TRANSITIONING TO COLLEGE
Though exciting it may be, leaving the comfort of home and high school can be stressful. A new environment with routines that are not yet established, few or no friends, and increasingly complex social and academic demands can challenge the most resilient young person. For autistic, ADHD, or other neurodivergent young people, these challenges are often amplified.
At IRL Social Skills, we cater to the autistic and socially struggling teen and young adult. We help young people communicate, understand themselves and others better, and ultimately improve the quality of their relationships in every area of life.
Autistic and other neurodivergent people who struggle to make connections or interact socially, may have trouble making friends, securing stable work, or figuring out where they feel safe, valued, and supported. They need to learn skills that make social interactions more comfortable, confident and constructive.
IRL Social Skills provides the coaching your teen or young adult needs to improve communication and transform relationships at college, at work, romantically, and at home.
MARA McLOUGHLIN, MS, CCC-SLP
FOUNDER & LEAD FACILITATOR
SCHEDULE A FREE 15-MINUTE CONSULT
Discover how IRL Social Skills can help your autistic or socially struggling teen or young adult. Book a 15-minute consult with IRL founder, Mara McLoughlin, to learn more about our curriculum and take the next step toward supporting your child’s growth .
NOW ENROLLING FOR JULY 2023
TEENS (AGES 11-16) CLASS MEETS TUESDAYS STARTING JULY 11th 4:30–6:15PM PST
YOUNG ADULTS (AGES 17-21) CLASS MEETS WEDNESDAYS STARTING JULY 12 4:30–6:15PM PST
OR
THURSDAYS STARTING JULY 13TH 7-8:45PM PST
How IRL Social Skills Academy Courses Work
Classes meet weekly via Zoom for 16 weeks (4 months), allowing for ongoing contact with coaches, instructors, and peers. Breakout rooms provide in-depth practice time.
NOTE: A parent or caregiver also attends weekly sessions to learn how to better support their child during the course and afterward. In this way, everyone learns how to best relate and respond to others in the primary social setting—the setting that has the most influence.
INCLUDED IN EVERY COURSE:
Trauma-informed nervous system education
Mindfulness practices
Interoception skills for co- and self-regulation
How to effectively use electronic forms of communication (and minimize bullying)
Skillful use of humor and assessment of humor feedback
Starting, entering, and exiting conversations between peers
Making friends based on common interests (e.g. games, art, music)
How to organize successful get-togethers with friends
Dating etiquette and how to develop a healthy romantic relationship
How to be their own self-advocate with authority figures, teachers, etc.
Our courses are geared toward the autistic neurotype but people of all neurotypes have found our courses and workshops to be very beneficial, if not life-changing.
EYE-OPENING AND TRANSFORMATIVE
“As a mom of a teen on the spectrum, I will be forever grateful to the coaches who prepared me with knowledge and tools to be a good support/coach for my son. It was also a big eye opener to me when I realized how much help he really needed. Also, the parents who joined the group with similar goals were exceptionally supportive and kind. It was a pleasure to be part of this class and I would recommend it to any teen or young adult who is struggling socially.”
MAROHA S – PARENT PARTICIPANT
Support for your child. Support for you.
Our program is unique and holistic —integrating mindfulness practices, self-advocacy, and self-regulation. We also add brain and nervous system education — specifically about the autistic neurotype — and teach students how to tune in to their feelings in the body and know what they mean (interoception).
While your child strengthens their social skills, you, your partner, family member, or an assigned coach will be learning the skills you need to set your child up for success with the right supports where it matters most — at home.
Over the 16-week course, students form connections with peers who go on to become supports long after the curriculum has ended. Friendships are made with people who share a neurotype—people who “get” each other.
Our neurodiverse team of skilled coaches teaches social skills based on the The Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills (PEERS®) program*, a highly effective, clinically proven curriculum that honors your child’s unique personality, gifts and needs.
MAKING NEW FRIENDS WITH LESS SOCIAL ANXIETY
“As a learner, I got a lot out of this program. I no longer struggle as much with going up and talking to people or making new friends. I'm not nearly as uncomfortable in social situations. IRL helped me to understand why I was having difficulties before. I learned the steps to have more enjoyable social interactions and connections. Overall, IRL Social Skills was a great experience.”
KEVIN V – YOUTH STUDENT
*PROVEN EFFECTIVE
The Program for the Evaluation of the Enrichment of Relational Skills (PEERS) was developed by UCLA's acclaimed Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior. PEERS is critically acclaimed for providing evidence-based social skills treatment to youth and adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety, depression, and other socio-emotional problems. The program has been peer-reviewed by the psychiatric community many dozens of times, and confirms the efficacy of the program.
SOURCE: National Institute of Health, National Library of Medicine. American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders
