Schedule
Summer Session Social Play Groups 2026:
For Exceptionally Gifted Children with Social-Emotional Challenges
*We begin screening new clients for our Summer ‘26 social skills groups in March. You can email us at: charla.cunningham@me.com or call and leave a message at (503-208-3334) to set up an intake assessment.
We offer quality social skills play groups for children, tweens & teens ages 5 years old to 14 years old. Groups are limited to 6 participants. Our popular Advanced Summer Theater program, limited to 10 participants, is for tweens & teens: 10-16 years old. New this season: Summer Kayak Adventures for Tweens/Teens/ Families & Couples (see below):
Summer ‘26 Session: June 15th to August 21st:
Weekly Play Therapy Fee is $85 for the 1-hour-session. Optional half-hour parent support & feed back session with observed free choice play time for kids is $25 for the 30-min-follow-up session.
$170/2 hour Adv. Theater session. Optional half-hour parent support & feed back session with observed free choice hang-out time for tweens & teens is $25 for the additional 30-min-follow-up session.
Enrich your child’s school and friendship experience by practicing play and communication skills with peers in a safe setting. Learn to share, self-regulate bodies and emotions, read social cues, win/lose, lead and follow, flexible thinking, game ideation, feelings work and more.
For our older tweens and teens, we practice critical social-emotional skills: perspective-taking; social nuance; conversation skills, empathic responses, team-building, good sportsmanship, public speaking, improvisational theater and performance in our summer “Advanced Players Theater Program.”
Friendship Builders:(8-10 yrs.) Mondays 3:30-4:30pm; 4:30-5pm Parent Session.
Social Gamers: (11, 12, 13, 14 yrs.) Mondays 5-6pm; 6pm-6:30pm Parent Session.
Regulation Race Car Drivers: (6-7 yrs.) Tuesdays 5pm-6pm; 6pm-6:30pm parent check-in.
School Prep Group: (4-5yrs.) Wednesdays 3:30-4:30pm; 4:30-5pm Parent Session.
Flexi-Friends: (6,7 yrs.) Wednesdays 5pm; 6pm-6:30pm parent check-in.
Advanced Players Theater Program: (10-16 yrs.) Thursdays 4-6pm; 6-6:30pm Parent Session.
Play Adventures for Adults & Families
New! Summer Kayak Adventures: For Neurodivergent Youth & Families:
Parents & Teens Water Adventure Workshop: 11-16yrs. June 13th 2:30-5:30pm.
Teen/Tween Friendship Building Boat Adventures: July 11th & Aug. 8th 2:30-5:30pm.
Couples Romantic Play Adventure: Aug. 9th 10am to 1pm. Workshops cost: $225 (Includes kayak rental; Training; Equipment; Trained Staff & Snacks.
Individual Adult or Teen Therapy; Couples Therapy; Parent Consultations: $185/session
Parent-Child Play Coaching & Family Play Therapy: $185/session: Come learn how to play again, process challenges, problem solve & improve your relationships with you family members.
Restorative Therapy: For Adults Only; a restorative self-care session combining mindfulness, nature walk therapy, and relaxation. $185/hr. *Sessions take place at our Cottage Location and the Tryon Creek woods.
About our Staff:
Charla Cunningham, Owner; Sr. Therapist:
Licensed Marriage Family Therapist & Drama Therapist is recognized nationally for her groundbreaking work integrating therapy and theater for children with special needs. She holds a Masters of Arts Degree in Counseling Psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies and a Masters of Fine Arts Degree in Acting from the American Conservatory Theater. She has practiced child and family therapy both in the San Francisco Bay Area where she was a founding faculty member of the Oak Hill School, and in Portland, Oregon where she practiced as a child and family therapist at the Hearing and Speech Institute / Artz Center for Developmental Health. She is the founder/owner of Playful Intervention LLC..
Molly Maguire, Senior Therapy Assistant:
Molly joined P.I. in the summer of 2024. She has several years of experience teaching and working as a care-giver with children, families, and seniors. Molly is also a performance and visual artist who incorporates her experience working as an artist with her skills as a caregiver for neurodivergent youth to the Practice.
Robert Seemann, Kayak Coach & Therapeutic Assistant:
Rob Seemann: Ironman Triathlete, and owner of “Zen Kayak Adventures,” is partnering with Charla Cunningham LMFT to run our Therapeutic Summer Kayak Adventures. Rob is a National Speaker and Author of “How to Teach Job Search Skills.” He is a also a professional Coach, a Social Work Associate, and has experience working with Neurodivergent youth.