Amicus Therapy Group

a friendship and social skills program for children

Amicus: Latin for “friend”

Amicus Therapy Group is a social skills program that helps children master the art of making and sustaining friendships.   We work with children in 1st through 6th grade, serving the Bay Area ~ San Francisco Peninsula and South Bay / Silicon Valley.  The social skills groups meet once weekly for 10 weeks, in small groups of 3 to 5 children, who are matched by age, gender and social abilities. Our skill-building, psychoeducational groups are facilitated by experienced, licensed therapists.

Amicus offers small social skills groups for 1^stthrough 6^th grade children.  During each group meeting the children learn and practice a new skill with peers, and receive coaching and feedback from their group therapist.  They are taught through direct instruction, and are engaged through developmentally-appropriate activities such as games, art, collaborative projects, literature and role-plays. 

Parents are integrated into our program through various ways: weekly handouts which outline the skill taught, and suggestions of ways to help their child practice during the week; a scheduled mid-session conference; and a written concluding summary with recommendations.  

We offer two 10-week sessions during the school year (Fall and Spring), as well as a one-week summer camp.

Our curriculum addresses the following:

• Friendship-Making Skills (Greetings; Conversational Skills; Joining In)
• Skills for Dealing with Feelings (Expressing Feelings; Recognizing and Understanding Another’s Feelings; Dealing with Anger)
• Skills for Self-Control and Dealing with Stress (Responding to Teasing & Bullying; Compromising & Negotiating; Dealing with Rejection; Being a Good Sport)

individual counseling

Amicus therapists are available to provide individual counseling to children, adolescents, and their families.  They utilize play, art, and talk therapy to treat a variety of childhood problems such as depression, anxiety, dealing with loss and trauma, challenges with confidence, and adjusting to school and family transitions. Please contact a therapist directly to schedule an appointment:

Our team has a combined clinical experience of over 35 years: