Friendship Builders
Social Skills Groups in Orange County
Helping children and teens build the social skills, communication, and confidence that lead to lasting friendships.
Social Skills Groups in Orange County
Social struggles are common, but children and teens can learn skills that help them connect with others and feel more confident. Friendship Builders offers supportive social skills groups in Newport Beach and Irvine, serving families throughout Orange County.
Led by a licensed speech-language pathologist, our small groups provide a warm, welcoming environment where children and teens can practice communication, develop social awareness, navigate peer relationships, and build lasting friendships.
Who Benefits from Social Skills Therapy?
Our school-age and teen social skills groups may benefit children and adolescents who:
Have difficulty making or maintaining friendships
Struggle to start or continue conversations
Find it challenging to recognize social cues or read the room
Feel shy, anxious, or insecure in social situations
Experience frequent conflict with siblings or peers
Have difficulty with back-and-forth conversation
Have Level 1 autism, ADHD, language delays, or other communication challenges
Small Groups, Meaningful Connections
Each group includes up to five children, allowing for individualized attention and meaningful peer interaction. We thoughtfully match participants by social-emotional and developmental age, interests, and strengths to encourage natural connections and shared experiences.
Through engaging, play-based activities and guided peer interactions, children and teens practice:
Engaging in conversation and listening empathetically
Understanding others' perspectives and recognizing social cues
Solving problems and working collaboratively
Expressing needs and advocating for themselves
Managing emotions and regulating impulsive behaviors
Developing self-confidence and building friendships
Applying Social Skills
Social skills are most meaningful when children can apply them in everyday life. Parents receive progress updates and practical strategies to help their children use newly developed skills at home, at school, and in the community.
At Friendship Builders, our goal is to help children and teens communicate more effectively, navigate social situations with greater confidence, and develop genuine connections with others.
Why Choose Friendship Builders?
Genuine Fun, Progress and Friendships
The Friendship Builders Difference
Friendship Builders offers social skills groups for school-aged children and teens in Newport Beach, Irvine, and throughout Orange County, California. Led by a licensed speech-language pathologist, our small groups combine individualized support with natural, meaningful opportunities to connect with peers.
Our child-led, relationship-focused approach emphasizes trust, rapport, and learning through shared experiences. Rather than relying solely on structured instruction, we help children and teens practice social communication in ways that feel engaging, relevant, and authentic.
Evidence-Based Approaches
We draw on established therapeutic approaches and tailor our support to each client’s developmental level, strengths, and social needs.
Floortime (DIR): Uses play and individual interests to foster engagement, emotional connection, and social development.
PEERS®: Incorporates strategies from the UCLA-developed program to help teens learn practical skills for making and maintaining friendships.
Pragmatic language therapy: Targets the social use of language, including joining conversations, staying on topic, interpreting social cues, and responding appropriately.
Guided peer interaction: Provides opportunities to practice communication, cooperation, and problem-solving with peers in a supportive group setting.
School-Aged Children
Our school-age social skills groups use games, creative activities, and guided peer interactions to help children navigate play, cooperation, and everyday social situations.
Children practice how to:
Join play, invite others to participate, and share materials
Take turns, follow group expectations, and work toward shared goals
Recognize emotions through facial expressions, tone of voice, and body language
Manage frustration, regulate impulses, and cope with social anxiety
Greet peers, show interest in others, and maintain conversations
Resolve disagreements, solve problems with words, and adapt when plans change
Teens
Our teen social skills groups address the increasingly complex social expectations of middle school, high school, and everyday peer relationships. Teens develop practical strategies to navigate group dynamics, communicate effectively, and build meaningful connections.
Teens practice how to:
Interpret social cues, including tone of voice, body language, and group dynamics
Consider different perspectives and navigate disagreements respectfully
Maintain reciprocal conversations by asking follow-up questions, sharing conversational turns, and staying engaged
Navigate friendship challenges and solve real-life social problems
Advocate for themselves by expressing needs, opinions, and boundaries clearly and respectfully
Friendships made with music
Parent’s Perspective
“Social skills as been incredibly rewarding because….”
“We had high confidence in Ms. Molly”
“It wasn’t just the therapy…it was the trust and connection with Ms. Molly”
“Friendship Builders made the social skills groups personalized.”
Let’s Get Started
