As Seen In…
IRL Social Skills in the News! 🌟
We’re making headlines! 🎉 IRL Social Skills is empowering neurodivergent youth with real-world social skills—and the world is noticing. Featured in The New York Times and more, our innovative approach is helping teens and adults build confidence, connection, and independence.
🔎 See what the media is saying about us!
Support for Families of Neurodivergent Teens and young adults 💙
Navigating social challenges can be tough—but you don’t have to do it alone. IRL Social Skills provides expert-led coaching and practical strategies to help neurodivergent teens and adults, as well as parents and caregivers, build confidence, friendships, and real-world independence.
👨👩👧 Discover how we support families like yours!
Real Stories, Real Impact: See How IRL Changes Lives 🌟
At IRL Social Skills, we've witnessed transformative journeys:
Increased Confidence: Participants report a boost in self-esteem after mastering new social skills.
Improved Relationships: Families share stories of enhanced communication and understanding.
Life-Changing Experiences: Our programs have been described as "a productive and life-changing experience" by those we've served.
Get Started
Schedule a consultation to speak with one of our program facilitators to learn more about how our programs can help you or someone you love. We’ll your answer all your questions and give you a clear sense of what you can expect from us.
Proven Curricula
Backed by Science
Our programs are based on the renowned Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills (PEERS®) and provide the building blocks of successful interpersonal and communication skills.
We also offer a 12-week program for lower support needs adults age 25+. Research-backed and trauma-informed, our courses also include neuroscience-backed nervous system education, including interoception experiments and somatic practices to promote co- and self-regulation and an overall improvement of mental and emotional health.
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PARTICIPANT in MAY 2025 GRADUATING CLASS
Once, in a dark time, life was a struggle. After coming to this group I have taken small steps out of the darkness. I’m thankful for the skills I learned and the friends I’ve made. I thank you for the kindness you showed me.”
—Emma, high school student
FAQs
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We teach a unique social skills program inspired by UCLA's Program for Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills (PEERS®), a proven program from UCLA started in 2004 — taught in 150 countries and has been translated into 12 languages.
We add 10-15 minutes of neuroscience-backed nervous system education to teach and practice the skills of interoception, co-regulation and self-regulation. Then, we break out into two separate rooms for parents/social coaches and teens/young adults.
Our Adults 25+ class is a little different: It runs for 12 weeks, is for lower support needs adults as it does not utilize a social coach or caregiver, and focuses on strengthening communication skills, applying these skills to dating and intimate relationships, and workplace relationships with coworkers and employers.
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Our live, group programs are via Zoom. Research indicates that teaching our curricula via Zoom demonstrates the exact same results compared to previously published results from the in-person delivery of the same intervention. Online group coaching allows us to serve people across the country and are accessible to those in rural areas, those who have sensory and physical limitations, and accommodate busy family schedules. We also have planned in-person gatherings in the Portland, OR area to further strengthen our community.
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Every session starts with neuroscience-backed nervous system education to calm the nervous system and set the stage for social engagement.
The specific lessons taught vary, depending on the age of the participant. Our adult classes focus on dating and workplace dynamics, whereas our teens and young adult classes focus on finding a source of friends based on common interests, organizing social activities and handling different forms of bullying.
Some of the basics include:
- Conversation skills
- Choosing healthy friendships based on shared interests
- Effective use of digital communication & humor
- Starting, entering and exiting conversations
- Being a good sport
- Organizing successful get-togethers
- Handling disagreements
- Dating etiquette
- Self-advocacy
workplace communication skills
- And more
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Teens and young adults age 11 and up who struggle to communicate or to connect socially. These skills are basic life skills applicable to everyone — whether identified as neurodivergent or not. Parents (aka social coaches) are also taught the same skills that their loved one is learning to help with carryover, In Real Life.
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Yes! We have a program for adults age 25+ for those with lower support needs. The essential core teaching is similar to our other programs, but focuses on adult scenarios such as employment and dating/intimate relationships.
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The coaches are licensed speech-language pathologists
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Our next 12-week adult program starts September 8th. If you'd like more information than you can find on this FAQ page or on our website, please call 971-373-4836 or email mara@irlsocialskills.com.
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The investment in our 8-week accelerated twice weekly summer sessions includes all of the program materials — slide decks, handouts, video replays of every class, and the supplementary materials on trauma-informed nervous system education, co- and self-regulation skills, and interoception skills — is regularly priced at $2,499. The 12-week adult program is the same price.
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No, we are private pay, and have payment plans available.
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Regular and on-time participation matters to get the full benefit of the program. Sessions start promptly. If you already know you will be missing more than 3 sessions or will be absent for the first two sessions, we suggest you wait until the next course starts.
The same parent/caregiver must attend every session. Teens and young adults and their parents have weekly practice (video chats with other group members, video chats with friends to practice conversational skills, having virtual and in-person get-togethers). Other parents/caregivers are always welcome to attend, but we strongly discourage switching off each week, as each session builds on previously learned skills.