PEERS® PROGRAM FOR EDUCATION & ENRICHMENT OF RELATIONAL SKILLS

PEERS® is a 14-week evidence based social and relational skills program for high functioning teens (12yo-17yo) with special needs. Parents concurrently learn how to be social coaches for their own children, leading to further success when the program is finished.

Teenagers in the SouthBay PEERS® program will learn to:

1. Make & maintain friendships
2. Have successful get-togethers with peers
3. Have conversations
4. Successfully handle bullying, rumors, and gossip

The SouthBay PEERS® program takes place on Thursday evenings at 6:30pm-8pm. Each week the teenager will be in a group, and a parent will be in a group. The groups will be active and skill building. Both parent and child must attend each session. The PEERS® Program will take place at Harbor Regional Center located at 21307 Hawthorne Blvd., Torrance, CA 90503. There is free and ample parking onsite. We are vended through Harbor Regional Center (HRC). You may contact your HRC caseworker directly if interested.

To begin the application process, please complete the screening form and email it to SouthBayPeers@gmail.com. For further questions please contact Dr. Joel Schwartz at (424) 265-8185 or Brittany Boveé Schwartz, LCSW at (424) 254-9101. A follow-up phone call will be made to all interested parties within 1-2 business days after the form is received.

Click here for PEERS Screening Form.

Joel Schwartz is certified UCLA PEERS® Trainer and a psychological assistant under the Licensed Psychologist Shannon Poach, Ph.D., (PSY 21910). Brittany Boveé Schwartz is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW# 62877) and has more than a decade of experience working individuals with special needs.