20 Feb What is Social Emotional Learning and Why is it Important?

CASEL defines Social Emotional Learning as, “an integral part of education and human development. SEL is the process through which all young people and adults acquire and apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop healthy identities, manage emotions and achieve personal and collective goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain supportive relationships, and make responsible and caring decisions.” (CASEL.org, 2022)

People with strong social emotional skills are more likely to be able to cope with life’s everyday challenges. Self-awareness, self-control, interpersonal skills, problem solving skills, and self-advocacy are necessary skills for children, tweens, teens, and adults to succeed academically, socially, and professionally. People need to know how to manage themselves and get along with others in order to learn, work, socialize, etc.

Who would be a candidate for our groups?

Although our practice focuses on neurodivergent youth, social emotional learning can be difficult for many children and teenagers who demonstrate social challenges. This may include individuals with autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, social communication disorders, social anxiety, or no diagnosis at all. Our groups are created based on the participant’s social, language, and learning abilities. By doing this we make sure the individuals are all engaged and learning together.