Social / Emotional Skills Therapy for Teens & Young Adults in Fairfax, VA
What Are Social / Emotional Skills and How Are They Affecting Teens & Young Adults in Northern VA?
Social (communication) and emotional skills are the abilities to understand, express, and manage feelings, as well as to navigate relationships with others. For teens and young adults, developing these skills can be a tricky but essential part of growing up. Boys, in particular, are often socialized to “tough it out,” which can make it harder for them to talk about feelings or handle conflict in healthy ways.
Here’s how social and emotional skills impact teens and young adults:
- Self-awareness: Recognizing their own emotions helps them respond thoughtfully instead of reacting impulsively.
- Self-regulation: Managing frustration, stress, or disappointment is key to school, sports, and friendships.
- Empathy: Understanding others’ perspectives supports strong, lasting relationships.
- Communication: Expressing needs, boundaries, and emotions clearly prevents misunderstandings and conflict.
- Problem-solving: Healthy coping and conflict-resolution skills build resilience and confidence.
Parents can support their kids by modeling emotional honesty, encouraging open conversations, and offering guidance when challenges arise. Strengthening social and emotional skills isn’t just about avoiding problems—it helps kids thrive academically, socially, and personally, preparing them to navigate the complex world with confidence and self-awareness.
Our Approach to Social/Emotional Skills in Teens & Young Adults
At Cabush, Paul & Associates, our therapists emphasizes self-awareness, empathy, and relationship-building for young people. Through role-playing, coaching, and reflective exercises, boys and girls can learn to manage emotions, resolve conflict, and communicate effectively. Group sessions can offer safe practice with peers, helping build confidence and real-world application of these skills.
A typical case could include one or more of the following approaches:
“After struggling to find someone our son could connect with, we finally found a therapist who just ‘got him.’ The growth we’ve seen—not just in his behavior, but in how he relates to us and his friends—has been incredible”
Vocabulary for Parents of Kids Managing Social / Emotional Skills
These terms can help when supporting middle and high school students struggling with social and emotional skill challenges:
Self-regulation – The ability to manage emotions, impulses, and reactions in different situations.
Empathy – Understanding and valuing another person’s feelings and perspective, even if you don’t agree.
Resilience – The capacity to recover from setbacks, stress, or failure and keep moving forward.
Impulse control – Pausing before acting or speaking to consider consequences.
Social awareness – Recognizing how behavior affects others and reading social cues.
Self-advocacy – Expressing needs, boundaries, or asking for help in a respectful way.
Growth mindset – Believing abilities can improve with effort, practice, and persistence.
Social / Emotional Skills: Myth vs. Facts
Myth: Boys, in particular, don’t need to talk about feelings.
Fact: Emotional awareness is key to healthy relationships, confidence, and coping skills.
Myth: He or she will pick up social skills naturally.
Fact: Many boys and girls benefit from direct guidance, practice, and encouragement.
Myth: Being “tough” is more important than being emotionally aware.
Fact: Emotional intelligence is just as valuable as resilience—sometimes more.
Myth: Struggles with social skills mean he or she is just shy.
Fact: Communication skills can be learned and strengthened over time, just like academics or sports.
Myth: Talking about feelings is hard, especially for boys.
Fact: Understanding a boy’s preferred approach to talking about feelings can make it easy for them to open up.
Contact Us for a Free Phone Consultation About Social / Emotional Skills
Call us at (703) 691-0036 or fill in our easy contact form.