Social Skills Training

Logo for PEERS, a program for education and enrichment of relational skills, featuring a stylized outline of four people with a heart in front.

The Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills (PEERS®) is world-renowned for providing evidence-based social skills programs to preschoolers, adolescents, and young adults who are interested in developing and maintaining close friendships and/or romantic relationships.

First developed at UCLA by PEERS® Clinic director, Dr. Elizabeth Laugeson, PEERS can be used to teach social skills to people with autism spectrum disorder, social communication disorder, ADHD, social anxiety, and other related challenges.

Dr. Mejia Roque is a certified provider of PEERS for adolescents and PEERS for preschoolers

  • PEERS® is ideal for:

    • Children and teens with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), ADHD, anxiety, or other social challenges

    • Individuals with average to above-average language and cognitive abilities

    • Participants who are motivated to learn and improve their social interactions

  • The PEERS for adolescents and PEERS for preschoolers are 16-week programs.

    For preschoolers, Dr. Mejia currently offers a virtual group for parents that meets once a week for 1 hour.

    For teenagers, groups meet once a week for 90-minutes per session. There are no active groups for adolescents at this time.

  • Parents (social coaches) and children sessions run for 90-min in separate rooms. While a certified provider works with the children or teens in one room teaching them the skills, the parents are in another room learning skills that will allow them to augment their child’s learning daily

  • PEERS® stands out because:

    • It is evidence-based and supported by over 30 peer-reviewed studies

    • Parents or caregivers are actively involved and trained as social coaches

    • The program uses realistic, concrete strategies that are practiced during and between sessions

    • Skills are taught in a structured, systematic way with role-play, modeling, and feedback

  • The sessions in PEERS for preschoolers teach the following skills:

    • Listening to and following instructions

    • Meeting and greeting friends

    • Sharing and taking turns

    • Being a good sport

    • Not being bossy

    • Asking a friend to play

    • Body boundaries

    • Using an inside voice, and much more!

  • The lessons in PEERS for adolescents include:

    • How to make and keep friends

    • Starting and joining conversations

    • Handling teasing, bullying, and rejection

    • Using humor appropriately

    • Managing arguments and disagreements

    • Planning get-togethers

    • Navigating peer pressure

    • For established patients of the practice: $1250

    • For new patients: $1500 (includes a 1:1 intake visit)

  • Payment may be made in cash, via Zelle, or via debit/credit card.

    Payment is submitted in full upon confirmation of enrollment.

    Parents are expected to join each session. A one-time make-up session (30 min) can be arranged in you need to skip a session due to illness, emergency, or a pre-planned absence (if informed to Dr. Mejia in advance).

Dr. Mejia is currently enrolling parents for the PEERS for Preschoolers group to start in September or October. Date and time TBD.

Fill out the form below to enroll

Three young girls at a table with colorful cups, one girl wearing a purple jacket is reaching into a jar, another girl in pink with a sequined shirt is looking at the cups, and a woman in the background is looking at her phone.

PEERS for Preschoolers

For parents of 4-8 year olds

Four young people celebrating Holi with colorful powders on their faces and hands, smiling and showing peace signs.

PEERS for adolescents

For Teens in middle or high school