What is PEERS® for Young Adults?

Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills (PEERS®) is an evidence-based social skills group intervention to support interpersonal skills in friendships, workplace relationships, and romantic relationships. It has been empirically studied and shown effective in populations with Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD, anxiety, depression, and other socio-emotional problems. 

PEERS® is unique because it is the standard in evidence based social skills for young adults. It breaks down social skills into understandable steps and includes role-plays and videos for multifaceted learning. Research shows that skills are generalizable to real life settings. Having these skills allows young adults to increase confidence in independent living and being an advocate for themselves.

<< Sign up for free 15-minute consultation >>

This group will be led by Dr. Laura Rowley, Ph.D. (https://ucebt.com/about-us/primary-staff/primary-staff/laura-rowley)

Learn more about PEERS®: (https://www.semel.ucla.edu/peers/young-adults)

Who is PEERS® for?

PEERS® is for young adults (18-35) who have:

• Social/behavioral challenges
• Autism spectrum disorder
• ADHD
• Social pragmatic communication disorder

Parents, caregiver or other support persons may serve as social coach in young adult group.

Anyone living in a PSYPACT Participating State may attend this group: https://psypact.org/mpage/psypactmap 

What will you learn from PEERS®?

• Developing and maintaining friendships
• Handling disagreements and conflicts
• Building conversation skills in person and through technology, like email, texting, and social media
• Organizing and participating in group gatherings
• Practicing self-advocacy in workplace and school settings

<< Sign up for free 15-minute consultation >>

When will PEERS® group be held?

PEERS® is a 16-week program that can be in-person or virtual. Each session is 90 minutes. This group is set to begin in July 2024. Please complete this PEERS® for Young Adults Interest Form to learn more and for a free 15-minute consultation.

Where will PEERS® group be held?

• In-person: Utah Center for Evidence Based Treatment, 170 South 1000 East, Suite 201, Salt Lake City, Utah
• Virtual
• Hybrid 

Anyone living in a PSYPACT Participating State may attend this group: https://psypact.org/mpage/psypactmap 

How much does the PEERS® for Young Adults Program Cost?

PEERS® Groups are $75 per session ($1200 for all 16 weeks), and due to the curriculum, group members must commit to attending the full program.

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What does research say about the PEERS® for Young Adults Program?

• Effects of an Abbreviated and Adapted PEERS® Curriculum as Part of a College Transition Program for Young Adults on the Autism Spectrum (Howorth et al., 2022).
• Improving Social Anxiety and Social Responsiveness in Autism Spectrum Disorder through PEERS® (Factor et al., 2022).
• A Randomized Controlled Trial of the Korean Version of the Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills for Young Adults (PEERS®-YA-K) With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Pilot Study (Oh et al., 2021)
• Effectiveness, durability, and clinical correlates of the PEERS social skills intervention in young adults with autism spectrum disorder: the first evidence outside North America (Chien et al., 2021)
• A Pilot Study of a Brief Inpatient Social-Skills Training for Young Adults With Psychosis (Moe et al., 2021).
• Effects of PEERS® Social Skills Training on Young Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities During College (Rose et al., 2021).
• Brief Report: Does Gender Matter in Intervention for ASD? Examining the Impact of the PEERS® Social Skills Intervention on Social Behavior Among Females with ASD (McVey et al., 2017)
• A Replication and Extension of the PEERS® for Young Adults Social Skills Intervention: Examining Effects on Social Skills and Social Anxiety in Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (McVey et al., 2016)
• A Randomized Controlled Trial to Improve Social Skills in Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder: The UCLA PEERS Program (Laugeson et al., 2015)
• Social Skills Training for Young Adults with High-Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders- A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study (Gantman et al., 2012)
• Transition to Adulthood for High-Functioning Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (Kapp et al., 2011)
• Program evaluation of an adapted PEERS® social skills program in young adults with autism spectrum disorder and/or mild intellectual impairment and social skills difficulties (Honan et al., 2022)
• Effect of PEERS® Class on Conversational Skills of Adults with Autism in College (Howorth et al., 2022)
• Fostering Friendship and Dating Skills Among Adults on the Autism Spectrum: A Randomized Controlled Trial of the Polish Version of the PEERS® for Young Adults Curriculum (Płatos et al., 2023)

