Does your teen struggle with unstructured social times like lunch periods, transitions between classes, or just casual hangouts with friends? The Art of Friendship social skills program is offering a free seminar (available in person and virtually) that could help.

On Friday, May 17th from 11:30am-12:30pm EST, the seminar “Mind the GAP: Teaching Teens to Handle Unstructured Social Situations by Developing Conversation Skills” will be presented by Mike Fogel, MA, ATR-BC, PAATA HLM.

Fogel, an art therapy entrepreneur and author of “The Social-Emotional Guidebook,” explains that neurodiverse children often find unstructured times anxiety-provoking due to the lack of clear rules and less adult guidance. His seminar aims to reframe these “gaps” as opportunities to get positive attention through specific behavior guidelines and conversation skills.

“The cure? Let’s reframe these gaps in structure as social opportunities to Get Attention Positively,” states the seminar description. “We will form a plan of action with a set of behavior guidelines and use play and conversation skills to make positive social connections.”

The seminar is being offered virtually via Zoom, allowing anyone to attend from the comfort of their home. It’s completely free but registration is required. To register for the Zoom seminar, visit: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0lc-2rrjwoHNP2ambgySW-9t7LZuuQlWzC. For parents looking for in-person options, limited spaces are available at the Paoli location. Email Candice Lespoir at info@artofsocialconnection.com to reserve a spot.

Don’t miss this great opportunity to learn strategies to help your teen navigate unstructured social situations. The seminar is part of the Art of Friendship’s resources aimed at supporting social-emotional development in kids.