Typical social skills training programs focus on teaching behaviors that would make the neurodivergent
child or an adult appear neurotypical in social settings (make eye contact, stay still, pretend you are
interested even if you are not). Children are often told to mask their natural behavior and personality
traits in order to please others and not be viewed as “weird”. In other words, children are encouraged to
perform for others in order to “blend in” and to get social approval. This is called masking or
camouflaging. While following the neurotypical social rules can be very important for safety and other
reasons, masking can be extremely exhausting and taxing on the child’s mental health. While we do
provide guidance by teaching the children about safety rules and neurotypical social expectations, our
main goal is to encourage every child and teen to embrace their unique selves and to make informed
decisions when it comes to navigating common social situations at home, in school and in the
community. Understanding things like sensory preferences, masking, stimming, self-regulation, etc. will
make it easier for a child understand their own needs and therefore will help them develop appropriate
coping mechanisms to manage difficult emotions and skills to navigate various social situations.