The social complexities boys face today are monumental. The disconnect they feel impacts their social confidence and competence, making it difficult to navigate the maze of challenges they face. You see that it's hard for your son to find his voice and connect with other boys his age, and as a parent, this struggle is painful to watch
The emotional turbulence your son is experiencing leaves him feeling overwhelmed and disconnected and perhaps often getting in trouble. As a parent, you wish you had the solution to make things easier for him, yet no parenting book has prepared you for our current “boy crisis.”
Although your son may appear snarky, giving you one-word answers to questions, he craves connection. When your kid is given the skills and guidance, they can tap into their instincts, goals, and values to make decisions and build healthy, strong connections. Just as you wish you had a guidebook, your son also wishes he had one.
The Boys’ Empowerment Program is a transformative 8-week curriculum — a social “how-to” guide for 3rd or 4th-grade boys. It provides scaffolding for boys to engage in “cooperative learning,” just above their current level of social competence. It focuses on:
- Building Self-Awareness: Discovering their values beyond peer pressure and whatever they may see on YouTube.
- Healthy Assertiveness: Learning to stand up without stepping on others.
- Emotional Intelligence: Nurturing the ability to recognize, understand, and manage emotions.
- Teamwork Mindset: Collaborating and adapting in a fast-changing world.
- Rugged Flexibility & Grit: Cultivating perseverance and a love for learning.
- Friendship Skills & Social Problem Solving: Navigating the increasingly complex web of peer dynamics.
The Boys Empowerment Program aligns with the work I have been doing in children’s mental health for the past twenty years. It prioritizes connection through collaboration and the mind-body connection. The values of creating solid bonds, sharing experiences, and learning to show up as your authentic self are core principles of this program. In my experience of running the group in the past, the lessons are internalized; through this, boys develop a Teamwork Mindset.
FAQ:
How long are the sessions? A group of six to eight boys will meet for eight weeks for 75 minutes.
What is the cost? $150 per session. $125 for current clients.
Who will be in the group? Approximately six nine/ten-year-old boys who are on the same developmental level and facing similar challenges in their journey toward adolescence.
Other Questions: Feel free to contact me.
Jason Zuchowski, LCSW, is a therapist in private practice in San Rafael, focusing primarily on boys, young men, and their families. Over the past two decades, Jason has collaborated with youth and their families, aiming to amplify their inherent strengths and equip them with tools to navigate the challenges of growing up in the digital age. Jason developed the initial curriculum for The Boys Empowerment Program in 2010.
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