Phone: 301.593.6554

Resilience Builder Program®

Alvord, Baker & Associates, LLC has been running social competence groups for youth since 1992. The groups focus on enhancing resilience - the ability to adapt well to life and its challenges. The Resilience Builder Program® uses a cognitive behavioral framework to enhance social competence and self-regulation. We offer groups for youth from kindergarten through high school. We also offer groups for youth diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders. If interested in group services, please contact our group coordinator: 301-593-6554 ext 23.
Children’s social competence can be impacted greatly by one or several of the following factors: ability to regulate their behavior; anxiety; ADHD; learning disabilities; low self-esteem; organizational challenges; and/or transition difficulties. Our groups help children identify what they do well, and build on their social strengths.

All groups are led by experienced licensed psychologists and clinical social workers. There are five components to our group process:

1. Interactive Didactic: Specific resilience, leadership and social competence skills are focused on each week using discussion, role plays, or other age appropriate techniques for emphasis. Topics we have covered include: mental flexibility, personal space awareness, anger/anxiety management, self-regulation, taking turns, starting and maintaining conversations, intention and impact of behavior, etc.

2. Free Play/ Behavioral Rehearsal: Children practice friendship skills with other kids through play in group with the group leader available to coach them through specific struggles that arise, and praise the use of skills taught.

3. Relaxation/Self-Regulation Techniques: Therapists help children increase awareness of the connection between body, emotions, and feelings through calm breathing, visualization (or imagination walks), mindfulness, progressive muscle relaxation, music, or yoga.

4. Generalization: Resilience Builder homework assignments and sportsmanship activities (e.g., using the Wii, or going bowling) are utilized to reinforce the positive gains seen in the group therapy setting and expand them to use in the world outside of group.

5. Parents as Active Partners: Therapists are continually informing, encouraging and assisting parents. Each week parents are given information about the specific social skill the group is addressing, ideas to encourage and foster development, and recommendations for additional readings. In addition, each month parents are invited to join their child for a part of group.

Group Size

Our groups are small, with 3-7 kids participating, enough children to create a social environment. A maximum size of six (6) - seven (7) members ensures that children can fully participate each week. Because we offer small groups, we require advanced registration for all of our groups.

Group Schedules

Groups are held by semester in the Fall, Spring and Summer. Fall and Spring semesters typically offer 12-15 sessions and the Summer session offers 6-7 sessions. Group sessions are one hour in length. Often children participate in group for more than one semester to realize the full benefit.

Group participants are permitted two absences in the Fall and Spring semesters without charge. One absence is permitted in the Summer session without charge. For information on how to sign up for our groups, please see question #6 in our FAQ.

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