What is Social Skills Training?

Social skills are a large group of specific cognitive and behavioral skills that children utilize to manage interpersonal interactions and relationships. While most children learn these skills naturally as they mature, some kids do not and show visible difficulties with anger management, peer relationships, social problem-solving, sharing, taking turns,empathy, active listening and making conversation.

Social skills research recommends the following evidenced-based practices to acquire and generalize social competence across settings:

  1. Intensive – daily, high repetition, for several hours per day.
  2. Behaviorally-oriented – focus on increasing/decreasing specific behaviors via contingency management strategies (points, rewards, loss of privileges, time-outs).
  3. Explicit – specific skills are taught (that match the specific deficit) using a set teaching model: instruction (verbal, visual), modeling, role-playing, and then review.
  4. Multiple settings – training occurs in each setting where social skills are used, such as: classroom,transitions, team sports, recess, lunch, and community.
  5. Parent training – parents are taught specific skills to generalize social skills at home.
  6. School involvement – teachers employ daily report cards (DRC) to monitor and reward social skills at school.

Below are 3 social skills program currently offered via Dr Rosenthal of Manhattan Psychology Group, PC:

Weekly Social Skills Training Groups in NYC for Children  Ages 6-12
This is a 10-week social skills training group focused on the acquisition, maintenance and generalization of interpersonal skills. Specific social skills are taught each week using an evidenced-based teaching model (instruction, modeling, practice, review) and behavioral strategies (points, rewards, and consequences). The group is appropriate for children with social skills deficits who have average or above cognitive and language abilities. For more information, please visit here.

Summer Day Social Skills Camp in NYC for Children Ages 6-12

Big Apple Day Program (BADP) is a Manhattan co-ed 6-week summer day camp for children ages 6-12 with mild-to-moderate social-emotional difficulties. We are an evidenced-based, behaviorally-oriented program with professional staff who integrate individualized goals with academic remediation, social skills training, arts & crafts, recess,recreational team sports, and field trips. For more information, please visit www.BigAppleDayProgram.com

Weekly Social Skills Group for Adolescents & Young Adults Ages 15-19 in NYC

Emerging adulthood can be particularly stressful for adolescents and young adults struggling with friendships,intimate relationships, family dynamics, bullying, peer pressure, body image issues, academic pressure,experimentation with substances, sex, social anxiety, and low self-esteem. This group follows a CBT andinterpersonal therapy model where participants can discuss topics, practice new social skills and receive real-time peer feedback.

Parent Testimonials from Social Skills Day Camp

Mother of 6 yr old boy with ADHD

“this is an excellent program. I am really impressed with the highly structured framework, the energetic and caring staff. I am so thankful to have found this program…You gave me back my son!”

Mother of 9 yr old girl with low frustration tolerance

“the individualized attention and goal setting…and the parental support.”

Mother of 11 yr old girl with Asperger’s

“the parenting classes were invaluable, and the overall structure of the program was great…”

Mother of 6 yr old boy with Autism Spectrum Disorder

“the highly structured schedule and clear behavioral goals worked particularly well for my child. The daily report cards are tremendously informative and helpful for gaining insight about how to modify behavior at home.”

Parents of 8 yr old girl with ADHD

“I loved the point system. The parent class is a great concept. I learned a lot. Great group of kids”…“the parent seminars were excellent. It gave me concrete tools to reinforce what was learned in the camp…I saw change in my daughter and change in our relationship because I was given tools that are ‘positively’ geared and my daughter was conditioned to respond.”

Mother of 11 yr old boy with ADHD

”the fact that he looks forward to camp and enjoys both the sports and classroom activities”

About Dr. Rosenthal

Dr. Rosenthal is the managing partner of Manhattan Psychology Group, PC. He is a New York (#17930) and New Jersey (#4723) licensed clinical psychologist who specializes in the treatment of children, adolescents, young adults and families. He maintains two offices on the UES and UWS in Manhattan where he serves as the resident psychologist for a multi-physician pediatric group and provides individual play & cognitive-behavioral therapy, parent training, family therapy, and social skills training.

Dr. Rosenthal manages a staff of more than 10 as the director of Big Apple Day Program, a behaviorally-oriented, evidenced-based social skills training program in Manhattan for kids ages 6-12. He has given grand rounds on Asperger’s Syndrome at Woodhull Medical Center and Lenox Hill Hospital, and written on the behavioral treatment of ADHD. Dr Rosenthal is the former Outreach Coordinator and Peer Counseling Program Coordinator for The City College of New York.

Dr. Rosenthal graduated Cum Laude (top 8%) with a BA in Psychology from University of Delaware and received his Masters & Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Long Island University – CW Post Campus. He trained and worked at Yale New Haven Hospital and Long Island Jewish Medical Center. Dr. Rosenthal received Parent Management Training from the Kazdin Yale Parenting Center & Child Conduct Clinic.

He is a member of numerous professional associations, including American Group Psychotherapy Association, American Psychological Association, Bergen County Psychological Association, Eastern Group Psychotherapy Society, New Jersey Psychological Association, New York State Psychological Association,and Society of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology. To learn more about Dr Rosenthal, please visit: www.DrJoshuaRosenthal.com.

Specialties

Childfearinsomnianyc

Dr. Rosenthal provides social skills training for:

  • Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder(ADHD)
  • Oppositional Defiant Disorder(ODD)
  • Social Anxiety
  • Non-Verbal Learning Disability(NVLD)
  • Mood Disorders
  • Selective Mutism
  • Asperger’s Disorder
  • High Functioning Autism(HFA)
  • PDD-NOS
  • Learning Disability(LD)

Fees & Insurance

Childfearinsomnianyc
Dr. Rosenthal is out-of-network with insurance and requires payment at the time of session. His fees are similar to other Manhattan child psychologists. A billing receipt for out-of-network reimbursement can be provided.

Contact Information


  • Upper Eastside Office:
    11 East 86th Street, Suite 1B
    Pediatrics of NY
    New York, NY 10028
    (Tues & Thurs)


  • Upper Westside Office:
    107 West 82nd Street, Suite 106
    Lower Level Professional Suites
    New York, NY 10024
    (Mon, Wed, Fri)

  • Phone: 646-450-6210
    Fax: 212-500-0007
    Main Site: www.DrJoshuaRosenthal.com

To schedule a consultation, please call Dr. Rosenthal at 646-450-6210