In an effort to enhance social integration and skills development, Elements Eclipse, a leading mental health care provider for neurodiverse adolescents, lauds game night as part of its innovative approach. Recognizing the importance of incorporating social and play activities, particularly for the neurodiverse population, the program has seen remarkable success.
Board games have emerged as a cornerstone of this initiative, offering a solid foundation for acquiring essential social and life skills. Staff, therapists, and clients alike have enthusiastically embraced the concept, making it a highly anticipated event each week during mobile base camp stayovers.
“Seeing our clients gather in our community tent and take on a new aspect of social interaction is more than gratifying,” says Jamie Kaczmarek, therapist and cofounder at Eclipse. “Our clients learn that they can take their love of gaming into an in-person situation, and their bonds (as well as their social skills) get stronger every time.” Jamie continues, “with over 14 years working specifically with this client profile, I am resolute that encouraging the abilities of these young people is critical. We do not reinforce a culture of 'I can’t;' we build forward movement with 'how I will.' We, of course, want all our programming to be based on the most up-to-date and evidence-based clinical approaches for neurodiverse treatment, but that should never stop it from being fun.”
At the heart of the Eclipse program lies a commitment to supporting social skills development in various ways. Therapists undergo training in the PEERS methodology, an evidence-based autism social skills coaching program developed at UCLA. Additionally, the program utilizes the SOSH framework, which emphasizes the five Rs: relate, relax, regulate, reason, and recognize.
Far beyond game night, clients engage in a range of activities designed to enhance their social skills. These include living in a group setting with peers and staff, participating in group and family therapy sessions, and receiving real-time coaching from dedicated staff and therapists.
The success of the game night initiative underscores the organization's commitment to fostering holistic growth and well-being among its clients. As Elements Eclipse continues to prioritize innovative approaches to mental health care, game night stands out as a testament to the transformative power of combining play and social skills development in therapeutic settings.
If you have inquiries or would like to learn more about Elements, please contact Brandi Bradbury, Director of Outreach, at brandi@elementswilderness.com.
About Elements, Traverse, and Eclipse Programs
Since 2008, Elements has provided a specialized therapeutic intervention for adolescent boys and all-gender young adults. Elements is licensed and supervised by the State of Utah Department of Human Services and accredited through the Outdoor Behavioral Health Council and the Association for Experiential Education.
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