Objective  The Healthy Bodies and Relationships group is led by Ashley Kies, Ph.D., LPA and other members of the Child and Family Development psychology team.  This group is designed to be an introductory course that explores a range of topics including:

• anatomy
• hygiene
• body safety
• social skills

Ideal participants are those who have an existing diagnosis of an intellectual disability or a developmental disability (e.g., autism spectrum disorder, Down syndrome, mitochondrial disease) with lower cognitive ability and a developmental age of at least 8 years old. Participants must be able to:

• attend to verbally-based instruction
• engage in group discussions
• share about his/her own experiences

Dr. Kies introduces topics and guides participants through hands-on activities. Resources and materials are shared with parents to continue practice and teaching between sessions and in the future.

Schedule  Our current group is:

• For males and females, ages 11-18
• On Thursdays, 5:15-6pm
• At the Pineville office

As interest exists, groups may be expanded to include people of other ages and skill levels.

Cost  Families may pay privately ($75) per session or use insurance benefits, if available.

Contact  For more information, call our office (704-541-9080) or the lead psychologist, Ashley Kies, Ph.D. (704-372-9652) 

Click HERE for an information page.