Therapy Groups

The following Pediatric Therapy groups are designed to address specific developmental needs while offering children a fun, social experience with their peers.

• Friendship Group
• Handwriting Without Tears
• Music and Social Skills Training: A Complimentary Medium to Help Children Cope
• Music and Social Skills Training: Sing and Say
• Social Skills Group
• Speech-Language Social Skills
• Stressbusters

Group availability varies by season.

Friendship Group (ages 7 - 9 years)

The Friendship Group at St. David's Center is specifically designed for children who have high functioning autism or Asperger's Syndrome who struggle with making and keeping friends. Led by a mental health practitioner and music therapist, the curriculum focuses on teaching conflict resolution skills in play-based settings and helping children learn appropriate expression of feelings and thoughts. Children need to have good verbal communication to participate. return to top

Handwriting Without Tears (ages 3-9)

Handwriting Without Tears at St. David's Center is for children who struggle with handwriting. It is offered at two levels based on a child's developmental readiness. Led by an occupational therapist, the goal is to enable children to write legibly and fluently. Children learn consistent habits for proper letter formation and parents will learn techniques and activities to help improve their child's self-confidence, pencil grip, body awareness and posture. return to top

Music and Social Skills Training: A Complimentary Medium to Help Children Cope (ages 3 - 12 years)

Designed for children with developmental delays and social-emotional challenges, Music and Social Skills Training: A Complimentary Medium to Help Children Cope is led by a music therapist and helps children learn to make friends, negotiate conflict, initiate and maintain conversation, answer and ask questions, and identify and express feelings. Children learn these skills at St. David's Center while singing, dancing, laughing, playing instruments and relaxing. Groups are formed based on age and need. return to top

Music and Social Skills Training: Sing and Say (ages 20 months - 4 years)

Children with delayed speech-language skills have fun singing, listening, playing and moving to music in Music and Social Skills Training: Sing and Say at St. David's Center. Led by a music therapist, the curriculum focuses on developing pre-language skills such as attention, gesturing, and motor and vocal imitating. Classes are grouped according to age and need. return to top

Social Skills Group (ages 4 - 12 years)

Led by a speech-language pathologist, the Social Skills Group at St. David's Center provides children with a supportive environment to practice their social skills, such as basic listening, starting and maintaining a conversation, learning about respecting personal space while talking, cooperative play and conflict negotiation. return to top

Speech-Language Social Skills (age 3 - 6 years)

The Speech-Language Social Skills group at St. David's Center is designed for children with a diagnosis on the autism spectrum. Led by a speech-language pathologist, this group provides children with a supportive environment to practice their social skills, such as starting and maintaining a conversation, learning about respecting personal space while talking, cooperative play and conflict negotiation. Classes are grouped by age and skill. return to top

Stressbusters (ages 7 - 9 years)

Stressbusters is designed for children who struggle with excessive worry, fears, school anxiety or separation anxiety. Led by a St. David's Center mental health therapist, the group helps participants learn to understand what anxiety is and provides ways to cope with worries, fears and insecurities. Groups are formed based on age. return to top