Registration for ABA Group Therapy for Autism closes Dec 15 – sign up now!

Take a Deep Breath

6-9 | 12 Weeks | $8,160
10-13 | 12 Weeks | $8,160
14-18 | 12 Weeks | SOLD OUT

Learn to identify emotions and mindfully manage challenging situations

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Program Details

Is your child or teen ready to enhance their self-regulation skills in a welcoming group environment? If yes, the Take a Deep Breath program is right for you! Over the course of 12 weeks, children and teens with autism learn skills to help them identify their emotions and manage stressful situations.

This service includes educational sessions for caregivers, to help you support your child in maintaining their new skills. One-to-one support is available at an extra cost for children or teens who require frequent breaks outside of the group, have difficulty regulating emotions such as frustration or worry, or to maintain safety (e.g. seizure protocol).

Take a Deep Breath is a core clinical service. Accepted funding includes OAP funding (childhood budgets, interim one-time funding), out-of-pocket, charitable funds and private insurance.

Ages 6-9 & 10-13

At age 6-13, participants learn strategies to recognize what they are feeling, and what their triggers are. Participants learn what to do when a challenge arises, using tools like deep breathing and other mind and body awareness exercises.

Sample Goals

The type of goals your child may target in this group include:

  • Identifying emotions
  • Identifying two personal values
  • Identifying behaviours that are in line with values
  • Describing what happens to your body when you are angry
  • Learning ways to calm your body

Ages 14-18

At 14-18, participants develop practical tools to observe and articulate emotional responses, become more self-aware and learn how personal values can inspire actions.

Samples Goals

The type of goals your teen may target in this group include:

  • Identifying two or more personal values and three or more behaviours aligned with personal values
  • Identifying personal worries, triggers or fears
  • Describing strategies to stay focused on values even when worried or upset
  • Describing one or more way that worry impacts the mind, emotions, body, actions and behaviours

Eligibility

WHO SHOULD REGISTER?

Your child or teen might benefit from this group if they:

  • Use sentences to ask and answer questions.
  • Understand and follow 1-step instructions.
  • Can recall and describe past events.
  • Can participate in (up to) 20-minute group sessions without disruption.
  • Can work independently in a group for 5 minutes.
  • Experience worry, anger, or intense emotions that interfere with day-to-day activities.

WHO IS NOT A FIT?

Your child or teen may not be eligible if they:

  • Do not respond to individual or group instructions.
  • Do not follow group routines.
  • Have difficulty with language or communication.
  • Frequently harm themselves, harm others or destroy objects when upset. For long standing risky behaviours, consider 1-to-1 Focused Behavioural Intervention. For new or escalating, high-risk behaviour, Urgent Response Services may be appropriate.

Schedule

AGES 6-9

12 Weeks | 2 Days/Week | 2 Hours/Day | $8,160 (Tax Included)
This group includes three in-person caregiver education sessions and three in-person coaching sessions.

Downtown2 Surrey Place Toronto, ON M5S 2C2

January 09 to March 28, 2024

Tuesday

03:45 PM – 05:45 PM

Wednesday

03:30 PM – 05:30 PM

SIGN UP

Downtown2 Surrey Place Toronto, ON M5S 2C2

January 10 to April 3, 2024

Wednesday & Friday

03:30 PM – 05:30 PM

SOLD OUT

AGES 10-13

12 Weeks | 2 Days/Week | 2 Hours/Day | $8,160 (Tax Included)
This group includes three in-person caregiver education sessions and three in-person coaching sessions.

Downtown2 Surrey Place Toronto, ON M5S 2C2

January 9 to March 28, 2024

Tuesday & Thursday

06:15 PM – 08:15 PM

SIGN UP

January 10 to April 3, 2024

Wednesday & Friday

03:30 PM – 05:30 PM

SOLD OUT

North York2 Champagne Drive, Unit E6, North York, ON, M3J 0K2

January 9 to March 28, 2024

Tuesday & Thursday

04:00 PM – 06:00 PM

SIGN UP

AGES 14-18

12 Weeks | 2 Days/Week | 2 Hours/Day | $8,160 (Tax Included)
This group includes three in-person caregiver education sessions and three in-person coaching sessions.

Downtown2 Surrey Place Toronto, ON M5S 2C2

January 9 to March 28, 2024

Tuesday & Thursday

06:15 PM – 08:15 PM

SOLD OUT

How It Works

ABA Group Therapy is designed like swimming lessons. Some children progress quickly through the levels, while others repeat a level several times to work on or reinforce a goal. Sometimes, clinicians may recommend repeating a service. Caregivers can also sign their child up for the same level again if they feel they have more to gain from the curriculum.

Why Choose Us

At Surrey Place, our goal is to empower participants and their families in the ongoing journey of growth and development. We work closely with each family, listening to your unique needs every step of the way to create a personalized behaviour plan for each participant.

We offer resources for caregivers to maintain their children’s skills at home. From support staff working to match your child with a program that will best suit their needs to the ongoing care of expert clinicians, our team is here to help your child gain new skills, build self-confidence and reach their full potential.

Unlock Your Child’s Potential

Explore programs that enhance social skills.