<< Sign up for free 15-minute consultation >>

Part of UCEBT’s mission is to increase access to evidence-based services for everyone. Our community partners provide needed care for autistic individuals and their families. We at UCEBT support these efforts by providing reduced cost diagnostic evaluations, staff and parent trainings, clinical consultation, free resources, and community outreach to reduce barriers to intervention for the clients of our community partners. Please email if you are a program providing early intervention or autism intervention across the lifespan and would like to be part of our community.

BEE Kids Mental Health and Wellness Center 

BEE Kids combines Applied Behavior Analysis with Naturalistic Development Behavioral Interventions (NDBI) to learn skills and apply them across their environments. They use a family-centered approach to care for individuals with autism, including parent training and resources.

Kids Park Child Development Centers 

Kids Park is a family-owned child education and care program serving Tooele County. Educational programs support development of infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and elementary before and after school care. Intensive intervention from Behavioral Therapists provide individualized strategies for needed skills.

Whole Child Therapy 

Whole Child Therapy centers provide services that address behavioral, neurological, and psychological needs for autistic individuals or individuals with developmental needs. By providing ABA, Speech Therapy, Occupational Therapy, and psychotherapy in one place, parents can feel that the needs of their child are met on many fronts.

Golden Steps ABA 

Golden Steps supports children with autism and their families in 15 states through in-home. Intervention supports skills in pragmatic language, sensory processing, self-care, and social skills.

Brighter Strides ABA 

Brighter Strides uses a comprehensive approach for supporting autistic children in overcoming challenges with communication, social skills, and daily living. Brighter Strides conducts in-home, center-based, and school-based ABA therapy across 11 states and Washington D.C.

Utah Invisible Condition Alert Program  (S.B. 148)

Utah’s Invisible Conditions Alert Program is a voluntary program that allows a person with a qualifying physical or mental condition to have a decal placed on a driver's license or ID card. 

Utah's Invisible Condition Alert Program is designed to promptly notify first responders about a person's invisible condition that may directly impact the person's ability to communicate. Early identification of an invisible condition during interactions allows first responders such as law enforcement, firefighters, or emergency medical personnel to approach situations with heightened awareness and respond appropriately. 

Below are links that will help you access these informational materials: 

• Utah Driver License Division 
• Invisible Condition Request Form 
• Invisible Condition Removal Form 
• Utah Division of Motor Vehicles Information 
• Statement of Invisible Condition 

The Invisible Conditions form must be submitted to the Driver License Division (DLD) by mail, fax, email, or at an office location. For more information on this program, visit the DMV invisible condition site or contact DLD customer service at 801-965-4437. 

*Utah Health Care Professionals as defined in Section 53-3-207 - Physician, Physician Assistant, Nurse Practitioner, or Clinical Mental Health Psychologists, Clinical Social Worker. 

We are so excited to win Best of State in Mental Health Education for 2024!

For this award, UCEBT's nomination was reviewed by a panel of judges specific to the education division. Judges were selected from all over Utah and volunteer their time to review and score applications. Each judge has been recommended by a Utah Chamber of Commerce, an industry association, or a Utah mayor's office, as being a leader or expert in their particular field.

Nominees are judged on three criteria.

1. Achievement in the field of endeavor:

• Overall quality and excellence of the nominee's performance, products or services.
• Demonstrated achievement and excellence.
• Evidence of superior results and outcomes. 

2. Innovation or creativity in approaches, techniques, methods or processes.

• Achieved superior results and created positive differentiation from others within our field.
• Utilized innovation or creativity in approaches, techniques, methods or processes. 

