PEERS® for Adolescents
An Evidence-Based Social Skills Group for Teens Ages 14–18
An in-person group in Fairfax, Virginia designed to help teens build practical skills for making friends, navigating conversations, and handling common social challenges.
Thursdays from 3:00–4:30 p.m. | Beginning October 2026Social Skills Can Be Learned and Practiced
For some teens, knowing how to start a conversation, join a group, make plans with friends, or respond when a social interaction does not go well does not always come naturally.
PEERS® for Adolescents is an evidence-based social skills program that teaches teens concrete strategies for developing and maintaining friendships, communicating with peers, and navigating conflict, rejection, teasing, and other everyday social situations. Rather than simply telling teens to “put themselves out there,” PEERS® breaks social skills into practical steps that participants can learn, practice, and use in real life.
What Will Teens Learn?
❋ Developing and maintaining friendships
❋ Starting and joining conversations
❋ Entering and exiting group conversations
❋ Finding common interests
❋ Using humor appropriately
❋ Texting and electronic communication
❋ Planning get-togethers
❋ Being a good sport
❋ Handling disagreements
❋ Responding to teasing and bullying
❋ Navigating rejection and changing a negative reputation
Sally Harney,
Ph.D., LPC, NCC, ACS
Sally is the Owner and Clinical Director of Neutral Ground Counseling Group® and is PEERS® Certified. She works with teens and adults and brings extensive experience supporting neurodivergent clients and individuals navigating social, emotional, and identity-related concerns.
Hannah Khan,
M.Ed., Resident-in-Counseling
Hannah is also PEERS® Certified, and works with teens, young adults, and adults and brings a collaborative, person-centered approach to her work. She helps clients develop practical tools for navigating emotions, relationships, and challenging situations.
Parents & Caregivers Are Part of the Program
PEERS® also gives parents and caregivers tools to help teens practice their new skills outside of group.
While teens participate in their group session, parents or caregivers attend a separate session where they learn how to support friendship-building, troubleshoot social challenges, and reinforce the skills teens are practicing throughout the week.
Parent or caregiver participation is required.
Interested in PEERS®?
Contact Neutral Ground Counseling Group to learn more, ask questions, or find out whether the group may be a good fit for your teen.
Email: clientcare@ngcgrp.com