Carla A. Bermier, MA CCC-SLP
Abigail Jaffe, MA, CCC-SLP
15 Brewster Court
Northampton, MA 01060
Phone (413) 586-1945; Fax (413) 586-1946
Carla:  carla@comtherapy.com
Abby:  abby@comtherapy.com

Services Offered:  Social Communications Skills Groups

Groups consist of two to four children or adolescents who are at a similar stage in their social relationship skill development.  Groups meet weekly for ten-week sessions.

Group sessions mix fun, interactive games with direct teaching about specific skills that include:

• making and keeping friends
• processing more abstract language
• listening and taking turns
• reading and nonverbal cues
• taking other's perspective
• entering and exiting conversations
• showing sensitivity to and empathy with other's feelings.

Because parental involvement is crucial, students and their parents participate in Relationship Development activities prior to starting the program. (Parent education is provided at this time.)  Additional Individual Parent-Child Coaching sessions are scheduled during the ten-week group cycle (usually twice).

Programs are facilitated by Carla and Abby, who may be assisted by UMASS Communication Disorders students.

Provider Profile:
Carla is a licensed, certified Speech-Language Pathologist who has been evaluating and treating individuals with communication disorders since 1983.  She has worked in all settings, including institutional, hospitals, schools, and private practice.  Most recently, she has worked with the acute care population at Baystate Medical Center while maintaining her private practice.

Carla is a member of the Initial Cadre of Fluency Specialists and is a Board recoognized Specialist n Fluency Disorders.

Abby is a licensed, certified Speech-Language Pathologist who has been evaluating and treating individuals with communication disorders since 1995.  She has worked in several settings, including Baystate Medical Center, and now has a private practice.

Abby's son was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome in 2000.  Since that time, she has studied this syndrome, attended numerous conferences, and developed expertise in this area.  She brings a parent's perspective along with her professional knowledge and expertise to the Social Skills Coaching Program.

Abby is a member of the Academy of Neurological Communication Disorders and Sciences. 

Fees:  Please contact provider for details.

Payment Information:
Carla and Abby are participating providers for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts.  Clients with PPO plans from other insurers may be able to see them out of network.  Advance payment discounts are offered to those who pay privately at the beginning of the treatment.  School contract funding is also accepted.

Robert Chalif, Psy.D.
Clinical Associate, James Levine & Associates, P.C.
9 College Street, Suite 6
South Hadley, MA 01075
(413) 534-7400

Group's Location: 
130 Southampton Road
Westfield, MA 01085-1370

Services Offered:
After-school program for 4-6 adolescents currently enrolled in middle or high-school.  Program meets once a week for 10 weeks.  Providers are also available to work with adults with Asperger's Syndrome and related concerns.

Provider Profile:
Dr. Chalif has worked extensively with children, adolescents, and adults in a variety of clinical settings. He has a strong background in Autism Spectrum Disorders, and is particularly interested in the expanding interface between Eastern and Western psychology. He has a Masters Degree in Counseling Psychology from Antioch New England Graduate School and a Psy.D. from the Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology.

Fees:  $600 per participant.

Payment Information:  Please contact provider for details.

Kathleen Becker, MA, CCC, SLP
5 Fifth Avenue
Northampton, MA  01060
(413) 582-0683
kmbecker42@yahoo.com

Services Offered: 
Individual therapy and small group sessions focusing on the development of social thinking as well as social and play skills.

Groups vary based on the needs, goals, interests and learning styles of the members.  Each group is highly individualized, but there are three general formats.

Play with Me™
A simple structure is created for the group and then children are coached through normal play development.  Mini-lessons for social thinking are sprinkled throughout the session.  E.g. Hmmm…. Why is everyone afraid of that giant?  What could he do to change the way people think about him? 

This group can take place at your home, the child’s school or the office.  The gains made in this group are more quickly generalized when peers from the school or neighborhood are included.  This is an excellent group for care providers to participate in as it is a format that lends itself to the creation of   fun play dates.

Social Thinking and Skills
Social thinking and skill development groups start with specific skills needed to function in a group.  Although a part of this group is devoted to play, the primary focus is on making concrete and clear, the abstract and confusing social activities children have to deal with everyday.  Attention is paid to the skills specifically needed at school including: recess skills, small and large group participation, development of friendships, organizational skills, time management and conversational skills.

