What our families are saying:
"I feel my son has grown so much since he first started coming. I love that he's made friends and feels like he's part of a family. I love that any suggestion or issue we are facing is taken into consideration and used for therapy sessions...sign up."
"PPTFTH is very professional. Leigh-Anne always keep us informed about what is happening in sessions. I like that she shares information with teachers. I would highly recommend Peer Projects Therapy From the Heart. Very helpful. Great staff and very professional. Our son loves coming."
"We discovered Peer Projects and Therapy From the Heart when looking for a local group that focused on social learning. Our son was matched with another boy who shares a lot of the same interests as well as a similar way of moving through the world. Working together with the team from Peer Projects, the two of them learned to work collaboratively, take turns, and interact in a way that took both perspectives into account. The staff members are smart, caring, just the right mix of firm and fun. We've learned a lot, and progressed. Thanks!"
Social Pragmatics Groups
Peer Projects - Therapy from the Heart offers small groups and dyads (group of 2) for children as young as age 4. In our groups, we use concepts from RDI® in combination with a curriculum developed by Michelle Garcia Winner M.S., CCC-SLP (Think Social!), and the Zones of Regulation (Leah Kuypers M.A., Ed, OTR/L). We focus on helping children establish self regulation in a group setting first and foremost; with this in place, children can then more efficiently take in information related to social thinking, feel more available and ready to interact with their peers, and assume more independence and responsibility within a social exchange.
We introduce challenges carefully to give children opportunities to work through differences in opinions, to cope with and recover from disappointments like losing a game or not going first, and to build memories of themselves as competent play partners. As a result, children develop positive peer relationships and friendships within the group. The practice we provide with some of the messier aspects of peer interaction - for example, compromise, negotiation, empathy, being flexible with how a game is played - teaches strategies children can use in their everyday interactions with others at home, in school, or on the playground.
Group content is shared with parents on a regular basis. Parents are provided a copy of our group agenda each week which includes descriptions of our activities, and targeted goals within each part of our routine. We also share lesson content on a regular basis with families to facilitate carryover and discussion outside of the clinic setting. For example, we read social stories together in group and then email copies of these to parents, read story books and highlight for families why a particular title was chosen, send home visuals related to the Zones of Regulation, and help children begin to record socially meaningful memories on personal journal pages. Here are some examples of our topics we may cover with our group members: Inviting My Friend to Play, Trying New Things, Thinking about the Volume of My Voice, Being Flexible, Being a Good Sport, and Hopping in to Play!
Children are placed in a group based on their age, development, learning needs, and areas of strength. Our groups typically consist of 2 to 4 children, but depending on the individual group composition, there may be up to 6 children. Groups of 3-4 children or more are typically supported by two teachers. We try hard to keep groups at these small numbers, and high teacher to student ratio so that we always have time to slow down and focus on process or challenge moments as they naturally occur. We have also found smaller numbers to be important so that the overall noise level is reduced; when there is less noise and less external distractions, children are naturally better able to think through and productively attend to difficult moments. As children form these uninterrupted memories of successfully working through a challenge with a peer, and coming out the other side still connected to their peer, they increase their own resilience and confidence in their ability to be a friend.
We currently have existing groups and dyads for children ranging in age from four years old through middle/high school. In addition, we are always open to the possibility of creating new groups and dyads as we meet new families, find appropriate peer matches, and scheduling permits. If you are interested in exploring a group option for your child, please call our office at the number below, or email us at admin@pptfth.com.
Peer Projects - Therapy from the Heart offers small groups and dyads (group of 2) for children as young as age 4. In our groups, we use concepts from RDI® in combination with a curriculum developed by Michelle Garcia Winner M.S., CCC-SLP (Think Social!), and the Zones of Regulation (Leah Kuypers M.A., Ed, OTR/L). We focus on helping children establish self regulation in a group setting first and foremost; with this in place, children can then more efficiently take in information related to social thinking, feel more available and ready to interact with their peers, and assume more independence and responsibility within a social exchange.
We introduce challenges carefully to give children opportunities to work through differences in opinions, to cope with and recover from disappointments like losing a game or not going first, and to build memories of themselves as competent play partners. As a result, children develop positive peer relationships and friendships within the group. The practice we provide with some of the messier aspects of peer interaction - for example, compromise, negotiation, empathy, being flexible with how a game is played - teaches strategies children can use in their everyday interactions with others at home, in school, or on the playground.
Group content is shared with parents on a regular basis. Parents are provided a copy of our group agenda each week which includes descriptions of our activities, and targeted goals within each part of our routine. We also share lesson content on a regular basis with families to facilitate carryover and discussion outside of the clinic setting. For example, we read social stories together in group and then email copies of these to parents, read story books and highlight for families why a particular title was chosen, send home visuals related to the Zones of Regulation, and help children begin to record socially meaningful memories on personal journal pages. Here are some examples of our topics we may cover with our group members: Inviting My Friend to Play, Trying New Things, Thinking about the Volume of My Voice, Being Flexible, Being a Good Sport, and Hopping in to Play!
Children are placed in a group based on their age, development, learning needs, and areas of strength. Our groups typically consist of 2 to 4 children, but depending on the individual group composition, there may be up to 6 children. Groups of 3-4 children or more are typically supported by two teachers. We try hard to keep groups at these small numbers, and high teacher to student ratio so that we always have time to slow down and focus on process or challenge moments as they naturally occur. We have also found smaller numbers to be important so that the overall noise level is reduced; when there is less noise and less external distractions, children are naturally better able to think through and productively attend to difficult moments. As children form these uninterrupted memories of successfully working through a challenge with a peer, and coming out the other side still connected to their peer, they increase their own resilience and confidence in their ability to be a friend.
We currently have existing groups and dyads for children ranging in age from four years old through middle/high school. In addition, we are always open to the possibility of creating new groups and dyads as we meet new families, find appropriate peer matches, and scheduling permits. If you are interested in exploring a group option for your child, please call our office at the number below, or email us at admin@pptfth.com.
