Intensive Social Skills Training

ISST at WILLOW ACADEMY

ABOUT US

WE PROVIDE

ISST stands for Intensive Social Skills Training, which is a unique emotional support program that focuses on individualized academics, life skills, coping mechanisms, and social-emotional skills. ISST offers a daily, six-hour fusion of academic and therapeutic interventions in a small class-sized learning environment. We build and foster the skills necessary to successfully navigate the school environment and beyond. Students have the opportunity to interact with Educational Therapists on a daily basis to assist with a wide variety of individual needs, including essential social awareness and emotional intelligence. Students’ entire school day is infused with positive socioemotional guidance and modeling that assists them in developing positive relationships with both peers and adults. Extended school year programs are also available to qualifying students.

WE PREPARE

Students are exposed to mindfulness meditation, which has shown to be an effective method of improving social relationships with family and peers, and reducing stress, depression, anxiety, while simultaneously increasing feelings of well-being and happiness. Students can develop essential daily living and job training skills needed for today’s workforce through our career employment program.

WE SUPPORT

Staff provide the necessary behavioral rehearsal, prompting, positive reinforcement, and oversight to ensure that our students feel safe and are in a secure environment to practice and enhance social interactions with peers.

Students are encouraged to take advantage of the individual counseling sessions. This time affords the student with an opportunity to more fully explore their emotions, and enhance the development of insight and increased self-awareness, to gain a better understanding of their own behavior.

We provide support to our families throughout the planning process, including school, career, and continued education.