in, and sustain positive social relationships, and to endure and recover from stressors, social isolation, and anxiety.