The Friends Summer Program 2022

The Friends Summer Program is a therapeutic group program designed to address the developing needs of high-functioning children and middle school students on the Autism Spectrum who are challenged by:
The Parents Group: Parents play a key part of the program and are required to participate in the Parent’s Group that meets at the same time. The goal of the parents group is to enhance the parents' understanding of their child, gain support from peers with children who have similar strengths and challenges and insight into how to become an advocate for their child.
- Social communication and interaction with peers, engagement in unstructured play or activities with peers, emotional regulation, empathy, and sensory regulation.
- Coping with the daily challenges of school, adapting to unpredictable changes in schedules such as being flexible, making transitions between classes and activities and participating in group activities.
The Parents Group: Parents play a key part of the program and are required to participate in the Parent’s Group that meets at the same time. The goal of the parents group is to enhance the parents' understanding of their child, gain support from peers with children who have similar strengths and challenges and insight into how to become an advocate for their child.
Important COVID-19 Related News
Due to the decrease of COVID cases in CA, the group will return to in-person participation. Parents who have been vaccinated will be required to wear masks inside. Children will be required to wear masks as will the group leaders when they are inside. We will do a lot of the summer program outside.
Due to the decrease of COVID cases in CA, the group will return to in-person participation. Parents who have been vaccinated will be required to wear masks inside. Children will be required to wear masks as will the group leaders when they are inside. We will do a lot of the summer program outside.
Enrollment
The group is for children who have challenges connecting with their social world. They often have academic strengths but have difficulty making friends, working co-operatively, or tolerating differences of opinions. Most of the children have been previously evaluated and may be Anxious and/or High Functioning on the Autism Spectrum/Asperger's. They must show a desire to have friends even if they have difficulty knowing how to go about doing that. Our program is not designed to provide individualized behavioral attention for a child who prefers to be absorbed in his or her own areas of interest even when a staff member has attempted to engage him or her in a shared activity with a teacher or a peer.
The group is for children who have challenges connecting with their social world. They often have academic strengths but have difficulty making friends, working co-operatively, or tolerating differences of opinions. Most of the children have been previously evaluated and may be Anxious and/or High Functioning on the Autism Spectrum/Asperger's. They must show a desire to have friends even if they have difficulty knowing how to go about doing that. Our program is not designed to provide individualized behavioral attention for a child who prefers to be absorbed in his or her own areas of interest even when a staff member has attempted to engage him or her in a shared activity with a teacher or a peer.
Registration
To sign up for the summer program, download and complete the Friends Summer Program Application (PDF | MS Word). If you are a new client, please also fill out the Children's Intake Form. the Email Authorization Form, and the Friends Program Consent Form. For questions, contact Dr. Laurie Leventhal-Belfer at Dr.Laurielb@gmail.com or 650-322-4431.
Registration forms are due by June 17, 2022. Payment is due at the first session. Click to view, print, and download The Friends Summer Program 2022 flyer.
Cost: The program is $660. To ensure stronger coverage the groups are coded as a family session with clients on a coded bill that parents can submit to their insurance plan.
To sign up for the summer program, download and complete the Friends Summer Program Application (PDF | MS Word). If you are a new client, please also fill out the Children's Intake Form. the Email Authorization Form, and the Friends Program Consent Form. For questions, contact Dr. Laurie Leventhal-Belfer at Dr.Laurielb@gmail.com or 650-322-4431.
Registration forms are due by June 17, 2022. Payment is due at the first session. Click to view, print, and download The Friends Summer Program 2022 flyer.
Cost: The program is $660. To ensure stronger coverage the groups are coded as a family session with clients on a coded bill that parents can submit to their insurance plan.

The Young Child Group
(for children entering K – 2nd Grade in the fall)
This group meets on Tuesdays, June 21 & 28, July 12 & 19, 2022 from 4:00 – 5:15 p.m.
The Young Child Group will engage in Water Play and learn about cooperation and friendship with the book Swimmy! The group will make a group mural for the story.
(for children entering K – 2nd Grade in the fall)
This group meets on Tuesdays, June 21 & 28, July 12 & 19, 2022 from 4:00 – 5:15 p.m.
The Young Child Group will engage in Water Play and learn about cooperation and friendship with the book Swimmy! The group will make a group mural for the story.