What is PEERS?
PEERS® (Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills) is an evidence-based social skills intervention designed to support adolescents and young adults in developing meaningful, age-appropriate social relationships.
PEERS focuses on explicit teaching and practice of skills such as:
Starting and maintaining conversations
Understanding social cues and perspectives
Managing disagreements and peer conflict
Developing and sustaining friendships
Building confidence in social situations
Skills are taught in a structured, predictable, and supportive format, with opportunities to practice in real and simulated social situations.
PEERS is especially effective for neurodivergent teens, including autistic youth and teens with ADHD, anxiety, or social communication differences.
What is the Dunegons and Dragons PEERS group?
The Dungeons & Dragons PEERS Group is a 10-week, clinician-facilitated social group that integrates PEERS-aligned social learning goals into a collaborative role-playing game format.
Rather than practicing social skills in artificial or forced ways, teens learn and practice skills naturally through gameplay that requires:
Communication
Turn-taking
Cooperation
Perspective-taking
Problem solving
Flexibility
Dungeons & Dragons provides a highly structured social environment with clear rules, roles, and expectations making it an ideal platform for practicing real-world social interaction in a way that feels engaging and motivating for teens.
How the group works
Each session includes:
A brief check-in and review of social goals
Explicit teaching or modeling of a target social skill
Guided Dungeons & Dragons gameplay
In-the-moment coaching, prompting, and reinforcement
Reflection and wrap-up
Social skills targeted may include:
Conversation initiation and maintenance
Asking questions and commenting appropriately
Turn-taking and listening
Perspective-taking and flexible thinking
Self-advocacy and expressing needs
Managing frustration and big emotions
The group is kept intentionally small to support safety, engagement, and meaningful connection.
Who is it for?
This group may be a good fit for teens who:
Are between ages 12-16
Have an interest in games, fantasy, or storytelling
Want support with social interaction and peer relationships
Benefit from structure, predictability, and clear expectations
No prior Dungeons & Dragons experience is required.
Program Information
Length: 10 weeks
Start Date: April 15, 2026; 3:45pm-5:15pm
- Location: Peninsula United Church, 15639 24th Ave, South Surrey
Session Length: 90 minutes
Group Size: Small group (typically 4–6 teens)
Cost: $950 for the full 10-week program
Facilitated by: Tana RIchards, BCBA
Due to the structured nature of the group, fees are charged per program rather than per session. Missed sessions are not refundable.
To ensure the group is a good fit for all participants, registration includes a brief intake process, including expression of interest and a pre-group screening.