Intensives

The Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills (PEERS®) is an evidence-based treatment program focusing on the development of social skills for children, adolescents, and young adults with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), or other intellectual and developmental disabilities. The Highland Center for Mental and Behavioral Health offers PEERS® for Adolescents and Young Adults who are interested in making and keeping friends and/or developing romantic relationships. Young adults and social coaches (typically parents or other caregivers) attend 16 weekly group sessions for 90 minutes per week. Participants are taught social skills through lessons and role-play demonstrations, and practice these skills during socialization activities. Social coaches attend separate sessions simultaneously and are taught how to assist adults in making and keeping friends and/or dating. Core topics include: -Building Friendships: Developing and maintaining meaningful peer relationships -Conversation Basics: Learning foundational conversational skills -How to Enter and Exit Conversations: Entering and exiting conversations smoothly -Using Humor Well: Understanding the appropriate use of humor -Bullying Responses: Handling direct and indirect bullying -Online Communication: Navigating electronic and social media interactions -Dating Foundations: Building age-appropriate dating skills -Social Planning: Organizing get-togethers and group activities -Conflict Resolution: Handling disagreements with peers -Boundaries in Dating: Managing dating pressure and knowing your limits

Becoming a parent is often portrayed as being purely joyful, but the transition into parenthood can stir intense emotional shifts, identity changes, relationship strain, and mental health challenges like anxiety, depression, and deep overwhelm. APP blends psychoeducation, emotional processing, and relational support tailored to the real experiences of early parenthood - especially those that don’t make it into the baby books. Whether you're navigating unexpected emotions, feeling disconnected from your partner, or managing pressure from family and cultural expectations, this program creates space for it all. Please note that we welcome all paths to parenthood - whether you're partnered or solo, a birth parent, adoptive parent, surrogate, or navigating non-traditional family structures. Your experience is valid and supported here. Core topics include: -Identity Shifts, Self-Loss, and Reclaiming Autonomy: Making space for your voice, needs, and personal evolution in early parenthood -Grief in parenthood: Making space for what you expected, lost, or had to let go -Building Secure Attachment: Strengthening emotional connection with your baby, partner, and yourself -Shifting Relationships & Boundaries: Navigating changes in partnership, family roles, and cultural expectations -Supporting Parental Mental Health: Addressing anxiety, depression, and emotional overwhelm in the fourth trimester and beyond -Unpacking Generational Patterns: Parenting differently than you were parented

FWD is designed for families or relational systems that feel caught in cycles of disconnection, miscommunication, or unresolved tension. Whether you're navigating intergenerational conflict, cultural value clashes, or conversations that always seem to escalate or shut down, this program creates a structured space to pause, reflect, and move forward. This is not about forcing resolution or quick fixes. FWD offers a process of guided dialogue, emotional processing, and practical communication tools that help family members listen differently, speak more openly, and begin relating in more intentional, compassionate ways. We take into account the unique context of each family - acknowledging generational trauma, cultural expectations, shifting roles, and emotional wounds that often go unspoken. Whether you're a parent and adult child trying to reconnect, siblings navigating old dynamics, or multigenerational households trying to make sense of the past and present, FWD helps you find language for what matters most. Core topics include: -Breaking reactive cycles: Understanding and interrupting patterns of escalation, avoidance, or shutdown -Cultural and generational tension: Exploring how values, roles, and expectations are shaped across time and culture -Repairing ruptures: Naming hurt, offering accountability, and creating space for relational repair -Emotional fluency: Learning how to express needs, boundaries, and feelings in safe, clear ways -Listening without defense: Building skills for curiosity, validation, and staying present in hard conversations -Redefining connection: Moving from obligation or distance toward mutual respect and a more intentional relationship