Social Communication

We all enjoy spending time with friends or family. Our use of communication in a social setting allows us to relate to others and form relationships.

A person can have difficulty understanding or using language to successfully navigate social situations. Some difficulties may include the following:

• Maintaining appropriate distance from other
• Asking questions or requesting things
• Holding a conversation
• Taking turns in conversation
• Joining/Exiting a group in conversation
• Understanding facial expressions or body language
• Making eye contact
• Using appropriate topics in conversation
• Understanding the emotions of another and using this information to relate to others
• Following social norms

How do you work on these skills?

The most successful way for a child/adult to improve social communication skills is to describe how to use it appropriately, practice it in “pretend” scenarios, and practice it in “real-life” scenarios.

My child just has some difficulty with these skills. Why would I do therapy to address them?

Children can be subject to bullying at school, and it can be difficult for a child that is very outgoing and socially appropriate to form friendships. Working on social communication increases the likelihood of being successful in various environments and stages of life such as school, college, jobs, friendships and romantic relationships. Therapy can build confidence and provide a “plan” for interacting with people in every environment we will participate in.