SOCIAL
SKILLS
SUPPORT

Helping Children & Teens Build Confidence, Connection & Communication

 

Social interactions involve many skills that we often expect children to develop naturally—starting conversations, understanding social cues, joining a group, navigating conflict, taking another person's perspective, and knowing what to do when a social situation doesn't go as expected.

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For some children and teens, these skills require more direct teaching, practice, and support.

 

At University Park Counseling & Testing Center, PLLC, we help children and teens strengthen social communication skills while building confidence in their ability to connect with others. Our approach is individualized, developmentally appropriate, and focused on helping each child develop meaningful relationships while remaining authentic to who they are.

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​What Are Social Skills?

Social skills include the many abilities we use to communicate, connect, and navigate relationships with others. These may include:

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• Starting & Maintaining Conversations

• Joining Play or Group Activities

• Reading Social Cues

• Understanding Different Perspectives

• Taking Turns & Sharing

• Recognizing Personal Space & Boundaries

• Handling Disagreements & Conflict

• Problem-Solving With Peers

• Expressing Needs & Advocating for Yourself

• Understanding Humor, Sarcasm & Figurative Language

• Developing & Maintaining Friendships

• Adapting to Different Social Situations

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What Social Challenges Can Look Like

Social difficulties don't always mean that a child doesn't want friends. Many children genuinely want connection but aren't sure how to initiate it, maintain it, or navigate the complicated situations that come with friendships.

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You may notice your child:

• Has difficulty making or keeping friends

• Wants to join peers but doesn't know how

• Frequently feels left out or misunderstood

• Has trouble recognizing when someone is interested—or no longer interested—in a conversation

• Talks extensively about preferred interests without noticing others' responses

• Struggles with back-and-forth conversation

• Misinterprets social cues or other people's intentions

• Becomes upset when peers don't follow expected rules

• Has difficulty compromising or seeing another person's perspective

• Struggles to navigate teasing, disagreements, or changing friendships

• Appears socially confident with adults but has more difficulty with peers

• Feels exhausted or overwhelmed by social situations​

 

How We Help

Social skills support at UPC is tailored to each child's age, developmental level, strengths, and individual goals.

Rather than teaching children to memorize a list of social “rules,” we help them better understand social situations, recognize their own needs and the perspectives of others, practice communication strategies, and develop tools for navigating relationships more confidently.

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Support may focus on conversation skills, friendship development, perspective-taking, problem-solving, conflict resolution, emotional regulation, self-advocacy, boundaries, and understanding social cues.

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For younger children, many of these skills can be practiced naturally through play, games, collaborative activities, and role-playing. Older children and teens may work through real-life social situations and develop strategies they can apply at school, extracurricular activities, and with friends.

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Supporting Neurodivergent Children

Social communication differences are common among children with autism, ADHD, and other forms of neurodivergence.

Our goal is not to teach neurodivergent children to hide their differences or behave more like their neurotypical peers. Instead, we help children better understand social situations, communicate their needs, recognize boundaries, navigate relationships, and develop strategies that support meaningful connection.

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Social skills development should help a child feel more confident and capable, not less like themselves.

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When Testing May Be Helpful

Sometimes social difficulties are part of a larger pattern.​ If a child is experiencing persistent challenges with social communication, friendships, attention, flexibility, emotional regulation, or behavior, a comprehensive psychological evaluation may help families better understand what's contributing to those difficulties.

 

Our team can help determine whether social skills support, therapy, psychological testing, or a combination of services may be appropriate.

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Building Skills for Meaningful Connection

Successful social development isn't about having the most friends or responding perfectly in every situation. It's about developing the skills to communicate, understand others, advocate for yourself, navigate challenges, and build relationships that feel meaningful.

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Wondering whether social skills support could help your child or teen?

Contact our team to learn more about our services or schedule an appointment.