Social Skills Group: Group Facilitator
Create neuro-affirming social learning spaces to enable confident social growth. In this course, you’ll learn how to design sessions, choose meaningful activities and support authentic social development for every participant.
Create Spaces that Help Clients Thrive
Develop the skills to structure sessions effectively, support peer interaction and help individuals build confidence they can carry into daily life.
The Social Skills Group: Group Facilitator Course equips clinicians with evidence-based strategies to lead social skills groups effectively. Learners explore the social experiences of autistic individuals and apply neuroaffirming, anti-ableist approaches to group facilitation. Clinicians develop skills in session planning, activity selection, rapport building, Behavioral Skills Training and constructive communication to support meaningful social growth.
Upon completion of the Social Skills Group: Group Facilitator Course, learners are able to implement best practices when facilitating social skills groups aligned to participants’ age and developmental level. Learners demonstrate the ability to plan and lead engaging group sessions, support peer interaction and apply evidence-based facilitation strategies that promote meaningful social growth.
The Social Skills Group: Group Facilitator Course is an asynchronous, online course completed at the learner’s own pace. The course focuses on the practical responsibilities of leading social skills groups and concludes with a quiz to demonstrate knowledge proficiency.
Social skills groups are structured, peer-based programs led by trained professionals to support individuals who benefit from guided practice in social communication and interaction. Participants engage in activities designed to build skills such as initiating and maintaining conversations, recognizing social cues, taking turns, managing conflict and developing friendships.
The Group Facilitator Course emphasizes the application of neuroaffirming, anti-ableist approaches to group facilitation. Learners develop skills in session planning, activity selection, rapport building, Behavioral Skills Training and constructive communication to create supportive environments where participants can practice and strengthen social skills.
Who should take this course?
This course is designed for paraprofessionals and clinicians who serve as group facilitators and are directly responsible for leading social skills groups. Facilitators guide group sessions, support peer interaction and create opportunities for participants to practice and strengthen social communication skills.
Prerequisites
- N/A (Foundations of Neurodiversity recommended).
Who will you support?
Ages
- Children 6-12
- Youth/Teens 13-17
Jennifer Ikola, BCBA
Developer and Instructor
Degrees/Credentials
- MS, Psychology with emphasis in Applied Behavior Analysis, Kaplan University
- BS, Health Sciences emphasis in Pre-Medicine, California Baptist University
Current Position
- Clinical Manager, Catalight
Programs
- Chat Program
- Calibrate ABA Program
- Compass-Behavioral Program
- Everyday ABA Program
- Everyday ABA Workshop
Lindsey Sneed, PhD, BCBA-D
Developer and Instructor
Degrees/Credentials
- Licensed Psychologist #PSY34154
- PhD, Clinical Psychology, Walden University
- MS, Applied Psychology, Walden University
- MS, Educational Counseling, National University
- BA, Counseling Psychology, William Jessup University
- RUBI Certified
Current Position
- Vice President of Clinical Excellence, Catalight
- Adjunct Professor, University of San Francisco
Programs
- Calibrate ABA Program
- Compass-Behavioral Program
- RUBI Program
- Everyday ABA Program
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