Friendship Group

Friendship Group is a therapeutic and educational social skills group for elementary school children in Seattle, WA. Started by licensed mental health counselors, Lisa Ann Mikulencak and Karen Noble-Newman, Friendship Group is a fun and safe place for children who are struggling with social skills and with making friends. Friendship Group meets weekly beginning the end of September and concluding the end of May. Our goal is to help children feel successful with their peers and to offer them the tools they need to develop positive, effective social skills. Our practice provides treatment and suggestions that are easily incorporated into family life. Friendship Group is effective and affordable. Please see our Parents' Information page for details. Registration for group is simple and straight forward.
We are forming groups now that will begin on September 17, 2008. Check out the different groups available: Registration If you are interested in a particular group for your child, please give us a call to confirm an opening. If you are calling on a Wednesday or Thursday, please call Lisa Ann at 206 683-8625. On Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays, please call Karen at 206 909-1937. Thank you for your flexibility. After we confirm an opening, download our Registration form, complete it, include the deposit check, and mail to our NEW address: 2366 Eastlake Ave. E, suite 413, Seattle, WA, 98103 We look forward to talking with you.
Learning to self regulate energy levels Identifying feelings and learning to cope with feelings in a positive manner Learning friendship skills, e.g., how to greet a friend, how to enter a group, how close to stand to a friend, how to be a good friend, how to give a compliment, how to say goodbye Learning to deal with frustration and anxiety Practicing being flexible Learning conflict resolution skills Developing sportsmanship Weekly homework to help generalize skills and to stimulate discussion with family members Weekly letter to parents outlining skills being taught and offering suggestions, advice, and information	Friendship Group helps children who are struggling with social skills for a variety of reasons. Many children are rigid, very concrete in their thinking and easily frustrated. Others over or under react to peers and to sensory input. Children with speech and language difficulties often have difficulty with their peers. Learning disabilities and neurological issues can interfere with the development of appropriate social skills. Impulsivity and inability to focus make it hard to interact in a positive fashion. Some children come to us with a diagnosis. Children with the following diagnoses often benefit from Friendship Group: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Attention Deficit Disorder, Asperger's, mild Autism, Pervasive Developmental Disorder, Sensory Processing Disorder, Non-verbal Learning Disorder, Anxiety, and Depression. Other children who greatly benefit from group do not have a diagnosis and will never have one. They may have difficulties in one area but not officially qualify for a diagnosis. Some children may just be very sensitive. What is important is that the child's needs are met and that they have an opportunity to develop useful, positive coping skills that transfer to home, school, and community.