The Triumph Center for child and adolescent counseling serves a wide range of children, adolescents, young adults and families. We provide services for families in Reading, Danvers and Lexington, as well as the greater North Shore and Boston areas of Massachusetts.

With over twenty years of experience, our mission is to help clients lead healthier and more successful lives. We understand that every individual has unique gifts and challenges, so we work closely with our clients to identify and build on strengths, while offering strategies to overcome life’s challenges.

Our philosophy

• Research has shown that there are critical or sensitive periods of time in which to teach children important social and communication skills. For children in need, early opportunities to develop basic social and communication skills can set the stage for a healthier adjustment into school and more organized play environments.
• It is critical to establish relationships with young children that are based on trust and consistency so they can connect with other children.
• Young children experience success interacting and playing with same age peers when coached to use developmentally appropriate activities.
• With opportunities to practice and develop skills in a safe, structured environment, children with identified special needs will have a greater capacity to profit from an inclusionary model in school.
• Parent-Counselor collaboration is essential to helping young children master new skills and generalize these skills outside the therapeutic setting.

Social Skills Groups

• Young children ages 3 to 5
• Group size is between 3-6 children per group
• Groups meet weekly for 50 minutes
• Children of similar age, compatible style, and level of functioning are placed together
• Groups are led by clinicians (Doctoral and Masters level). Some are co-led by Masters-level interns.
• Play includes structured circle time, age appropriate tabletop activities, gross motor play, floor time play, snack and a story.
• The curriculum includes lessons geared toward developing pragmatic social skills, including cooperative play skills.
• Counselors periodically meet with parents to review progress and make recommendations to further the child’s skill development outside of group.

Benefits of our groups

The Preschool and Kindergarten Group Program serves a wide range of boys and girls ages 3-5. While these groups benefit all young children learning appropriate play skills, they may be especially beneficial for children identified as having special needs in regard to their social, emotional, or behavioral development. An initial intake assessment helps our clinicians identify individual treatment goals for each child. Using the Massachusetts guidelines for early childhood education, our preschool and kindergarten groups are aimed at addressing the following:

• Social communication goals (including using language appropriately to greet others, make requests, and solve problems)
• Behavioral goals (including following directions, demonstrating appropriate body/impulse control, and adhering to group or game rules)
• Social pragmatic goals (including making and sustaining eye contact, taking turns appropriately and sustaining attention to tasks).

Application Procedure

• Our groups run throughout the school year. Applications are now being accepted for potential openings.
• All new group members must be interviewed prior to placement in the group program.
• You may download an application form now or request an application packet from our office by calling, writing, or sending us an email:

36 Woburn Street, Reading, Massachusetts 01867
tel: 781-942-9277 | fax: 781-944-6535

Email: Academy.North@verizon.net