Social Skills Group – Upper Valley Wellness

Who: Children ages 4-6 years who struggle with social learning
What: Small Group Social Skills with Allison Porreca and Caroline Christie (names link to bio?)
Where: 20 West Park Street, Suite 203
When: Beginning the week of November 13^th finishing the week of December 18^th
Why: Social groups are an effective intervention for children who are or are at risk of isolation due to underdeveloped social skills

Upper Valley Wellness is offering a social skills playgroup for children 4-6 years old who struggle with social learning. Our social skills groups help children gain and practice skills by breaking down social concepts and providing varied learning opportunities. The hour long group follows a predictable structure, allowing space for skill acquisition and expansion.

Allison and Caroline will use their collective experience with applied behavior analysis, early childhood education, special education, and mental health to create an enjoyable and effective small group experience. By the end of the 6 week group, children will have an expanded sense of expected social behavior in a variety of settings, with a focus on initiating play with peers, turn taking, flexible thinking, and empathy. Caregivers will receive a summary of introduced skills each week, as well as recommendations for ongoing practice.

Allison Porreca, M.Ed., LBA, BCBA is excited to collaborate with Caroline Christine to co-facilitate a social group. Allison loves applying her skill set to a variety of settings. After graduating in 2011 with a childhood education degree, she started her teaching career in a residential setting. In 2013 she received a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction. After five years in a general education classroom, she decided to pursue her interest in being able to create and support children in a non-traditional setting. In December 2020, she graduated from Antioch University with a Master’s in Applied Behavior Analysis and then became a Licensed Behavior Analyst. Currently, Allison is running the alternative program at a local elementary school that supports students with Autism and Behavior disabilities.

Caroline Christie, LICSW, CCSW is a licensed mental health clinician and founder of Upper Valley Wellness. Prior to starting her private practice, Caroline worked in Early Intervention where she supported families in helping their child meet important developmental milestones. Caroline was the Director and teacher of a Reggio Emilia inspired preschool program in Belmont, MA where she collaborated with community partners to build a robust program that recognized the impact of a child’s environment on their learning and connection to the world. In 2018 Caroline completed her MSW, and began working as a Clinical Social Worker in the Intensive Care Nursery at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, then joining a local school district as a Certified School Social Worker. Caroline is currently a psychotherapist for children and families.

Social Skills Group Interest Form

Upper Valley Wellness will reach out to confirm group details.

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Tell us about your child

Please use this space to tell us about your child and specific social goals you may have. Please include diagnosis, concerns, and social group experiences (school, music class, etc…)

Health Notes

Please let us know if your child has medical needs that may impact their ability to participate in the 1 hour weekly group. This should include allergies, previous health concerns, etc..

Day preference

Please let us know your preferred group days. The group timing is 430-530 but is subject to change.

Questions?

Do you have specific questions? Let us know and we will be in touch.