Social Skills Coaching for Teens & Adults

Everything we do that involves other people requires social and communication skills. These skills may be underdeveloped for autistic and other neurodivergent people. The isolation brought on by COVID-19 continues to affect many people’s comfort in social interactions.

At IRL, we provide social skills coaching with a focus on autistic and other neurodiverse teens and young adults. The coaching we provide transforms lives through improved relationships, better communication in a variety of environments, and increased self-knowledge, advocacy, and empowerment. IRL courses are fun, interactive, supportive and very effective.

We all need friends, peer support, and connection in order to succeed in life. IRL Social Skills can help you or your socially struggling loved one go from striving to thriving.

GIVE US 16 weeks – We’LL TRANSFORM YOUR SOCIAL LIFE

HOW IT WORKS

Our 16-week Social Skills programs are unique in their approach. Each program has no more than 12 participants and their parents/caregivers. While teens/young adults are receiving instruction and practicing their new skills with peers and IRL coaches, parents join a breakout room to receive research-backed guidance to support their loved one across settings.

This parent-mediated approach is what makes our program so effective. It sets participants up for success by reinforcing the skills learned and practiced in class. Parents also receive support as they learn how to be more effective communicators, using an easy-to-follow, step-by-step method that works.

NOW ENROLLING – Fall 2024 & Spring 2025 PROGRAMS

Program Schedule

Our programs are offered twice yearly, Spring and Fall. Our Teens and Young Adults programs run 16 weeks long. Our Adults 25+ program is 12 weeks long.

During these intensive coaching groups, participants build relationships and practice skills with same-age peers and coaches. Class sizes are small to ensure optimal learning and coaching support. Our next classes begin on the following dates:

  • ADULTS (age 25+) Mondays Jan 13 - Mar 31, 6:00-7:30 pm

  • TEENS (age 11-13) Mondays Feb 3 - May 19, 6:30-8:15pm

  • TEENS (age 14-16) Tuesdays Feb 4 - May 20, 6:30-8:15pm

  • YOUNG ADULTS (age 17-20) Wednesdays Feb 5 - May 21, 6:30-8:15pm

  • ADULTS (age 21-29) Thursdays Feb 6 - May 22, 6:30-8:15pm

    All class times listed are Pacific Daylight Time.

    *** Adults 25+ is not parent-mediated, for lower support needs adults.

JOIN TODAY

We begin with an informal consultation with one of our coaches. We will gather more information about your needs, answer your questions, and help determine which program would be the best for you. To book a consult, please select the correct age/class below.

 
 

Everything is included in the cost

Practices are provided every week and parents record the data in a weekly practice log. Programs include all handouts and materials that can still be accessed after the course has been completed. Sessions are recorded and made available to watch throughout the program and for six months afterward.

How to Join

The process begins with a brief consultation with our program director to hear about your individual needs and concerns. During this consultation, you’ll get all your questions answered about our program.

 
 
 
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Based on UCLA’s renowned PEERS® curriculum

PEERS® has received recognition as the ONLY research-backed manualized program under Social Skills Training (SST) by the University of North Carolina in their 2020 National Clearinghouse for Autistic Evidence and Practices report.

 
 

PEERS® was developed in 2004 by UCLA’s Dr. Elizabeth Laugeson, a licensed clinical psychologist and an assistant clinical professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences at the UCLA Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior.

COMMUNICATE BETTER

  • We teach and coach effective strategies and techniques to enter and exit conversations gracefully—without being “fake” or masking.

  • Use humor more effectively in social situations.

  • Have two-way conversations that demonstrate interest in the other person and help to build camaraderie and understanding.

NURTURE RELATIONSHIPS

  • Identify appropriate friends based on shared interests, then learn how to maintain those friendships over time.

  • Develop romantic relationships and use appropriate dating etiquette.

BE SAFE, SEEN and STRONG

  • We provide prompts and coaching for how to handle direct and indirect bullying.

  • Learn how to be your own best advocate.

  • Become skilled in emotional self-regulation and awareness.

 
 
 

Got questions?

To help you determine whether our program is a good fit, we offer an initial consultation. We will interview you and your teen or young adult to determine your specific concerns and challenges and how we can help.

MARA McLOUGHLIN, MS, CCC-SLP
FOUNDER & PROGRAM DIRECTOR