Growing up as a sibling of a neurodiverse child is a unique experience. Our Sibling Support Group provides tailored discussion, instruction and support for the common experience shared by siblings of individuals diagnosed with ASD, ADHD, and Behavioral Disorders.
The group is designed for siblings ages 7-12 who could benefit from a space to share with peers with plus gain education and strategies to navigate challenges and emotions they experience as a sibling of a neurodiverse individual. There will be a maximum of 6 participants per group to keep the size small and the experience personalized for their specific goals and needs.
General goals/topics covered:
- Sharing common experiences as siblings of children with ASD and other behavior disorders
- Psychoeducation regarding ASD, ADHD and other behavior disorders
- Identifying emotions and practicing coping strategies
- Experiencing difficult situations at home or in the community and strategies to handle them
- Identifying individual strengths and ways to nurture them
- For parents: ways to support siblings at home and what language to use with siblings to explain diagnoses and challenges
Learning objectives for attendees:
- Improved confidence
- Improved understanding of their sibling’s ASD or other behavior disorder
- Greater awareness and understanding of emotions
- Better parent-child and sibling-child communication
- The opportunity to gain a network and support group that can stay with them after the groups ends to navigate their shared sibling experience together
The group has two options: one in-person and one virtual.
Participants can sign up for one of more sessions as they wish at any time. Enrollment in the complete schedule is not required. Topics covered during the group can be modified and tailored according to participants' needs.
Schedule:
Thursdays
- Contact us for dates.
Topics:
Virtual parent session: Experience Sharing, Strategies, and Tips to Prepare Children for their Sessions
- Common experiences of siblings of children with ASD and other behavioral disorders
- How to support siblings at home
- Language to use with siblings to explain diagnoses, challenges, etc.
- What to expect from the group and how to prep children
Getting to Know Each Other and Psychoeducation
- Icebreakers
- What is ASD? ADHD?
- Opportunity to share experiences and details about sibling
Identifying Emotions
- Awareness/identification of emotions
Identifying Coping Strategies
- Identification and Practice to Build Coping Skills
Managing Challenging Situations at Home and in the Community
- Examples of challenging situations that may have or can happen
- How to handle those situations
Identifying and Nurturing Strengths
- Focus on individual strengths and how they are able to carve out time to nurture those strengths
Group Leader: Ariel Kornblum, PsyD, BCBA, LBA
All sessions will have a teaching component and a support component when participants can share their own experiences.
Price: $150 per session. There is no required intake prior to the group.
Cancellation policy: There are no refunds or makeup dates for the class. Full payment is required upfront.
