Shine Bright Network utilizes research-based approaches and multidisciplinary frameworks that directly address the core challenges faced by children and persons with ASD and related disabilities, and their families. Social skills groups target perspective-taking, conversation skills, friendship skills, social competence, flexible thinking, emotion recognition, theory of mind, survival skills, coping skills, self-management, and problem-solving. 

We aim to improve specific interaction and behavior skills such as initiation, responding, maintaining, greeting, giving/accepting compliments, turn-taking, sharing, asking for help, offering help, including others, following directions, following rules, waiting, staying on task, emotional management, accepting losing, accepting consequences and dealing with embarrassing situations while preventing problem behaviors that interfere with learning and the development of relationships. 

Through the experiences of books, lessons, music, play, and conversation members will learn about the social mind and social expectations. Members will also learn about their own thinking (and that of others) to help them make better decisions during social play and interaction. 

Naturalistic Teaching Strategies (NaTS) | Social Thinking | Social Communication/Emotional Regulation/ Transactional Support (SCERTS) | Treatment and Education of Autistic and related Communication Handicapped Children (TEACCH) | Peer mediated strategies | Video modeling | Scripts | Parent consultation | Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills (PEERS) | Mindfulness | Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)