Social Learning Therapy and Social Skills Groups in the East Bay

Helping children, teens, and adults build meaningful relationships, strengthen communication skills, and develop confidence in everyday social situations.

Think Social East Bay provides Social Learning® therapy, social skills groups, and executive functioning support for individuals who struggle with social communication, perspective taking, organization, and relationship building.

Our programs go beyond teaching social rules. We help participants understand how social interactions work so they can apply what they learn at school, at home, in the workplace, and in their communities.

How We Help

Through individualized support and small-group experiences, participants learn to:

Build and maintain friendships
Improve conversation skills
Understand social cues and body language
Develop perspective-taking abilities
Strengthen executive functioning skills
Improve flexibility and problem-solving
Increase self-confidence and independence

Schedule a Consultation

Every individual has unique strengths and challenges. Contact us to learn how Social Learning therapy can help build confidence, social understanding, and lasting success.

A Practical Approach to Social Learning

Real social growth happens through experience. That’s why our therapy combines direct instruction with guided practice in real-world situations.

Participants learn how to navigate everyday interactions, collaborate with others, solve problems, and make thoughtful social decisions in environments that reflect real life.

Our approach is influenced by the Social Thinking® methodology developed by Michelle Garcia Winner and focuses on helping individuals understand the thinking behind successful social interactions.

Serving Families Throughout the East Bay Since 2009

Think Social East Bay supports children, teens, and adults from communities throughout Oakland, Berkeley, Walnut Creek, Concord, Pleasant Hill, Lafayette, Alameda, and surrounding East Bay neighborhoods.

Whether your child struggles to make friends, your teen needs support navigating increasingly complex social situations, or you’re seeking services for yourself, we’re here to help.

6 year-old

Really happy to report that he came out of session asking to go to social group every day and what I thought might be a fluke was followed up this morning asking if he was going to social group today. All that to say, thank you so much for the magic dust your sprinkled on him! He’s been selective about who and when he wants to engage socially, so hearing that feedback makes me feel even after one session he is feeling more confident about going into a setting like that. Thank you again!

Shelly’s college bound group was just what our daughter needed as she was getting ready to head into a new social environment. It allowed her to receive direct, in person feedback regarding her social communication challenges and gain specific feedback on what to practice in college. We are so grateful for Shelly and how she ran this group.

– Gretchen

From his elementary school years through junior high, your guidance provided a consistent and nurturing environment that was crucial for his growth. We have witnessed remarkable transformations in him, particularly in his social skills, communication abilities, and the deepening of his empathy for others. These fundamental qualities have served as a strong foundation for who he is today.

– Carol Herrera ( parent)

When I brought my son to Shelly, he was struggling with verbal communication and socializing with his peers. Shelly was able to accurately pinpoint the root of his struggles. What stood out to me was her ability to utilize real-world engagement exercises outside the office, alongside traditional methods, to help him find his voice.

– Yvette McKinney (parent)

Shelly seamlessly weaves social lessons into games, group interactions, and guided conversations. As a parent, I deeply valued her end-of-session recaps and personalized feedback—they helped me understand exactly how my son was progressing.

– Yvonne Cordova (parent)

Through these classes, I realized socialization isn’t a simple skill, it’s a language. Neurodivergent individuals like me do not lack the skills to communicate, we simply use a different style. I would even compare it to speaking the same language with different accents.

– Eli Mortensen (client)

Shelly is a very talented therapist. She has a knack for developing creative lessons while relating well to the individuals with whom she is working. She truly understands the concepts of Social Thinking and applies them well.

– Michelle Garcia Winner

I’ve known Shelly a long time and she consistently impresses me with her ability to connect with families and clients. She goes above and beyond to support her clients, from forming appropriate therapeutic groups, to designing their individualized programs, to consulting with schools and other professionals on their behalf and much, much more. For families, it is often comforting knowing that Shelly is personally involved in all aspects of the program.

– Randi Dodge

One of Shelly Hansen’s greatest strengths as a therapist is her ability to be flexible, allowing her to adapt to each student’s unique needs. Her individualized approach, compassion and humor make her a dynamic therapist. Shelly’s past experience working at Michelle Garcia Winner’s clinic provides her with a well of knowledge and experience that she can now share with her clients and their families.

– Stephanie Madrigal

Shelly’s ability to blend the knowledge of social thinking with the art of teaching is a gift. She has it hands down!

– Sue Day

My kid started going to Think Social early in high school when they were struggling making social connections with their peers. Under Shelly’s guidance, they have grown into an adult who understands the “rules” of social interaction that can seem quite irrational to the neurodivergent mind, and who can navigate a neurotypical world of professors, employers, and peers.

– Jo