3. Contribution to improving the quality of life in Utah.

• Improved the quality of life in Utah.
• Family-friendly employment policies and opportunities.
• Contribution to a strong economy, cultural contributions, or improving the quality of life in a neighborhood, community, city, or the state.

Educating Students

The UCEBT Training Program has been a cornerstone our our organization since its inception. In fact, UCEBT was originally founded, in part, to provide Dr. Sheila Crowell's students with more opportunities to grow thier experience with evidence based practices, specifically (at the time) Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT).

This program provides high-quality training and expert supervision, allowing students to sample a wide variety of interests, working within our multiple clinical programs, and grow in the direction of their passion. In fact, upon completing their education and licensure, most of our post-doctoral trainees return to work at UCEBT as full-time clinicians.  

Students in the training program also get to experience UCEBT's unique team model; this allows for access to peer consultation, case conceptualization, experience with complex clients, and training in risk management. This placement is also unique in the range of evidence-based protocols and modalities to which students gain exposure, including ACT, CBT, DBT, prolonged exposure, CPT, and TF-CBT. Our client population varies widely. We treat a range of anxiety disorders, depression, gender dysphoria, OCD, trauma, chronic pain, school refusal, etc. Many UCEBT cases are diagnostically complex, including severe psychopathology and higher risk cases. 

Students are trained in both in-person and telehealth settings. UCEBT supports students in making the best choice for their training and personal health. We do not pressure them into any particular modality. Further, a student's schedule at UCEBT is relatively flexible, allowing them to see clients, attend consultation meetings, and manage their school work. UCEBT offers a professional development fund for students to use for training, books, gas money, and more. In addition to psychology students, we have also had students of psychiatric nursing in our training program. 

UCEBT offers students the opportunity to participate in either 1 or 2 treatment teams over the year. One treatment team translates to roughly 8-12 hours per week, and 2 treatment teams translates to 14-16 hours per week. 

Since our 2013 inception, we have had 35 doctoral and 17 postdoctoral students complete our training program, each from 1 to 2 years in duration. 

Educating Community

In 2023, our experts in DBT filmed over 32 hours of teaching the same skills that are taught in group skills classes. These videos have been since edited and organized into an easy-to-follow curriculum whereby individuals can learn these skills asynchronously through an online Learning Management System.

The purpose of this project is to provide the same DBT skills classes that we provide as part of our comprehensive DBT program to individuals who are either in therapy elsewhere (for example, with a therapist who does not have access to a full program) or who have transitioned out of therapy and need reinforcing skills training.

Since our launch in 2023, we’ve had over 151 students enrolled in our online DBT Skills Course. Our goal for 2024 is to include more interactive elements to the course with downloadable handouts and additional resources.

Educating Providers

Continuing Education Program

As a center that is focused on evidence-based treatments, our trainings always present the latest research on a variety of mental health issues as well as what the research says about how to best apply these findings with clients. While our trainings are free to attend, those who wish to receive continuing education credit toward their licensure pay a fee that goes toward providing pro bono care at our center.  

UCEBT provides trainings on highly specialized topics to better serve the treatment complex cases. Here is a list of our free and Continuing Education trainings for therapists from just this past year (2023) alone: 

• Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) Diagnosis in Adolescents and Young Adults 
• Using ACT and Internal Family Systems (IFS) to Address Burnout and Compassion Fatigue 
• Ethical Guidelines for Supervisory Competence: From Theory to Practice 
• Introduction to Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) 
• Culturally-Specific Contextualism in Evidence-Based Treatments 
• RODBT vs. DBT: Choosing the Most Effective Approach for Your Clients 
• Clinician-Parent Relationship: Effective Practices for Supporting Parent Engagement and Communication 

In 2024, so far we are scheduled to be offering trainings on the following topics (among others): 

• Beyond the Surface: A Clinician's Toolkit for Dementia Recognition and Intervention 
• Breaking the Silence about Sex: How to Talk to Your Clients About Sex, Sexual Health, and Sexual Concerns 
• Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy: Latest Research, Mechanisms, and Best Practices in Clinical Applications 

Most of our presenters are post-doctoral level, licensed clinical psychologists. Because of the high caliber education and training that we provide, in 2023, UCEBT completed a rigorous application and screening process, and became approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) to sponsor continuing education for psychologists nationwide. 

