Build A Social Life That Works For You

"The PEERS program has been a transformative experience for my 15-year-old son and me. As a parent, I appreciated the program’s structured approach, which provides clear, actionable steps for improving social interactions. At the same time, my son has gained confidence and practical skills to navigate friendships and peer relationships.

"Since starting PEERS, my son has become more confident in making and maintaining friendships and improved self-esteem. He’s learned to navigate tricky social situations, like handling peer conflict and joining group activities. Watching him use these skills in his daily life has been incredibly rewarding.

"For any parent of a teen struggling with social skills, PEERS is worth considering. While it requires effort and dedication, the outcomes have been life-changing for my son and our family. It’s not just about teaching social skills—it’s about building resilience and fostering meaningful connections that can last a lifetime. It has also brought our family closer as we have learned more about each other." 

-Parent of a teen who graduated from Unified PEERS® Programs

"A big WIN for G – yesterday he rode his bike for hours in the neighborhoods around where we are living in Denver.  A boy says hi as he was riding by and.... drumroll.... G STOPPED AND HAD A CONVERSATION WITH HIM! He told me the boys name was J, he’ll be going to G's school next year in the same grade and also likes Rubik's cubes. I asked him what he would have done last summer if a boy said hi as he was riding by and G said he would have kept looking straight ahead and rode faster to get away. This demonstrates how much he gained from PEERS®!!! THANK YOU! I was thrilled when he told me, especially because it seemed normal to him now and wasn’t a big deal!!!" 

-Parent of a teen who graduated from Unified PEERS® Programs

"D is doing really well. I think the PEERS® work really did a lot for him. He is more confident and makes plans with others. He even went to Homecoming at another school with four friends this fall. He had a great time. It was so awesome because at a dance in 8th grade, he had a panic attack." 

-Parent of a teen who graduated from Unified PEERS® Programs

“I used to think people didn’t like me. Nobody wanted to talk to me at my old school. I tried to make friends at first… but I didn’t know I was doing it wrong. I didn’t know what to say. I’d kind of stand there and they wouldn’t say anything, …and they’d look at me like I was weird. Then I just stopped trying. I used to cry about it, too. But now I know how to talk to people. I just find stuff that we like and talk about that. Like when they were talking about Twilight that day, I was like, ‘I can talk about that.’ So I did…and then they starting asking me questions. Now I know that’s how it works…that’s how you make friends.” 

-Socially anxious 14 year-old who completed PEERS®

(from the book, The Science of Making Friends)