Boost Your Child’s Social Smarts: A Free 4-Week Parent Workshop for Autism & ADHD
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Parents of children with autism or ADHD often ask the same question:
“How can I help my child build better social skills and friendships?”
At Cogleap Center, we understand that social interaction can feel overwhelming for neurodivergent children. That’s why we’re hosting a free 4-week online workshop series designed specifically for parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and ADHD.
This workshop provides practical strategies that help children develop the social awareness and communication skills needed to build meaningful friendships and navigate everyday interactions.
What Is the Whole Brain Gym for Children?
The Whole Brain Gym is part of Cogleap’s cognitive training approach, which focuses on strengthening the brain systems responsible for:
Attention
Social awareness
Emotional regulation
Executive function
Communication skills
Rather than focusing only on behavior management, this program helps children develop the cognitive abilities that support natural social interaction.
Parents will learn strategies that help their child better understand:
Social cues
Emotional signals
Conversational flow
Peer dynamics
Free Parent Workshop Series for Autism & ADHD
This 4-week online workshop series is led by Dr. Albert Knapp, Psy.D., BCBA-D, RPT-S.
Dr. Knapp specializes in helping families understand the underlying cognitive processes that affect social behavior.
Parents will gain practical tools that help children:
Build friendships
Reduce social anxiety
Navigate peer conflicts
Improve communication skills
Workshop Schedule
Week 1 – Making & Keeping Friends
Date: March 9 Age Group: 5–12
Children with ADHD or autism sometimes struggle to initiate friendships or maintain social connections. This session explores practical ways parents can help their child develop stronger peer relationships.
Topics include:
Understanding friendship dynamics
Teaching social initiation skills
Helping children join group play
Supporting friendship maintenance
Week 2 – Managing Social Anxiety
Date: March 16 Age Group: 5–12
Many neurodivergent children experience anxiety in social settings. Parents will learn strategies that help children feel more confident interacting with others.
Topics include:
Identifying triggers for social anxiety
Building confidence in social environments
Teaching coping strategies
Preparing children for new social situations
Week 3 – Handling Conflict in Peer Groups
Date: March 23 Age Group: 13–17
As children grow into adolescence, social conflicts can become more complex. This workshop helps parents guide teens through challenging peer dynamics.
Topics include:
Conflict resolution skills
Emotional regulation strategies
Understanding perspective-taking
Building resilience in social situations
Week 4 – Maintaining Conversations (Verbal & Non-Verbal Communication)
Date: March 30 Age Group: 13–17
Conversation skills are one of the most important — and challenging — social abilities for neurodivergent teens.
Parents will learn how to help their child develop:
Active listening
Turn-taking in conversation
Body language awareness
Natural conversational flow
Why Social Skills Are Challenging for Children with Autism and ADHD
Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or ADHD often experience differences in how their brains process social information.
Common challenges include:
Difficulty interpreting facial expressions
Trouble reading tone of voice
Challenges understanding social expectations
Struggles maintaining focus in conversations
Cognitive training programs like those offered at Cogleap help strengthen the brain networks involved in:
Social perception
Emotional awareness
Communication processing
These improvements can help children become more confident and comfortable in social situations.
How Cognitive Training Supports Social Development
Unlike traditional therapy approaches that focus only on behavior, cognitive training targets the underlying brain systems that support learning and social awareness.
At Cogleap, training programs are designed to improve:
Working memory
Processing speed
Attention control
Social cognition
Emotional regulation
When these cognitive systems improve, many children experience natural improvements in communication and social interaction.
Who Should Attend This Workshop?
This free workshop is ideal for parents of children who:
Have autism or ADHD
Struggle making or keeping friends
Experience social anxiety
Have difficulty reading social cues
Find conversations challenging
Parents will leave the workshop with practical tools they can immediately use at home.
Event Details
Event: Boost Your Child’s Social Smarts – Parent Workshop Hosted by: Cogleap Center Format: Online via Zoom
Dates: March 9 – March 30, 2026
Time: Mondays 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM PST
How to Register
Parents can register for the workshop using the QR code on the event flyer or by click here: Sign up for event.
Once registered, participants will receive the Zoom link for each session.
Spots are limited, so early registration is recommended.
FAQ
What social skills are difficult for children with autism?
Children with autism often struggle with interpreting facial expressions, maintaining conversations, understanding social rules, and recognizing emotional cues.
Can cognitive training help children with ADHD develop social skills?
Yes. Cognitive training can improve attention, processing speed, and emotional regulation, which are critical for successful social interactions.
How can parents help children with social anxiety?
Parents can help by practicing social situations, teaching coping strategies, and gradually introducing children to comfortable social environments.
What age group is the Cogleap workshop for?
The workshop is designed for parents of children aged 5–17, with sessions tailored to different developmental stages.