Ages 3-13

Social Stars

Learn social and play skills in a guided group setting.

LEARN MORE

Ages 6-18

Conversation Club

Learn to initiate, maintain and end conversations.

LEARN MORE

Ages 14-18

Social Time

Start to read social cues and navigate peer expectations.

LEARN MORE

Ages 7-12

Children’s Friendship Training

Increase awareness of peer dynamics and make friends.

LEARN MORE

Ages 13-18

PEERS®

Learn advanced skills to develop and maintain friendships.

LEARN MORE

Did you know that we offer free events for clients, caregivers and professionals?

BROWSE EVENTS

Wellness Events

Resource Library

Find accessible information developed by our clinicians to help you on your journey.

LEARN MORE

By 2 months

Has your baby had their hearing screened? YES NO

By 6 months

Does the child?

Startle in response to loud noises? YES NO
Turn to where a sound is coming from? YES NO
Make different cries for different needs (hungry, tired)? YES NO
Watch your face as you talk? YES NO
Smile/laugh in response to your smiles and laughs? YES NO
Imitate coughs or other sounds such as ah, eh, buh YES NO

By 9 months

Does the child?

Respond to their name? YES NO
Respond to the telephone ringing or a knock at the door? YES NO
Understand being told no? YES NO
Get what they want through using gestures (reaching to be picked up)? YES NO
Play social games with you (Peek-a-Boo)? YES NO
Enjoy being around people? YES NO
Babble and repeat sounds such as babababa or duhduhduh? YES NO

By 12 months

Does the child?

Follow simple one-step directions (sit down)? YES NO
Look across the room to a toy when adult points at it? YES NO
Consistently use three to five words? YES NO
Use gestures to communicate (waves hi/bye, shakes head for no)? YES NO
Get your attention using sounds, gestures and pointing while looking at your eyes? YES NO
Bring you toys to show you? YES NO
Perform for social attention and praise? YES NO
Combine lots of sounds together as though talking (abada baduh abee)? YES NO
Show an interest in simple picture books? YES NO

By 18 months

Does the child?

Understand the meaning of in and out, off and on? YES NO
Point to more than 2 body parts when asked? YES NO
Use at least 20 words consistently? YES NO
Respond with words or gestures to simple questions (Where's teddy? What's that?)? YES NO
Demonstrate some pretend play with toys (gives teddy bear a drink, pretends a bowl is a hat)? YES NO
Make at least four different consonant sounds (p ,b, m, n, d, g, w, h)? YES NO
Enjoy being read to and sharing simple books with you? YES NO
Point to pictures using one finger? YES NO

By 2 years

Does the child?

Follow two-step directions (Go find your teddy bear and show it to Grandma.)? YES NO
Use 100 to 150 words? YES NO
Use at least two pronouns (you, me, mine)? YES NO
Consistently combine two to four words in short phrases (Daddy hat. Truck go down.)? YES NO
Enjoy being around other children? YES NO
Begin to offer toys to other children and imitate other children's actions and words? YES NO
Use words that are understood by others 50 to 60 per cent of the time? YES NO
Form words or sounds easily and without effort? YES NO
Hold books the right way up and turn the pages? YES NO
Read to stuffed animals or toys? YES NO
Scribble with crayons? YES NO

By 30 months

Does the child?

Understand the concepts of size (big/little) and quantity (a little/a lot, more)? YES NO
Use some adult grammar (two cookies, bird flying, I jumped)? YES NO
Use over 350 words? YES NO
Use action words such as run, spill, fall? YES NO
Participate in some turn-taking activities with peers, using both words and toys? YES NO
Demonstrate concern when another child is hurt or sad? YES NO
Combine several actions in play (puts blocks in the train and drives the train, drops the blocks off.)? YES NO
Put sounds at the beginning of most words? YES NO
Use words with two or more syllables or beats (ba-na-na, com-pu-ter, a-pple)? YES NO
Recognize familiar logos and signs involving print (Stop sign)? YES NO
Remember and understand familiar stories? YES NO

By 3 years

Does the child?

Understand who, what, where and why questions? YES NO
Create long sentences using five to eight words? YES NO
Talk about past events (trip to grandparents house, day at child care)? YES NO
Tell simple stories? YES NO
Show affection for favourite playmates? YES NO
Engage in multi-step pretend play (pretending to cook a meal, repair a car)? YES NO
Talk in a way that most people outside of the family understand what she/he is saying most of the time? YES NO
Have an understanding of the function of print (menus, lists, signs)? YES NO
Show interest in, and awareness of, rhyming words? YES NO
Read to stuffed animals or toys? YES NO
Scribble with crayons? YES NO

By 4 years

Does the child?

Follow directions involving three or more steps (First get some paper, then draw a picture and give it to Mommy)? YES NO
Use adult type grammar? YES NO
Tell stories with a beginning, middle and end? YES NO
Talk to try and solve problems with adults and with other children? YES NO
Show increasingly complex imaginary play? YES NO
Talk in a way that is understood by strangers almost all the time? YES NO
Generate simple rhymes (cat-bat)? YES NO
Match some letters with their sounds (letter b says buh, letter t says tuh)? YES NO