Helping Children Build Confident Connections: Our Social Communication Groups
Connecting socially with others can be hard and confusing. There is no clear roadmap to follow and even as adults we can miss the signs! Now add to that complexity the impact the pandemic has had on many young children, and what we’re seeing is the loss of important experiences in social interactions.
Connection is an important part of being human and it is one of the special aspects that makes us different from other species. When social communication difficulties are overlooked, people may be left longing for deeper connections without knowing how to get there. Untreated concerns may lead to low self-esteem, trouble participating in social environments, depression, building relationships, and arrested academic success.
This is where Social Communication Groups come into play!
Over the course of 16 weeks in a small group setting of no more than 8 children, your child will learn to think about their thinking (what is known as metacognition) in order to better develop an awareness of themselves and others. Students will learn to read the environment and to direct their attention to the verbal and nonverbal signals a peer may be giving.
Groups will discuss what a friend is, how to choose a “just right friend” for themselves, and how to move through the various levels of friendship. The groups will also be taught self-monitoring strategies to take inventory of their own actions during communication attempts in order to repair any breakdowns that may have occurred. Lastly, the groups provide a safe and supportive environment to practice the concepts we discuss.
In short: The social communication group is an intervention tool that uses instruction, role play, and feedback to teach ways of interacting with peers.
In the end, your child will leave the group experience with the confidence to make connections in life that feel good for them!
Now, for the specifics!
♡
Now, for the specifics! ♡
PREK &
Kindergarden
Led by Heather Singh, MEd, MA, LMFT Associate, EMDR-Trained
Currently under the clinical supervision of Brittany Whallen, LPC-S, LMFT-S
Session dates: Tuesdays beginning Sept 1, 2026 - Dec 15, 2026
Time: 3:00-3:45pm
Location: 4210 Spicewood Springs, Suite 203, 78759
Fee: $125/session, $500 prepaid at the beginning of the month
1st & 2nd Grade
Led by Heather Singh, MEd, MA, LMFT Associate, EMDR-Trained
Currently under the clinical supervision of Brittany Whallen, LPC-S, LMFT-S
Session dates: Tuesdays beginning Sept 1, 2026 - Dec 15, 2026
Time: 4:00-4:45pm
Location: 4210 Spicewood Springs, Suite 203, 78759
Fee: $125/session, $500 prepaid at the beginning of the month
tweenS & TEENS
Led by Heather Singh, MEd, MA, LMFT Associate, EMDR-Trained
Currently under the clinical supervision of Brittany Whallen, LPC-S, LMFT-S
Session dates: Tuesdays beginning Sept 1, 2026 - Dec 15, 2026
Time: 6:00-6:45pm
Location: 4210 Spicewood Springs, Suite 203, 78759
Fee: $125/session, $500 prepaid at the beginning of the month
WE’D LOVE IF YOU JOIN US!
3rd & 4TH & 5TH GRADE
Led by Heather Singh, MEd, MA, LMFT Associate, EMDR-Trained
Currently under the clinical supervision of Brittany Whallen, LPC-S, LMFT-S
Session dates: Tuesdays beginning Sept 1, 2026 - Dec 15, 2026
Time: 5:00-5:45pm
Location: 4210 Spicewood Springs, Suite 203, 78759
Fee: $125/session, $500 prepaid at the beginning of the month
Heather Singh is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Associate who is passionate about helping individuals, children, and families build stronger connections and navigate life’s challenges with greater resilience. She earned her Master’s Degree in Professional Counseling from Texas State University, a CACREP-accredited program, as well as a Master’s Degree in Education from Long Island University in Brooklyn. She also received a Bachelor’s Degree in Education with a concentration in biological sciences from the State University of New York at Fredonia.
For over 20 years, Heather has worked with people across the lifespan—from early childhood through adulthood—helping them explore, learn, and grow in understanding of themselves and the world around them. Her background includes work in museums, schools, and community organizations, as well as leadership roles supporting teams, fostering collaboration, and cultivating personal and professional growth. These experiences have strengthened her belief in the power of relationships, empathy, and authentic connection.
In her therapeutic work, Heather integrates evidence-based approaches that nurture emotional insight and meaningful change while honoring each client’s unique strengths and story. She partners with clients to identify patterns, perspectives, and emotions contributing to distress and supports them in moving toward greater clarity, balance, and fulfillment. Heather believes that within safe and supportive relationships, healing and growth naturally emerge—helping clients embrace change, take healthy risks, and develop a deeper sense of self.
