What Is PEERS®?
PEERS® (Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills) is a research-based social skills training program originally developed at UCLA. Designed for individuals with social challenges, including those on the autism spectrum or with ADHD, PEERS® emphasizes concrete, actionable strategies for forming and maintaining relationships. Through structured lessons, role-playing, and in-session practice, participants gain tools for navigating conversations, developing friendships, and managing social dynamics. Sessions are supported by trained social coaches, ensuring that skills are reinforced in real-world contexts between meetings.
Program Elements
- Developing and maintaining friendships
- Conversational skills
- Entering & exiting conversations
- Appropriate use of humor
- Electronic communication
- Dating skills
- Organizing social outings
- Handling direct and indirect bullying
- Handling disagreements
PEERS® for Teens & Young Adults Summer Workshop
Our summer PEERS® program is a dynamic, evidence-based social skills workshop designed for neurodiverse teens and young adults (ages 13+) who are motivated to build and maintain meaningful social connections. Based on the UCLA PEERS® model, this intensive six-week program meets twice weekly for two-hour sessions. Participants engage in structured lessons, role-play demonstrations, and guided socialization activities, all led by certified professionals with expertise in neurodiversity. The summer format provides an accelerated path to learning key social strategies for making friends, navigating group interactions, and building confidence in social settings.
PEERS® for Adults
Academic Year Program
Our academic-year PEERS® for Adults program offers a supportive, structured environment for neurodiverse adults seeking to strengthen their social relationships. Meeting once a week for two-hour sessions, this longer-format series provides opportunities to learn and practice essential social skills over time. With guidance from experienced therapists and specialists, participants explore topics like making and keeping friends, handling conflict, and navigating romantic or professional interactions. Group sessions include didactic instruction, real-time practice, and social coaching to help generalize these skills to everyday life.