Creating meaningful goals for social success
Social skills encompass a BROAD set of rules and social norms. The more seasoned I grow as therapist, the more my therapeutic focus shifts away from setting goals for my clients.
This is important. Our goal for building social skills is not to change the wonderfulness that is each client. Our goal is to empower one to reach their own goals. How can we help our clients/kids/teens/loved ones identify what their social targets are, and then develop a practice plan of the social skills that will help them get there?
What might this look like? Maybe a client would like to have a few friends to hang out with at school and on weekends. This a meaningful, and worthwhile target! Let’s go get it.
Create a list of strengths (these should be unique to the person).
Motivated to make friends.
Unique interests (have a lot to bring to the table!)
Sensitive and thoughtful
Observant
Potential obstacles
Talking to new people
Finding someone with similar options
Growing a friendship from one setting to another
Identify the skills that will help you get there (your speech therapist or counselor can help develop this list too!) It could look something like this:
· Exploring body language, how can you look approachable? How can you read if someone else is approachable?
· Conversation tools for initiating small talk and exploring common interests
· Executive functioning targets – how to make plans with friends. What steps need to be taken?
· How to gather information to determine whether the friendship is reciprocated (do you view each other’s friendship similarly?)
Using a meaningful target might be just the key to help find the courage and maintain the motivation for social success. For support identifying and achieving your goals, feel free to call or email. I would LOVE to help!
Best,
Mallory
