We are a small mental health practice specializing in working with children, adolescents and adults struggling with anxiety, depression, executive functioning deficits and/or other social learning challenges.
Growing Social @ the SLC
Through evidence-based practices, Growing Social is a child development framework for sharing, practicing and utilizing meaningful social, emotional and behavioral competencies. This groundwork serves as a steppingstone in developing essential social habits within the individual and family system.
Our Growing Social team include:
Dr. Chris Abildgaard
Heather Tournas, LMSW
Groups
Fall 2024 groups are now closed! Check back in the spring to see what groups will be offered!
Who can benefit from the Growing Social branch?
This newest branch of the SLC will focus on those various developmental needs for children ages 3-7 years old. These needs may include those seeking support for building social competencies as well as those wanting to develop cognitive recognition and regulation of emotions. The age range of 3-7 years old is a time when a wide variety of developmental milestones occur, so Growing Social’s goal is to act as a guide to help parents and caregivers successfully and appropriately meet the needs of their children. Instead of focusing on what parents or caregivers “should” or “need” to do, Growing Social will work to expand parent/caregiver mindsets and change how they think about using interventions to engage with their children.
Our Growing Social programs should be seen as strategies and interventions that can be attempted and adjusted due to the fluid nature of child development. We are excited to be focusing on:
Not just the needs of the client, but also the needs of the family system.
Creating mental pathways in order to adjust the way parents think instead of telling children what to do.
Remembering that 3-7 is an age range where a ton of development is occurring, so Growing Social can help families and parents direct the development of their children in an appropriate and successful manner.
Creating a group of professionals to assist and guide those that are interested in learning about evidenced-based supports for their children.
Both neurotypical and neurodiverse children and families that can grow within their own developmental timeline.
Nurturing the Roots of Social Development
The question of “why” arises when analyzing various behaviors and communication breakdowns that occur in childhood. By taking a strong developmental look at what may be underneath some of the observable action’s parents, teachers and peers may see, Dr. Abildgaard and colleagues will be taking what they have learned and know to be core components to child development to address very specific areas of one’s roots. Growing Social’s intention is to strengthen those underlying competencies needed to be a successful social learner. Examples of these roots which have been noted in the literature to impact behavior, developmental, social competencies include but are not limited to:
Verbal & Non-Verbal Communication
Emotional Recognition and Regulation
Joint Attention
Executive Functioning
Theory of Mind
We have come to understand child development as fluid in nature and one that will grow and expand at the pace the child is able to handle. Simultaneously, the family unit is growing, shifting and coming to understand new developmental successes and challenges of their child. By creating fun, interactive opportunities to strengthen the roots of our young social learners while fostering parent engagement and education, Growing Social will improve one’s social, emotional, and communicative competences and help young learners to experience feelings of self-fulfillment, strong social bonds/relationships and ways to manage their emotions and those emotions of others around them.