However, not only have our trainings provided education opportunities for fellow psychologists, all of our CE trainings have also received approval from organizations that support other types of licensed mental health professionals, too: National Association of Social Workers—Utah Chapter, Utah Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, and Utah Mental Health Counselors Association. Further, this year, with the Program for the Education and Enrichment of Relational Skills (PEERS®) training (see “Contribution to improving the quality of life in Utah” section), we are also seeking approval for Occupational Therapists and Behavior Analysts. 

In 2023, we awarded 207 continuing education certificates to members of our professional mental health community and had over 1623 registrants. Further, all of our trainings are published to YouTube for anyone to view for free. In 2023 alone, without any advertisements or paid sponsorship, our trainings had 20,700 views and 3,844 hours of watch time, reaching individuals from all over the world. 

UCLA PEERS Certification Training

Further, UCEBT has found there to be such a huge need for increased autism services in Utah, that we have decided to host the full 3-day training, opening it up to any relevant provider including: psychologists, social workers, marriage and family therapists, mental health counselors, occupational therapists, speech pathologists, recreational therapists, behavior analysts, as well as students in these fields, too. For this 3-day training event, UCEBT will be hosting a UCLA Certified PEERS® Trainer. We will be hosting this training both in-person and virtually to increase access to this certification.  

Autism Screening

Finally, this past year, our Assessment and Testing Program has provided training to day-care centers, teaching staff how to administer and interpret foundational screeners for autism. These efforts helped day-care staff to identify and recommend further diagnostic services to children who may be experiencing challenges due to being on the autism spectrum. 

We are honored to have received this award. And we look forward to continue providing high quality mental health education to our community!

This CE training is the first two hours of the PEERS® for Young Adults Certified 3-Day Training, Wednesday, June 5 - Friday, June 7, 2024  |  8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. MST  |  via Zoom or In-Person (Downtown, SLC, Utah). Option to attend without certification on June 5, 8:00 - 10:00 a.m. for 2 CE hours ($50). Learn more and register here

Date: Wednesday, June 5, 2024
Time: 8:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. MST
Location: Virtual, via Zoom
Cost: $50.00
CEs: 2.0 CE

UCEBT is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. UCEBT maintains responsibility for this program and its content. This presentation is also pending approval for CE credit through NASW-UT, UAMFT, and UMHCA. 

Learn more and register here

About the event:

The first two hours of the training will be a program overview of the UCLA PEERS Clinic. It will cover the following information: social deficits among neurodivergent young adults, the importance of friendship and romantic relationships, effective methods of social skills instructions, overview of PEERS curriculum, summary of research findings for our PEERS for Young Adults curricula (meta-analysis, telehealth outcomes, and long-term outcomes), and current and proposed research.

Learning Statement:

At the conclusion of this presentation, attendees should be able to demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the UCLA PEERS Clinic, including insights into social deficits among neurodivergent young adults, the significance of fostering friendship and romantic relationships, proficiency in implementing effective methods of social skills instruction, familiarity with the PEERS curriculum, and a synthesis of research findings for PEERS for Young Adults  curricula, along with awareness of current and proposed research initiatives.

Learning Objectives: 

• Utilize strategies for helping autistic youth make and keep friends.
• Provide support in minimizing bullying and handling peer rejection.
• Be familiar with evidence-based methods of social skills instruction.

