Social Skills and Friendship Support

Helping Children and Teens Build Confidence and Meaningful Connections

Friendships are an important part of childhood and adolescence, but social interaction does not come easily to everyone. Some children want to connect with others but are unsure how to begin a conversation, join a group, understand social cues, or manage disagreements.

Ongoing friendship difficulties can affect confidence, school participation, emotional well-being, and a child’s sense of belonging.

Support may be helpful when a child or teen:

• Has difficulty making or maintaining friendships

• Feels left out, rejected, or misunderstood

• Struggles to begin or continue conversations

• Has difficulty joining groups or activities

• Misses or misinterprets social cues

• Becomes controlling or inflexible during play

• Experiences frequent conflict with peers

• Feels anxious or uncomfortable in social situations

• Has been bullied or socially excluded

• Communicates more comfortably with adults than peers

• Struggles with boundaries or personal space

• Wants friends but does not know how to connect

How Therapy Can Help

Individual therapy and structured groups can provide opportunities to build confidence and practice social skills in a supportive environment.

Treatment may focus on:

• Starting and maintaining conversations

• Joining groups and participating in activities

• Reading verbal and nonverbal social cues

• Understanding different perspectives

• Managing disagreements and repairing friendships

• Expressing feelings and needs respectfully

• Developing flexibility and cooperation

• Establishing healthy boundaries

• Responding to teasing, rejection, or bullying

• Building confidence in social situations

Depending on the child’s needs, social-skills support may be provided through individual therapy, parent guidance, or age-appropriate therapy groups.