Everyday Heroes™
This group is new and focuses on the development of social thinking and skills by working with children’s interest in super heroes.   If your child is interested in super heroes this might be the group for him.  Children are introduced to the hero that resides in all of us…Superflex!  Superflex has a very flexible brain which allows him to acquire and apply social skills to everyday and difficult situations. Children join the Superflex academy (cape included) and are zooming on there way to becoming flexible thinkers.  Super heroes also have unique powers so there is also an emphasis on recognition and development of each student’s special powers.  Here is a place where areas of high interest and hyper focus are encouraged to expand.  Each group will also include physical activities to challenge and strengthen each superheroes physical well being. 

“Superflex” materials are the creation of two superheroes in the ASD community- Stephanie Madrigal and Michelle Garcia Winner.

Provider Profile:
Kathleen is a licensed, certified Speech-Language Pathologist who has worked with children on the autism spectrum since 1977.   In 1983, she was founding member of Project Prepare, the Commonwealth’s first public school program for students with autism.  She has maintained a private practice for over 25 years while continuing to work in a wide variety of settings.

Fees:
Please contact provider for details.

Teresa Dooley-Smith, M.S., CCC-SLP
TDS Speech Pathology Associates, Inc.
167 Dwight Street
Longmeadow, MA
and
13 Main Street
Belchertown, MA 01007-9812
(413) 323-0550
smith841@charter.net
tdsspeech@verizon.net

Services Offered:
Direct speech/language services (articulation, language, voice, fluency, etc.), social skills groups, and individual social skills work, consultation to parents/families, consultation to school districts, and home-based programs

Social Programs For The Real World
Theatre for Social Success--This program is designed to provide socially rewarding activities in a mutually supportive environment, while also teaching our students how fundametal acting techniques can help them understand and operate within the complex and shifting social situations that arise in their daily lives.  Our intention is to give students tools to take an analytical approach to situations most children will tend to approach intuitively.  This curriculum is designed to move beyond teaching rules of behavior.  Our central goal is to provide portable skills that our students can draw on in any social context over the course of their lives.
Social Coaching--This seven week program takes a practical approach to learning the skills necessary for understanding and operating within common social situations.  Small groups of students and peer mentors will spend two successive days together each week.  Weekly themes which relate to real world experiences, such as going to the movies, eating out, and leisure activities, will be explored.  A strong emphasis will be placed on group process and joint decision making.
Photo Journaling--Many students with social skills deficits have difficulty capturing the emotion and feel of a social scene.  Thsi can lead to misinterpretation and frustration.  This introduction to digital photography will provide students the opportunity to "slow down the world" by capturing individual moments on film.  Discussion and group analysis will help each student to examine in detail the social moments they have captured thereby moving toward greater conficence with social interpretation.  In addition, students will have an opportunity to use their own photos to help other TDS families.  Families and photgraphers will work together to create social stories specific to each family's needs.

Fees:  Fees vary according to need.  Please contact provider for details.

Payment Information:  Many insurances are currently accepted.  Please contact provider for details.

Liz Kosior, M.Ed.
185 Meadowbrook Ave.
West Springfield, MA  01089
(413) 739-6019 or (413) 427-1219

Services Offered:  Social development and social cognitive support, Advocacy, Inclusion and IEP support, Family training services.

Provider Information:  Certified Educator and provider for the Autism Waiver Program.  Background in educationa and intervention models such as the DIR/Floortime and Son-Rise Program.

Allison Warnick, Psy.D.
Ephrat David, MFT, MHC
1450 East Street, Suite 10C
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Allison Warnick:  (413) 644-0162
Ephrat David:  (413) 212-9192
socialskillsgroup@yahoo.com

Group Location:  Pittsfield, MA

Services Offered:
Individual therapy for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and social skills groups for children and adolescents with social challenges such as Asperger's Disorder, High Functioning Autism, Non-Verbal Learning Disability or related difficulties with social functioning.

Social Skill Groups:

• use a developmental, play-based approach to develop friendship and social skills.
• use a psycho-educational approach involving role playing, topic specific games, and activities to address areas such as: understanding the perspective of others, reading non-verbal cues, dealing with teasing, and learning how to get involved in a peer's game.
• are formed based on social-developmental level and chronological age.
• meet weekly for 6 month to a year to give the youth a chance to develop strong relationships with other group members and to truly integrate new skills.

Provider Profiles:
Allison Warnick, Psy.D., is a licensed psychologist who began working with youth owith Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) in 1988. She led several Social Skills Groups for youth at Mental Health and Substance Abuse of the Berkshires.

Ephrat David, MFT, MHC, is a Marriage and Family Therapist. She has been working with ASD youth since 1986 as a Special Education teacher and later as a psychotherapist.  She is currently an RDI Consultant in Training.

Fees:  $45 per session

Payment Information:  Currently, most insurances are accepted, and a sliding fee scale is provided for those experiencing financial hardship.

