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(916) 234-6323
(916) 234-6323
Enhance Your Social Skills with our PEERS Program
Discover the PEERS Social Skills Program to help individuals improve their social interactions and build meaningful relationships.
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We accept Aetna, Optum, UHC, and Cigna for California and Texas residents. Additionally, we accept Blue Cross Blue Shield for Texas and Tricare East for eligible residents.
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Building Meaningful Connections
with Confidence
Social skills are essential for fostering meaningful relationships and connections in our personal and professional lives. Effective social interactions can lead to stronger friendships, improved work relationships, and a greater sense of belonging and self-esteem.
The PEERS Social Skills Program at Burns Virtual Psychological Solutions is dedicated to empowering individuals with the tools and strategies needed to navigate social interactions successfully. Our mission is to provide participants with practical skills and techniques to build and maintain meaningful connections with confidence.
Through structured, evidence-based instruction, our program helps individuals learn how to initiate and sustain conversations, understand social cues, and develop empathy and perspective-taking skills.
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Why Choose Burns Virtual Psychological Solutions?

PEERS: Structured Social Skills Training
for Teens and Young Adults

The PEERS Social Skills Program offered by Burns Virtual Psychological Solutions is an evidence-based training program designed for adolescents and adults. This structured program provides participants with the tools and strategies to successfully navigate social interactions, improving their social competence and overall well-being.

Structured Curriculum:

Our PEERS program features a structured curriculum that covers a wide range of social skills topics. Participants learn essential social competencies through interactive lessons and practical exercises.

Through our structured curriculum, participants gain practical skills and strategies that can be applied in real-life social situations.

