Before your child or teen begins attending group sessions, you will have an Initial Parent Meeting to discuss any relevant medical, social, and academic history, in addition to any current concerns you may have.  At this meeting, you will also work together to develop treatment goals specific to the needs of your child.

Group Sessions

Each group follows a structured to semi-structured curriculum, depending on the type of group and ages involved.  Group sessions include various learning modalities to accommodate all styles of learning.  For younger children, we incorporate a weekly theme and parents receive an outline describing group activities and suggestions for home carryover.  For all groups, a Treatment Goal Summary is provided to parents at the end of the module to measure progress and provide clinical recommendations based on current level of performance in group.

If our practice is in-network with your insurance plan, group therapy will be billed to your insurance. Certain workshops may not be billable to insurance.

Spring/Summer 2024 Sessions 

Project Connect!
(Ages 7-12)

Project Connect! is a social skills group for children diagnosed with ADHD, High Functioning Autism, Social Communication Disorder and Nonverbal Learning Disabilities.  This highly structured group utilizes a social thinking curriculum to help kids improve their ability to communicate with others, build friendships, and learn to better understand another person’s perspective.

Skills Covered:

• Emotional Awareness & Regulation
• Flexible Thinking
• Identifying Hidden Social Rules
• Filtering Thoughts
• Perspective Taking
• Understanding Sarcasm

Thursdays, 6:00pm-7:00pm
Location: Woodridge Office
Facilitator: Dr. Jennifer Stafiej
Spring Session: April 15th – June 1st
Summer Session: July 8th – August 17th

Girl Power
(Ages 11-14)

This program is designed to give girls a safe space to discuss their thoughts and feelings with other tweens.  It is an opportunity to develop and practice life skills through experiential activities. Topics include: communication, conflict resolution, creating positive friendships, exploring self-esteem & self-care, building healthy habits, gratitude and internet safety. This group helps girls to celebrate their unique identity and foster healthy friendships.

Wednesdays, 6:00pm-7:00pm
Location: Woodridge Office
Facilitator: Kaitlyn Ramsey, MA
Spring Session: April 15th – June 1st
Summer Session: July 8th – August 17th

GAME NIGHT!
(Ages 13-17)

This group is a perfect combo of fun and skill building. Teens will work on various skills designed to improve abilities to initiate spontaneous interactions with peers, engage in back and forth conversation, improve confidence and self-awareness, and become more flexible with peer relationships. All while playing games, without the use of electronics. Your teen will embrace positive change in fun, creative ways!

Fridays, 4:00pm-6:00pm
Location: Woodridge Office
Facilitator: Dr. Jennifer Stafiej
11/10, 12/15
(*please note -this group runs only 1x per month)

On-Track Teens: DBT-Informed Emotion Regulation
(Ages 13-17)

In our On-Track Teens Group, teens learn, and put into practice, ways to regulate emotion through personal goal setting, becoming aware of the current moment (mindfulness), and engaging in proactive coping strategies and behaviors.  This DBT-informed approach is designed to facilitate opportunities for emotional growth and connections with others, and is appropriate for any teen who could use support in regulating big emotions.

Mondays, 7:00pm-8:00pm
Location: Woodridge Office
Facilitator: Dr. Tyler Demers
Spring Session: April 15th – June 1st
Summer Session: July 8th – August 17th

DBT Skillz Group
(Ages 14-17)

This teen-focused Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) group utilizes an evidence-based curriculum, proven to be effective for those struggling with mood disorders, poor self-image, anxiety disorders, interpersonal stress, issues with alcohol and substance misuse, and poor impulse control, among other challenges.  Participants will work collaboratively within the group as they learn to apply skills of mindfulness, assertiveness, distress tolerance and emotional regulation.  This a closed group series; members will start and finish together, meeting every week for 10 weeks.

Wednesdays, 6:00pm-7:00pm
Location: Oakbrook Office
Facilitator: Andrew Morgan, LPC
Spring Session: April 15th – June 1st
Summer Session: July 8th – August 17th