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Social Skills Groups for Autism Spectrum Disorder

This group is designed for teens and adults ages 16 and older with an Autism Spectrum Disorder diagnosis.  Participants learn social skills to help increase success in relationships and the workforce.  The group begins with an initial screening to determine eligibility (participants must have a documented diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder, and be able to verbally and respectfully participate in a group setting).  The twelve group sessions will include education and cognitive behavioral skills, and topics include Conversation, Nonverbal Communication, Emotion Identification, Emotional Expression, Managing Overwhelming Emotions, Assertiveness, Conflict Resolution, Developing and Maintaining Friendships, Professional Interaction, and Joking and Sarcasm.  The group is designed as twelve weekly 60- minute sessions.

If you are interested in participating in a Social Skills Group, please e-mail Patti or Emily or call 573-818-7010.

Resources for Autism Spectrum Disorder

Mindfulness Groups

Mindfulness refers to the ability to maintain awareness of the present moment with acceptance and without judgment.  Mindfulness helps strengthen the “muscle” in the brain that helps us focus our attention to the present moment (rather than ruminating on the past or worrying about the future).  Mindfulness can be beneficial in reducing dissociation, alleviating anxiety and depression, reducing chronic pain, and improving your focus and concentration.  Mindfulness helps us become more aware of our emotions and our needs.  In addition to mindfulness, this group helps participants gain coping skills to recognize, regulate, validate, tolerate, and appropriately respond to strong emotions with self-compassion as well as assertive communication skills.  The group is designed as eight weekly 60-minute sessions.

If you are interested in participating in a Mindfulness Group, please email Kylie or Patti, or call 573-818-7010 Extension 240.

Resources for Autism Spectrum Disorder

Dream Groups

Dreams often bring us important instructions, directions, and guidance.  However, few of us know how to interpret and understand our dreams, and many of us need help to even remember our dreams.  Dream Groups help us pay more attention and listen to what our dreams might be telling us.  Many people find that they start remembering more dreams through this process.  Each week, a group member shares a dream, and the other members ask questions to elicit details including images and emotions the dreamer may have missed.  Members take care to not put their interpretation on the dreamer’s dream, although gentle, tentative suggestions may be made after the dreamer has had a chance to develop their own interpretation.  The group is designed as twelve weekly 90- minute sessions.

If you are interested in participating in a Dream Group, please e-mail Emily or call 573-818-7010.

Resources for Autism Spectrum Disorder

Grief Groups

While grief may look different in each individual, the group is a safe space to normalize and validate what you’re experiencing.  It is an opportunity to be with others who have similar challenges.  You’ll learn what to expect in your process and healthy ways to cope.  You’ll be able to participate in activities that facilitate your grief journey.  If you have questions or want more information, please contact:  renee@columbiapsychology.com .

Resources for Autism Spectrum Disorder

Healing Groups

Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) Skills Group

Cognitive Processing Therapy (described in detail here) has evidence for successfully helping trauma survivors both in individual counseling as well as in a group format.  Survivors often find it very validating and beneficial to learn from other survivors how trauma has affected thinking patterns, and how to overcome and heal from their past.  The group is designed as twelve weekly 90- minute sessions.

Mindfulness Group

Mindfulness refers to the ability to maintain awareness of the present moment with acceptance and without judgment.  Mindfulness helps strengthen the “muscle” in the brain that helps us focus our attention to the present moment (rather than ruminating on the past or worrying about the future).  Mindfulness can be beneficial in reducing dissociation, alleviating anxiety and depression, reducing chronic pain, and improving your focus and concentration.  Mindfulness helps us become more aware of our emotions and our needs.  In addition to mindfulness, this group helps participants gain coping skills to recognize, regulate, validate, tolerate, and appropriately respond to strong emotions with self-compassion as well as assertive communication skills.  The group is designed as twelve weekly 60-minute sessions.

Women’s Group for Trauma Survivors

Women who have survived trauma come together and support each other by sharing coping strategies and connecting with one another.  Information/education about topics of interest to the group members is provided as requested; for example, past topics have included cognitive reactions to trauma (safety, trust, power/control, esteem, intimacy, guilt), dissociation, emotional processing, medication management, boundaries in relationships, and communication/assertiveness skills. The group is designed as sixteen weekly 60-minute sessions.

Trauma Support Group for Family

Families of trauma survivors come together to offer support and learn how to better help their loved ones.  No identifying information or details of trauma histories are shared, in order to respect loved ones’ confidentiality.  Instead, participants discuss and learn different ways of coping with their own emotions and responding to trauma survivors in helpful ways.  Education on the effects of trauma is provided, and participants are helped to cope with their own emotions and disrupted beliefs about the world following their loved ones’ trauma. The group is designed as twelve weekly 60-minute sessions.

Youth Trauma Group

Signs of Child Traumatic Stress

The signs of traumatic stress are different in each child. Young children react differently than older children.

Preschool Children

  • Fearing separation from parents or caregivers
  • Crying and/or screaming a lot
  • Eating poorly and losing weight
  • Having nightmares

Elementary School Children

  • Becoming anxious or fearful
  • Feeling guilt or shame
  • Having a hard time concentrating
  • Having difficulty sleeping

Middle and High School Children

  • Feeling depressed or alone
  • Developing eating disorders and self-harming behaviors
  • Beginning to abuse alcohol or drugs
  • Becoming sexually active

For some children, these reactions can interfere with daily life and their ability to function and interact with others.

Treatment for Child Traumatic Stress

Even with the support of family members and others, some children do not recover on their own. When needed, a mental health professional trained in evidence-based trauma treatment can help children and families cope with the impact of traumatic events and move toward recovery.

The group is designed as twelve weekly 60-minute sessions.

If you are interested in participating in a Dream Group, please e-mail Emily or call 573-818-7010.

FOUR SIMPLE WAYS TO CONTACT COLUMBIA PSYCHOLOGY HEALING CENTER LLC:

  1. 1.SCHEDULE AN INITIAL INTERVIEW (CLICK ON THE BUTTON TO THE RIGHT)
  2. 2.EMAIL emily@columbiapsychology.com 
  3. 3.CALL 573-818-7010 FOR A FREE PHONE CONSULTATION 
  4. 4.REQUEST A PSYCHOLOGICAL EVALUATION BELOW

Learn what is Right, Heal what is Left

Discover your Strengths

Schedule an appointment

The link above takes you to a website where you can schedule an initial interview with Dr. Emily Crawford-Thompson, Ph.D. If you do not see a time that works for you, please contact the office at emily@columbiapsychology.com or 573-818-7010 to see if we can accommodate you at another time.

Columbia Psychology Healing Center LLC

1900 N. Providence Rd. #327
Columbia, MO 65202

P: 573-818-7010

F: 573-818-7012

emily@columbiapsychology.com

Office Hours
Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The information in this form goes directly to my e-mail and will not be posted or seen publicly. With that said, e-mail is not considered a secure form of communication, so please limit sharing personal information on this form. It is helpful if you can provide a brief description of the reason you are reaching out, but we can discuss anything highly sensitive on the phone or in an initial appointment.

TO REQUEST A PSYCHOLOGICAL EVALUATION, PLEASE COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING. PLEASE NOTE THAT DR. EMILY DOES NOT WORK WITH CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 16.:

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REQUEST A PSYCHOLOGICAL EVALUATION WITH DR. EMILY-CLICK HERE FOR PRINTABLE REFERRAL FORM