Ellen H. Korin
10 Coach Road
Lexington, MA 02420
(781) 861-6431
and
94 Pleasant Street
Arlington, MA  02476-6535
(781) 861-6431
(339) 223-0928
ekorin@rcn.com

Services Offered:
Coaching individuals (ages 10 - adult) with AS and Non-Verbal Learning Disabilities in:

• Social Skills
• Organization, motivation, and time management
• Job skills and other independent life skills

Consultation with parents regarding:

• School issues and concerns
• Facilitating independent living.

Provider Profile:
Ellen is a special educator with over 30 years experience in public and private education and in private practice. She is a faculty member  at Antioch University New England in Keene, NH, and has lectured at local and national conferences.  Ellen has conducted workshops for educators and mental health service providers throughout the Northeast.  She is the author of  Asperger's Syndrome:  An Owner's Manual.

Fees:  $100 per hour

Payment Information:  Insurance not accepted.

The May Institute
The May Center
1111 Elm Street
West Springfield, MA 01089
(413) 734-0300, ext 211;  Contact - Amy Beaumont
info@mayinstitute.org

Services Offered:
10-12 week Social Skills Group for adolescents with  social situations (e.g., with diagnosis such as Asperger's Syndrome) and are interested in improving their social skills. making friends, and having fun in the process.

Fees:  Please contact provider for details.

Payment Information:  Please contact provider for details.

The NeuroDevelopmental Center
Directed by Laurence M. Hirshberg, Ph.D.
260  West Exchange Street, Suite 302
Providence, RI 02903
(401) 351-7779
www.neurodevelopmentcenter.com

Services Offered:
The NeuroDevelopmental Center offers social development groups for children ages 7-17 with Autism Spectrum Disorders or related difficulties with social functioning.

Our Friendship Groups - consisting of two, three, or four participants who will be carefully matched by social developmental level - are based on the ideas and techniques of Steve Gutstein's Relationship Development Intervention, as well as others, incorporating a developmental perspective.  Groups run year-round, with an intensive summer program.

They have been designed to help children learn the foundation and skills for genuine experience sharing and social connection, including how to:

• share emotions with a friend
• be creative together with a friend
• flexibility coordinate emotional experience with a partner
• mutually regulate an interaction
• appreciate another child's perspective, point of view, and inner experience 

These essential social functions will be developed through enjoyable activities carefully planned to help children acquire, practice, and incorporate into their everyday social interactions the building blocks of experience sharing and social connection  

Our Friendship Groups generate lots of fun.  The activities are often silly, raucous, and informal - like typical peer interactions.  We hear lots of laughter, sometimes the walls shake.

All sessions will be videotaped.  This will allow children the opportunity to observe their own social behavior as well as provide guidance to parents for ongoing "home work".  This facilitates practice, generalization, and transfer of skills to home and community environments.  Parents also have the opportunity to view all sessions through a oneway mirror.

The groups are held in rooms fitted with oneway observation mirrors and audio and video recording so that parents may observe the group.  Video is often shown to the participants so that they may see and reflect upon their own social social behavior.

Related Services: 
The professional staff of The NeuroDevelopmental Center have specialized training and many years of experience working with kids with Autism Spectrum Disorder.  We offer diagnostic and neuropsychological evaluation, including school evaluation, individual and family therapy, nueurofeedback training, and school consultation.

Provider Profiles:
Laurence M. Hirshberg, Ph.D., is a licensed clinical psychologist.  He serves on the faculty of the Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior of the Brown University Medical School.  He has been specializing in work with neurodevelopmental disorders for over 15 years, and consults and trains educators and clinicians across New England.  Dr. Hirshberg has published and presented in many areas of psychology and child development.

Janet McTarnaghan, M.Ed., serves as an autism specialist at the NeuroDevelopmental Center.  She has worked for more than 20 years to provide support services to families of children with developmental disabilities and has been an elementary school teacher and special education teacher and administrator, working in both private and public settings.

Debbie Fate, M.M.T., is a dance and movement therapist who has been working in mental health for over 20 years.  She is the Mental Health Specialist for Woonsocket Headstart and has received specialized training in the approach to social development advanced by Steve Gulstein.

Fees:  The fee for the group varies depending on the number of weeks for the session.  The cost is $600.

Payment Information:  We do not accept insurance assignments for our services.  Please contact insurance carriers for details about partial payment of the group fee.

Please call Debbie Fate at NeuroDevelopment Center  at (401) 351-7779, ext. 105 or contact her by email at debbefate@cox.net for more information.