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For many special needs individuals, understanding appropriate intimacy levels for different relationships is challenging. In many cases, the special needs person feels open and welcoming to nearly everyone they meet. As a result, feelings of rejection may occur, which they find bewildering, confusing and painful.
The James Stanfield Publishing Company is pleased to offer parents, teachers and counselors our nationally best-selling program, "Circles--Intimacy and Relationships." The success of this program is based on the fact that the interactive tools make otherwise abstract concepts simple to understand. Using concentric circles that emanate from the "self" center, individuals might place parents and siblings in circle one, close family friends in circle two, neighbors in circle three, the clerk at the grocery store in circle four, and so on. Hence, even individuals with mild to moderate cognitive abilities can "see" that hugging Dad is okay because he's in circle one; hugging the check-out girl at the Piggly Wiggly is not.
Circles Level 1, "First Step," introduces to students the concept of social distance. Relationship boundaries are explained and guidance is given regarding the way different relationships demand different levels of touching, talking, and trust. The concept that relationships can change--and so too can the level of intimacy--is also both clearly explained and demonstrated.
Level 2, "Second Step," expands these lessons to apply to a wider collection of social settings. It also teaches individuals how to understand and accept rejection, how to tactfully reject the intimacy of others, and how to cope when relationships and intimacy levels reverse. This second level, thanks to its "reality show" format, can be used as a stand-alone program for higher-functioning students as well.
If you'd like to receive a catalog or speak to one of our highly trained staff, call 1-800-421-6534 or email maindesk@stanfield.com.
For more information on the Circles program, click here.
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