Heather has specialized training in supporting children, adolescents, and parents experiencing relational or emotional distress. She draws on evidence-based modalities such as Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT), Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI), and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) to promote connection, healing, and emotional regulation.
Originally from New York, Heather has called Austin home since 2012. Outside of her counseling work, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two children—often exploring local parks or discovering a great new place to eat. She also loves reading, listening to music, and relaxing with a good movie.
Our Fall 2026 Social Communication Groups are led by Heather Singh, MEd, MA, LMFT Associate, EMDR-Trained, currently under the clinical supervision of Brittany Whallen, LPC-S, LMFT-S.
Born and raised in Austin, Ellie earned her bachelor of science degree from the University of Texas in Communication Sciences and Disorders. She went on to earn her Master of Science degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Texas State University. Ellie specialized in fluency disorders in graduate school, and still loves working with both adults and children of that population.
Ellie became a Natural Language Acquisition trained clinician in fall of 2022, and now enjoys providing informed therapy for gestalt language processors and education for their community. When not working, Ellie spends her time with her family, enjoys being outside as much as possible, eating good food, and going on adventures.
The Kindergarten & 1st Grade and 2nd Grade & 3rd Grade groups are led by Ellie Vidaurri, M.A., CCC-SLP.
The 4th & 5th Grade and Tweens & Teens groups are led by Mary Hadley, M.A., CCC-SLP, a Speech-language pathologist and founder of Signpost Speech and Language Therapy, LLC.
Mary specializes in evaluating and treating social communication and executive functioning issues for children, adolescents, and adults. Her approach to therapy focuses on helping individuals learn the skills needed to enjoy learning, working, and social communication through highly individualized programs that are based on the most current research. She loves working with families to better support their children and families.
Mary spent her formative years in Houston, TX, and is a graduate of The University of Dayton in Ohio (go Flyers!) with a Bachelor's in Early Childhood Education. Following graduation, she worked at the Lab School of Washington in Washington D.C. as an aid for speech-language pathologists specializing in language learning disabilities.
Mary received her Master's degree in Speech and Language Pathology from New York University and spent the next 4 years working in schools in Brooklyn, NY for children in Kindergarten through high school with behavioral and learning differences. In 2010 she returned to Texas with her husband and has spent the past 12 years working in public schools. With the invaluable experiences gained over the last 16 years, Mary is excited to share her love of social communication and executive functioning with families in Austin, TX.
Outside of therapy, Mary enjoys spending time with her two young children and husband, being with her extended family at the beach in Delaware, spending time with family in Indiana, cooking, and trying to run/keep up with her German Shorthaired Pointer, Hank.
Still have some questions?
We’ve got answers!
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This group is for anyone who wishes to learn more about the social world. While many who participate have a diagnosis of Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Social Communication Disorder (SCD), and other neurodiversities, it is not required to be a part of the group. All children can benefit from learning more directly about social communication.
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These groups are closed enrollment since the curriculum is intentionally designed to build on the skills learned in previous sessions. We encourage you to take a look at the dates in advance and make sure the timing is a commitment you can make for the duration of the sessions.
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Executive functioning plays an important role in social communication. Social communication can not be successful without the foundational skills of executive functioning which are attention, working memory, and inhibition. Social communication also requires other aspects of executive functioning such as planning, flexibility, initiation, organization, a sense of time, and self-monitoring.
Every group session will build on the foundational executive functioning skills of attention, working memory, and inhibition to help each child feel successful in the communicative attempts.
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If your child has difficulty with any of the following, they may benefit from dedicated 1:1 support instead of one of these particular groups:
Using appropriate greetings;
Changing language and communication style based on setting or partner;
Telling and understanding stories;
Engaging in conversation (e.g., initiating or entering a conversation, topic maintenance, turn-taking, responsivity, providing the right amount of information);
Repairing communication breakdowns (e.g., rephrasing when misunderstood);
Using appropriate verbal (e.g., tone or prosodic features) and nonverbal (e.g., gestures) signals to regulate interactions;
Interpreting the verbal and nonverbal signals of others during an interaction;
Understanding ambiguous or figurative language;
Making inferences (understanding information that is not explicitly stated); and
Forming and maintaining close relationships.
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Yes! In fact, every week you will receive an email outlining what was covered in the group as well as carryover activities for you to practice with your child at home.
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This is individual to each family and what feels right to you. I like to explain to the groups that social communication isn’t directly taught at school like reading and math are. Lots of children benefit from learning about their social brains and practicing social communication in a supportive and structured environment, just like learning math or reading.