Compass Clinic

Friendship Island social skills summer camp

Special needs camp · Ages 5–15 · $1,150/week · Full day · 9am–2pm

Friendship Island is a social skills 'boot camp' run by Compass Clinic therapists, more intensive than the clinic's weekly groups and including outdoor sports. Children from age 5 (or entering K) through middle school are grouped by age at a 3:1 camper-to-counselor ratio. Evidence-based strategies such as role plays, in-vivo coaching and positive behavior systems target joining groups, handling teasing and conflict, social cues, emotion regulation, mindfulness and sportsmanship. Each camper has three individualized social skills goals tracked daily and reviewed with a counselor. Teens 12–15 join as Counselors-In-Training, using lessons based on the UCLA PEERS curriculum and mentoring a younger 'Little Buddy'. Monday–Friday 9am–2pm; bring a brown bag snack and lunch. $1150 per week, with an intake required for new campers; superbills are provided for PPO reimbursement. Four weekly sessions in summer at churches and a school in West LA, Brentwood and Culver City.

• Summer dates not posted yet
• Full nonrefundable payment reserves a spot; lunch and snack not included. Superbills provided for PPO reimbursement.

Social skills groups and child therapy

Social skills groups · Ages 1+

Therapy practice in West LA offering social skills groups for toddlers through 12th grade, matched by age and clinical fit and led by a doctoral-level therapist, with doctoral externs as co-leaders. The approach follows cognitive behavioral therapy in a family-centered model, with parents involved in groups and individual sessions, and mindfulness woven into strategies. Groups suit children who struggle in one or two areas but are in a mainstream classroom, with or without a diagnosis; children with difficulty in several areas are steered to individual sessions. Clinicians work with autism, ADHD, anxiety, behavior and trauma. Also offered: Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (average 16 weeks), Parent Management Training and evaluations. Most children improve within 8-12 weeks. Weekend times are available for individual therapy and PCIT. Vendored with the regional center and accepts Self-Determination Plan funds; PPO families receive a superbill for out-of-network reimbursement. The office is up a flight of stairs and is not handicap accessible.

• Social skills groups, Cognitive behavioral therapy, Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), Parent Management Training, Individual child therapy and Evaluations
• Dr. Erika Rich, licensed psychologist, Dr. Seth Shaffer, licensed psychologist, Dr. Allan Phillips, Psychological Associate, Dr. Renee Viveros, Psychological Associate and Dr. Jessica Haratounian, Psychological Associate
• Insurance: Regional center funded: vendored with a California regional center; Out of network: a superbill for reimbursement
• Where care happens: At the clinic or office
• Evening, weekend or 24/7 nurse-line care: yes

• Activities: Social skills groups, Child therapy & counseling and Testing & evaluation