Check out our upcoming groups & workshops here at Milestones!
Stepping Stones
Stepping Stones is a structured, anxiety-focused intensive group for young children, led by Jessica Brown, PsyD, and Alexa Effron, LMSW, and taking place in the Hamptons this summer.
This program is designed to support children experiencing selective mutism, social anxiety, generalized anxiety, and separation anxiety. Through individualized attention and small group activities, children participate in engaging, thoughtfully structured experiences that gently help them face fears in manageable, step-by-step ways.
Children will learn how anxiety works in their bodies and brains using developmentally appropriate language. They will identify worry thoughts, understand how avoidance maintains anxiety, and practice “brave challenges” through gradual exposure activities in a supportive setting.
Parents will also receive guidance on how to encourage bravery, reduce accommodation, and strengthen independence at home. Each child’s experience is carefully tailored to foster coping skills, resilience, and meaningful peer connection.
Kindergarten Kickoff
“Kindergarten Kickoff” is a series of one-day intensives, led by Billie Cooper, LMSW, to help children ages 4-6 build separation readiness, early social skills, and emotional regulation as they prepare for kindergarten. Offered in three rounds throughout the summer, this group supports children at different points in their readiness journey to practice and reinforce essential skills.
Through evidenced-based practices, structured activities, games, stories, and guided peer interaction, children will practice separation readiness, learning to feel safe and secure away from caregivers while building trust with adults and peers. The group also focuses on emotion identification and regulation, helping children recognize big feelings, label them, and use age-appropriate coping strategies to calm their bodies and minds.
Children will be supported in developing distress tolerance, including waiting, handling frustration, managing disappointment, and recovering from small challenges - skills that are critical for success in a classroom setting. Early social skills such as turn-taking, sharing, listening, following group rules, and initiating peer interaction are woven throughout the day in a natural and supportive way.
The group also emphasizes routine readiness, exposing children to predictable transitions, group expectations, and classroom-style structure to increase familiarity and confidence before the school year begins. Kindergarten Kickoff will help children feel more prepared, capable, and confident as they make the important transition to kindergarten.
The Mom Circle Series
A collective space where you can learn practical tools from experts and parents, share wins and struggles, and leave feeling supported and empowered. Each Mom Circle takes place on Zoom and combines:
A guest speaker with expertise in topics ranging from specialized behavioral and emotional tools, to mindfulness and yoga, to fun games and creativity to incorporate into your mealtimes, to more effective partner communication
Open discussion circle to share experiences and solutions, facilitated by our Director of Early Childhood, Dr. Alex Barnett
Participation in the workshops provides you with a free 30-minute consultation with Dr. Barnett.
Science Alliance
The “Science Alliance'' is a social skills group led by Milestones clinician, Billie Cooper, LMSW, and is designed specifically for 8 to 10 year olds who are experiencing social challenges. As a member of the Science Alliance, kids in this group will be exposed to unique opportunities where they will learn how to observe, predict, problem-solve, interpret, respond, and assert themselves in various social settings. Group members will engage in discussions, role-plays, and some cool science experiments targeted towards specific social skills, including asking for help, reading and responding to social cues, flexibility, and emotion management.
KIK: Kids Inspiring Kids
This is a virtual support group open for kids ages 9 to 12 facilitated by Laura Kirmayer, PhD, MSW
The KIK program is rooted in evidence-based Cognitive Behavioral skills (CBT). During this stage of development, cognitive skills become much more complex with a notable transition into increased levels of self-awareness and social-emotional awareness. Heightened self-consciousness and worries can be a symptom of this stage of development. These worries can cause distraction and disrupt social-emotional skills.
Goals:
I am not alone: We will place an emphasis on connection and validation between peers
I can learn and grow: We will provide developmentally appropriate psychoeducation on the developing brain and the relationship between cognitions, emotions, and behaviors
I can self care: We will teach CBT skills that can be applied on a daily basis. Each session will end with mindfulness skills and strategies targeting bedtime routines and sleep-hygiene
I can inspire others: Group members will compare notes on what's working and not working as they adjust their skills to match their individual needs
Parent scaffolding: Parents will be provided with a summary session of what has been covered and individualized recommendations on how to continue scaffolding their children through this often exhausting stage of development
