Frequenty Asked Questions

• What are the qualifications of the group leaders?
• Do you have typical peers in your groups?
• How long is each session?
• What is your intake process?
• How do I get reimbursed from the Massachusetts Developmental Disabilities Council (MDDC)?

What are the qualifications of the group leaders?
Nancy Swanberg and Alexis Ohanian are the primary clinicians.

Nancy is a licensed psychotherapist with over 25 years of experience working with children who have communication and connection challenges. She is the founder of The Friendship Network for Children and the creator of the therapeutic socialization approach used here. You'll find more information about Nancy on the About Us page.

Alexis is a certified music therapist who has undergone a year of training in the therapeutic socialization model, working directly with Nancy at the Friendship Network. She has a natural talent and passion for working with children with social learning disabilities, and is an accomplished vocalist who uses music to help children relax and learn social skills in a nurturing environment.

Back to top.

Do you have typical peers in your groups?
No. We've observed that children in our groups learn best when they have similar socialization issues. We try very hard to compose our groups such that the experience will be beneficial to each and every child.

Remember that children with similar social learning disabilities are nonetheless unique individuals. Your child will learn from other group members who may have very different personalities, but who are equally committed to forming relationships.

Back to top.

How long is each session?
Group and individual sessions are 45 minutes in length. Sessions often run back-to-back; we appreciate your understanding that counselors have limited time during transitions between groups.

Back to top.

What is your intake process?
Our intake process is designed to assure that our services will be helpful to your child. We pay careful attention to group composition so that all members of the group may benefit.

If you have looked over our web site and believe the Friendship Network might be a good match for your child, here's how to take the next steps.

1. Call Nancy Swanberg, MS, LMHC at 508.393.0030. Nancy will provide a brief overview of our services so you can decide if our approach might be helpful to your child.

2. A telephone interview is scheduled and then completed with our Intake Coordinator, Alexis Ohanian, MT-BC. The purpose of the interview is to determine if our services might be right for your child. If you and Alexis decide it's a "go" then we proceed to the next step.

3. Finally, we schedule an intake appointment to meet with you and your child together at the Friendship Network.

4. After the appointment, we call to follow-up with recommendations regarding which group or services are most appropriate for your child. We also want to hear how things went from your point of view (and you child's).

Back to top.

How do I get reimbursed from the Massachusetts Developmental Disabilities Council (MDDC)?
The MDDC may reimburse you for most of the services we provide, including groups and worskshops. Click here to download an application. The application must be recieved by MDDC and approved 10 days prior to the event.

For more information, visit the Consumer Empowerment Funds Program page on the MDDC web site.

Back to top.