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Who Is PEERS For?
The PEERS Social Skills Program is designed to support adolescents and adults who may struggle with social interactions or have difficulties with social communication. Our program is particularly suitable for individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or other social learning challenges. Still, it is open to anyone who wants to improve their social skills and enhance their social competence, such as:
  • Adolescents and Adults with Social Communication Difficulties
  • Individuals Diagnosed with ASD, ADHD, Anxiety, and Depression
  • Anyone Seeking to Improve Social Competence
How Our PEERS Interactive Virtual Sessions Are Structured
Our PEERS Social Skills Program sessions are conducted virtually every week over a 16-week period. Each session is carefully designed to be interactive, engaging, and conducive to learning and skill development.
Session Structure
  • Frequency: Weekly sessions over 16 week period
  • Duration: 90 minutes per session
Social Coach
  • A social coach is a parent/caregiver, legal guardian, sibling, friend, partner, life coach, therapist, or other person who will assist the young adult in completing their session assignments as well as participate in the social coach groups. Social coaches will have their own 90-minute group that they are required to attend to discuss how homework went, barriers and successes, and ways to better support the young adult.
Engaging Learning Experience:
  • Engagement: Participants actively engage in discussions, role-play exercises, and group activities.
  • Instruction: Each session incorporates a combination of PowerPoint presentations, instructional videos, and interactive exercises to facilitate learning.
  • Feedback: Participants receive constructive feedback and guidance from both facilitators and peers to enhance skill development.
Cohort Size
  • Group Size: Cohorts typically consist of 7 to 10 participants.
  • Personalized Attention: With a smaller group size, participants receive personalized attention and opportunities for meaningful interaction with facilitators and peers.
Session Content
  • Role-Play Exercises: Participants engage in role-play exercises to practice social skills in realistic scenarios.
  • PowerPoint Presentations: Educational content is delivered through PowerPoint presentations, covering topics such as conversation skills, friendship-making strategies, and social etiquette.
  • Instructional Videos: Supplementary instructional videos are used to demonstrate social skills and provide additional learning resources.
Our virtual PEERS sessions offer a dynamic and supportive environment for participants to develop and refine their social skills, build confidence, and foster meaningful connections with peers.
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Comprehensive Social Skills Curriculum
Topics covered in the PEERS Social Skills Program, including:
  • Trading Information and Finding Common Interests
  • Starting and Maintaining Conversations
  • Finding a Source of Friends
  • Electronic Communication
  • Appropriate Use of Humor
  • Entering and Exiting Group Conversations
  • Get Togethers
  • Using Social Media
  • Dating Skills and Etiquette
  • Handling Disagreements
  • Handling Direct and Indirect Bullying
Benefits of PEERS Program
Friendship Development:
Learn strategies for initiating and maintaining friendships, vital for overall well-being.
Communication Mastery:
Acquire essential communication skills, including conversation starters and non-verbal cues interpretation.
Effective Problem-Solving:
Master problem-solving techniques to navigate social conflicts with confidence.
Understanding Social Norms:
Gain insights into social norms and etiquettes, facilitating smoother interactions.
Family
Involvement:
Involve caregivers for consistent support and reinforcement outside of the program.
Real-World
Application:
Practice skills in real-life scenarios, promoting generalization to diverse social situations.
Enroll in PEERS Today
Application Process
Intake: $500 (covers both young adult and social coach)
PEERS® Group: $3000 (this price covers both the young adult and their social coach). The first half of the fee ($1500) is due the week before the group starts. The last half ($1500) is due no later than week 8.
We accept Aetna, Optum, UHC, and Cigna for California and Texas residents. Additionally, we accept Blue Cross Blue Shield for Texas and Tricare East for eligible residents.
If you are interested in joining Dr. Burns’ PEERS® groups, please complete the form below.
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Contact Us
Start Your Journey Towards Wellness
Take the first step towards wellness by scheduling a consultation with our experienced therapists.
Phone Number
Office: (916) 234-6323
Mailing Address
9110 N Loop 1604 W Suite 104 PMB 1023, San Antonio, TX 78249
Business Hours
Monday-Friday 8:30am - 4:30pm CST
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this group trying to make me "not autistic"?
Absolutely not! At Burns Virtual Psychological Solutions, we celebrate neurodivergence. This group is all about helping individuals, whether they identify as neurodivergent or not, learn how to share the beauty of their authenticity and uniqueness.
Can I pay the full fee at the beginning?
Of course! Dr. Burns split the fee into two smaller payments for individuals/families who are unable to pay the full fee upfront, but if you are able to do so, you can pay everything at the beginning of the group.
Can I pick which sessions I want to attend?
Unfortunately, no. Because these sessions build on each other, attending all sessions is crucial; otherwise, you run the risk of getting lost in the content. This is true for both the young adult and their social coach.
What is a social coach?
A social coach is a parent/caregiver, legal guardian, sibling, friend, partner, life coach, therapist, or other person who will assist the young adult in completing their session assignments as well as participate in the social coach groups. Social coaches will have their own 90-minute group that they are required to attend to discuss how homework went, barriers and successes, and ways to better support the young adult.
What is the point of a social coach?
Social coaches help with the generalization of skills taught in the program by providing social coaching during “coachable moments” in natural social settings.
What if I miss a session?
Dr. Burns and her team understand that life happens. If you miss a session, a member of the staff will reach out to you to check in and schedule a make-up session with you.
How many sessions can I miss?
You are allowed to miss 3 sessions. After two sessions are missed, a group leader will check in with you and your social coach to see if you are still motivated to complete the program and work out a plan on how to progress.
Do I have to do the weekly homework assignments?
Yes, both the young adult and social coach will need to do their weekly homework to ensure that skills are practiced and so that support can be offered if there were difficulties learning/practicing social skills. Practice makes progress!
If I drop out of the program, will I get a refund?
Due to the immense amount of work that goes into creating and maintaining the groups, there will be no refunds. This is why it is of the utmost importance that you and your social coach are independently motivated to complete the entire program.
I am interested in the topics covered but not all of them apply to me, are there options to do PEERS® in a 1-on-1 format?
Yes! If you would rather do PEERS® in an individual therapy format, please email [email protected].
Is doing PEERS virtually less effective than doing it in-person?
UCLA completed research studies to determine the efficacy of virtual groups vs in-person and found that both groups were effective no matter what format they were conducted. In other words, virtual is just as effective as in-person. Isn’t that great news?