Forming connections through iFriend: A social skills group

The iFriend social skills group starts with a mindfulness activity to let go of the day's stressors and become more present in the room. Let's begin now in the same way: we invite you to take several deep breaths, close your eyes, and allow your thoughts to settle. Take a moment to reflect on a time in your childhood when you felt left out; perhaps you didn't get invited to a classmate's birthday party, no seats were left at your lunch table, or friends were playing kickball at recess without you. Notice the feelings that arise when you think about this memory — maybe you experienced hurt, loneliness, awkwardness, disappointment, jealousy. Many of the children participating in our social skills group struggle with these emotions on a daily basis.