References:

Factor, R. S., Moody, C. T., Sung, K. Y., & Laugeson, E. A. (2022). Improving Social Anxiety and Social Responsiveness in Autism Spectrum Disorder through PEERS®. Evidence-based Practice in Child and Adolescent Mental Health, 7(1), 142–159. https://doi.org/10.1080/23794925.2021.2013138

Howorth, S. K., Rooks-Ellis, D. L., Cobo-Lewis, A. B., Taylor, J. P., & Moody, C. T. (2022). Effects of an abbreviated and Adapted PEERS® curriculum as part of a college transition program for young adults on the autism spectrum. Career Development and Transition for Exceptional Individuals, 46(2), 69–82. https://doi.org/10.1177/21651434221098411

Laugeson, E. A., Gantman, A., Kapp, S. K., Orenski, K., & Ellingsen, R. (2015). A Randomized Controlled Trial to Improve Social Skills in Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder: The UCLA PEERS® Program. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 45(12), 3978–3989. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-015-2504-8

About the presenter:

Shannon Bates, Psy.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist with a private practice in Los Angeles. Dr. Bates facilitates our parent/social coach groups across our preschool, teen, and young adult programs. She also leads PEERS® Training Seminars for the adolescent, school-based, and young adult curricula. Dr. Bates was the UCLA PEERS® Clinic Coordinator from 2010 to 2012, during which time she led teen, young adult, and parent/caregiver groups. She also co-led domestic and international PEERS® Training Seminars alongside Dr. Laugeson. Dr. Bates obtained her undergraduate degree at Virginia Tech and her Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University. She completed her internship training at the VA Sepulveda Ambulatory Care Center and her postdoctoral fellowship at the VA Long Beach Healthcare System, where she specialized in the treatment of young adults and adults with severe mental illness, including trauma, chronic depression, addiction, suicidality, and self-harm.

Program Notices:

Conflicts of Interest: None.

Commercial Support: TBA.

CE Credit: Two hours of CE credit is available for attendees who are present for the entire program. We ask that all participants return the post-program evaluation form at the conclusion of the program. Shannon Bates, Psy.D. and UCEBT have not received any commercial support for this program or its contents and will not receive any commercial support prior to or during this program. For additional information or if accommodations are needed, please contact Jennifer at  or (801) 419-0139.

Accuracy, Utility, and Risks Statement:

This program discusses clinical care when working with neurodivergent individuals. It is important that providers use their best judgement when applying these skills and strategies with their clients. Misapplication of the materials could result in less effective outcomes.

Learn more and register here.

If accommodations are needed, please contact Jennifer at  or (801) 419-0139.

Radically Open Dialectical Behavior Therapy (RO-DBT) is an evidence-based behavioral treatment for individuals who cope with their emotions by engaging in excessive self-control. These individuals are often described as being “type A”, perfectionistic, guarded, and hard to read. While our society usually puts a high value on our ability to exert self-control and delay gratification to achieve our goals, research has shown that too much self-control can hurt us, especially our relationships! 

Healthy long-term relationships require flexibility, adaptability, and open expression of emotions including the ability to be silly! People who are overcontrolled often struggle with these behaviors and types of thinking and can get caught in being overly focused on perfection and achievement. This can leave those individuals emotionally lonely and isolated from others. One of the worst things we can do to another human is put them in solitary confinement! RODBT teaches individuals how to become more openly expressive, which builds trust, and in turn builds social connection. 

What diagnoses does RODBT help treat? 

RODBT is considered a transdiagnostic treatment meaning there is not one diagnosis it is designed to treat. Many mental health diagnoses demonstrate over-control symptoms. There has been significant research, in randomized controlled research trials, demonstrating the effectiveness of RODBT in treating over-control symptoms in treatment-resistant anxiety and depression, autism, obsessive-compulsive personality styles, and anorexia nervosa.  

What does treatment look like? 

