FAQs
What do you teach?
We teach a unique social skills program initially based on UCLA’s Program for Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills (PEERS®), an empirically valid curriculum from UCLA started in 2004. Taught in 150 countries and has been translated into 12 languages, PEERS is also recognized in the University of North Carolina 2020 National Clearinghouse for Autistic Evidence and Practices report as the ONLY research-backed, parent-mediated social skills program
We start each Zoom session with 10-15 minutes of neuroscience-backed nervous system education to teach and practice the skills of co-regulation and self-regulation. Then, we break out into two separate rooms for parents/social coaches and teens/young adults.
Our Adults 25+ class is a little different: It runs for 12 weeks, is for lower support needs adults as it does not utilize a social coach or caregiver, and focuses on strengthening communication skills, applying these skills to dating and intimate relationships, and workplace relationships with coworkers and employers.
Do you teach in person or online?
Our classes are virtual, with meetings taking place via Zoom. Research indicates that teaching our curricula via Zoom demonstrates the exact same results compared to previously published results from the in-person delivery of the same intervention. Our programs are synchronous, face-to-face, with interbrain connectivity. Online group coaching allows us to serve people across the country. We continually add more classes to accommodate different time zones. Online programs are accessible to those in rural areas, those who have sensory and physical limitations, and accommodate busy family schedules.
What will we learn?
Every session starts with neuroscience-backed nervous system education to set the stage for improved learning and interpersonal group interactions.
The specific lessons taught vary, depending on the age of the participant. Our adult classes focus on dating and workplace dynamics, whereas our teens and young adult classes focus on finding a source of friends based on common interests, organizing social activities and handling different forms of bullying.
Some of the basics include:
Conversation skills
Choosing healthy friendships based on shared interests
Effective use of electronic communication & humor
Starting, entering and exiting conversations
Being a good sport
Organizing successful get-togethers
Handling disagreements
Dating etiquette
Self-advocacy
And more
The teens, young adults and adults classes age 21-29 are parent-mediated. This means a parent or other caregiver attends a weekly class at the same time as their child, to learn to become stronger social supports at home. Parents and caregivers can expect to learn or improve skills to help their loved one make and keep friends, set healthy boundaries, and self-advocate for their unique needs, among others.
Who do you support?
Families with teens age 11 and up who struggle to communicate or to connect socially. Although our core curriculum was designed for the autistic individual in mind, these skills are basic life skills applicable to everyone, whether identified as neurodivergent or not. Parents (aka social coaches) are also taught the same skills that their loved one is learning to help with carryover, In Real Life.
Do you teach adults?
Yes! We have a program for adults, age 21-29 and a program for age 25+ for those with lower support needs. The essential core teaching is similar to our other programs, but focuses on adult scenarios such as employment and dating/intimate relationships. The 21+ group with higher support needs follows the 16-week coaching program, while the 25+ group with lower support needs is 12 weeks.
Who are the coaches?
All courses are taught by a neurodiverse team of licensed speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, mental health providers, direct support professionals, and learning specialists — most of whom are actually autistic, ADHD, or otherwise neurodivergent. Our team is also racially diverse and LGBTQ+ representative, further demonstrating our commitment to inclusion and diversity in all its forms.
When are the next programs?
Our next 16-week courses start February 2025. If you’d like more information than you can find on this FAQ page or on our website, please book a consultation to speak with our program director.
COMING SOON! Social Skills Classes for bilingual/Spanish families. Students attend class in English, while parents’ classes are conducted in Spanish to help students continue learning and integrating lessons at home in a bilingual household.
How much does the program cost?
TEENS & YOUNG ADULT PROGRAMS
Our programs for teens and young adults breaks down to 3.5 hours total of coaching per week, by licensed and insured professionals (1 hour and 45 minutes for the teen/young adult, 1 hour and 45 minutes for the parents/caregivers). All of the program materials are included — the PEERS handouts, video replays of every class, and the supplementary materials on trauma-informed nervous system education, mindfulness, and interoception skills.
The cost for the complete 16-week live program is $4,398. We take Oregon Health Plan and will verify your OHP benefits for you. We also adhere to a tiered Equitable Pricing Model. Clients may pay with credit cards and payment plans are available through Affirm and Klarna. We are vendors with the Oregon Department of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) and also work with the Self-Determination Program of California.
ADULT CLASSES (AGE 25+)
The cost for the complete 12-week program is $2,499. We take Oregon Health Plan and will verify your OHP benefits for you. We also adhere to a tiered Equitable Pricing Model. Clients may pay with credit cards and payment plans are available through Affirm and Klarna. We are vendors with the Oregon Department of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) and also work with the Self-Determination Program of California.
Do you take insurance?
We take Oregon Health Plan. Otherwise, we are private pay.
What is the Attendance Policy?
Regular and on-time participation matters to get the full benefit of the program. Sessions start promptly. If you already know you will be missing more than 3 sessions or will be absent for the first two sessions, we suggest you wait until the next course starts.
The same parent/caregiver must attend every session. Teens and young adults and their parents have weekly practice (video chats with other group members, video chats with friends to practice conversational skills, having virtual and in-person get-togethers). Other parents/caregivers are always welcome to attend, but we strongly discourage switching off each week, as each session builds on previously learned skills.
Got questions that weren’t answered here?
Get in touch with us. We’d love to help you discover how IRL Social Skills can help you or your family.