PEERS® for Young Adults is a 16-week evidence-based social skills intervention for motivated young adults, ages 18-30, who are interested in learning ways to make and keep friends, navigate social interactions, handle conflict and rejection, and develop romantic relationships. Young adults learn social skills by didactic and role play models, and then practice in a group session while receiving immediate, individualized coaching from clinical staff. Regular group attendance is imperative to program success.
Parents attend weekly group sessions, held simultaneously with the client group, where they are taught how to assist their young adult by providing feedback through social coaching during weekly socialization homework assignments. Weekly attendance for parents/caregivers is a program requirement.
As the first certified provider of the Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills (PEERS®) curriculum in the Mid-Atlantic region, CAAT launched group sessions in 2012.
Topics of Instruction
- Finding common interests by trading information
- Using appropriate conversational skills to start and maintain conversations
- Finding sources to make friends
- How to appropriately use humor
- How to enter and exit group conversations
- How to handle rejection and direct or indirect bullying
- How to organize and have successful get-togethers
- Rules for forms of electronic communication
- How to handle arguments and disagreements
- Dating etiquette/skill
Enrollment Process
- Complete the confidential online application below
- Upon receiving your application, a CAAT staff member will call to schedule a free, 30-minute telephone intake.
- After the the phone intake, both the client and parent/caregiver must attend a PEERS® orientation appointment with our clinician to determine if enrollment in the program is appropriate.
We are always accepting PEERS® program applications and offer PEERS® Lite for clients joining between group sessions.
Session Information
Group Duration: 16 weeks, programs begin in the Fall (Sept) and Spring (Feb) semesters
Group Meeting Day & Time: Tuesday Evenings 7:15-8:45 pm
Location: 8401 Connecticut Ave, Suite 700, Chevy Chase, MD 20815
**These services may be covered by your insurance company. LISS funding is applicable for our social learning programs.
Please call the office if you have any questions/concerns.