Outpatient RO-DBT (~30 weeks) 

• Individual sessions: 45min/week, focused on individual goals 
• Skills training class: 2.5 hrs (with 15 min break) 
  • Learn skills to: 
    • Increase self-awareness, and expand one’s ability to recognize and adopt alternative points of view 
    • Decrease inhibited and disingenuous emotional expression 
    • Reduce hyper-detailed focused and overly cautious behavior 
    • Address and loosen rigid and rule-governed behavior 
    • Decrease aloof and distant styles of relating 
    • Decrease high social comparison and envy/bitterness 
• Telephone consultation: optional but recommended 
  • To generalize skills use during difficult moments in between sessions 

How do I know if I'm better suited for RO-DBT vs. DBT?

Take this RO-DBT Quiz to see which modality might work best for you.

Join our RO-DBT Skills Class

We are seeking new participants for our second round of RO-DBT Skills Classes taught by Dr. Katie Flanagan, Psy.D.! 

If you're not familiar with Radically Open Dialectical Behavior Therapy (RO-DBT), it is an evidence-based treatment targeting excessive self-control or overcontrol (OC), characterized by traits like perfectionism and emotional suppression, which can damage relationships and lead to isolation. 

Each RO-DBT class skills is 90 minutes and includes homework review, mindfulness exercises, in-class exercises, and new skills teaching. In the RODBT skills class, clients will learn skills to:

• Increase self-awareness, and expand one’s ability to recognize and adopt alternative points of view
• Decrease inhibited and disingenuous emotional expression
• Reduce hyper-detailed focused and overly cautious behavior
• Address and loosen rigid and rule-governed behavior
• Decrease aloof and distant styles of relating
• Decrease high social comparison and envy/bitterness

The skills class runs on Tuesday evenings, in-person (170 S 1000 E, SLC), from 5-6:30pm. It runs for 30 weeks, $75/week, but clients can commit to just a minimum of 4 weeks.

If you have a client who might be interested, please have them complete this online screener (specify "RO-DBT skills class") for a free consultation with Dr. Flanagan to make sure they are a good fit.

Human Resources Specialist

We understand that therapy is expensive, and we are committed to making our services accessible to as many people as possible. Although we do not accept insurance, we have a billing specialist ready to assist you with any questions you may have about receiving out-of-network benefits, as well as helping you explore other financial avenues. To begin, please see the following resources:

Determining Out of Network Benefits

Most insurance policies cover mental health services, and many offer out of network benefits, meaning they will pay for a portion of services provided. We require that services be paid for upfront, so this means you will pay out of pocket at the time of service, then we will provide you with a superbill to submit to insurance for reimbursement. 0n figuring the total cost to you, there are many things to consider, such as:

• Out of Network Deductible
• Coinsurance
• Out of Pocket Maximum
• Qualifying circumstances
• Process for filing claims
• Reimbursement timeline

It is typically best to call your insurance to get this plan-specific information from them directly. I recommend asking for your mental health benefits and asking the following questions:

• What is my out of network deductible?
• What is the coinsurance for outpatient individual counseling?
• Are telehealth services covered?
• Do you cover group therapy?
• Is there an out of pocket maximum for out of network costs?
• Is a diagnosis required for services to be covered?
• Does a clinician have to hold certain licenses or qualifications to be covered?
• Are there limits to how many sessions are covered?
• What is the process for filing claims?

Here are links to some common health insurance companies and their contact pages: 

• Aetna
• Blue Cross Blue Shield
• Cigna
• Humana
• Medicare
• Select Health
• Tricare
• United Healthcare

Understanding Your Benefits

Insurance typically only covers mental health services provided by a licensed clinician, so be sure to tell us if you plan to submit claims to insurance, and we will match you with one of our licensed clinicians.

Now, let's assume your insurance has the following out-of-network benefits:

Deductible: $3000

Coinsurance: 50%

Out of Pocket Maximum: $6000

Because of that deductible, your insurance would not reimburse you for any costs until you have paid $3,000 in addition to your monthly premiums. Assuming therapy was your only out of network costs, you would pay the first 16 sessions ($195/session) at full price with no reimbursement from insurance.

After reaching that amount, your insurance would begin to reimburse you at a rate of 50%. Thus, insurance would reimburse you $97.50 for each following session. After paying $6,000, insurance would begin reimbursing you for the total amount. It would take another 31 appointments paying $97.50 per appointment, to reach the total amount paid of $6,000. Thus, your 48th appointment would be reimbursed in full by insurance.

There can be additional factors that play into benefits, such as allowed amounts and authorizations, so please talk to your insurance representative to understand your plan-specific benefits.

Alternatives to Insurance

If you would rather not use insurance, or your plan does not cover mental health, there are additional options. Please consider the following resources:

• Employee Assistance Programs: Oftentimes, your employee benefits already include some kind of wellness package that will cover a limited number of sessions with a therapist. Speak with your HR specialist to find out if your company offers any such programs and how you can take advantage of those benefits.
• Reimbursify: This is an app that will file your claims for you, for a fee.
• Clergy Pay: Your church may have resources to help pay for mental health as well. It is always worth asking the clergy of your church.
• Sliding Scale: We offer sessions with a student or post-doctoral clinician at a reduced cost based on your income. Please see our Cost and Payment page for more information.

Summary

We want you to get the help you need, and we are prepared to work with you financially. Please do not hesitate to contact our billing specialist for additional questions or special circumstances. Email:

Phone: 385-446-5029

Concern or Common? Understanding Early Childhood Behaviors and Early Signs of Developmental Disorders

Tuesday, February 13th, 2024, 6:00 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. MST

Hosted by: Kandice Benallie, Ph.D. (UCEBT) and Emily Lewis, Ph.D. (TCCU)

View presentation slides.

Our Sex, Pleasure, Romance, and Connection (SPRC) Consult Program is dedicated to providing evidence-based treatment for individuals and couples dealing with concerns related to relationships, intimacy, and sexuality. Unlike generic therapy, our program is tailored to address the unique goals, challenges, and patterns specific to each couple's circumstances. We understand the significance of addressing sexuality and sexual health, which is often overlooked in traditional treatments. As part of our SPRC program, we are committed to providing holistic and integrative care, recognizing the intricate dynamics of trauma and its impact on intimate aspects of life. Our program aims to empower clinicians to skillfully and compassionately navigate the complex intersections of trauma and sexual wellness.

What to Expect

We begin with a multi-session in-depth assessment process to thoroughly examine concerns and obstacles related to relationship, intimacy, and sexual satisfaction. Based on the assessment data and therapy goals, we formulate personalized treatment plans to ensure the most comprehensive care specific to the client and/or relationship. Similar to our other clinical programs, we collect outcome data for each couple and/or individual to ensure that treatment goals are being met.

What We Treat

Furthermore, our sex therapy-informed clinicians have received formal, specialized training in the latest evidence-based treatments for couples, such as The Gottman Method, Integrative Behavioral Couples Therapy, and Cognitive Behavioral Conjoint Therapy for PTSD.

Our clinicians are trained to address the following concerns:

• Relationship difficulties
• Relationship recovery after an affair/betrayal
• Relationship transitions (e.g., marriage, divorce, separation)
• Enhancing intimacy and couples satisfaction
• Supporting a loved one through a difficult period
• Improved communication and conflict resolution skills
• Increased sexual wellness and satisfaction

Training Opportunities for Students

We offer supervision for students interested in receiving more experience working with:

• Couples
• Individuals with on relationships concerns
• Individuals with sex-related concerns
• Couples with sex-related concerns

Learn more about training opportunities at UCEBT.

Our Team

Ashley Layton, MSWi

Cristina Chévere-Rivera, Psy.D.

Katie Flanagan, Psy.D.

Robin Lange, Ph.D.

Sloan Strike, Ph.D. 

Stephanie Taylor, Ph.D. (Program Coordinator)

Whitney Standal Schollars, Psy.D.

NOTE: Not all of our team members offer supervision for this program.

Questions?

If you have questions about training opportunities with this program, please contact Dr. Stephanie Taylor at

If you have questions about becoming a client, please complete our online screener.