#54: Is Your Adult Child Struggling to Make Friends? Why Social Skills Are So Important & What You Can Do to Help
If your adult child is struggling to make friends, feels socially anxious, avoids real-life interactions, or seems unsure how to build meaningful connections, this episode will give you clarity and direction. Many parents assume social skills are something young adults simply pick up, but the truth is that these skills must be understood, taught, and practiced in real life. Social skills are so important. They shape confidence, emotional wellbeing, communication, relationships, and ultimately contribute to a young adult’s ability to live independently.In this conversation, I speak with Mara McLoughlin, Founder and Program Director of IRL Social Skills, about why so many young adults find social situations difficult, why belonging matters more than “perfect” social performance, and what parents can do to help. Mara explains the hidden challenges young adults face, what masking looks like, and why social cues can feel overwhelming or confusing for those who have never received explicit teaching.If you worry about your young adult’s friendships, communication, or ability to connect in the real world, and why it's so important to address these issues, this episode is for you.About Mara McLoughlin and How to Connect With Her:Mara McLoughlin, MS, CCC-SLPFounder and Program DirectorWebsite - https://www.irlsocialskills.com/ Contact -
[email protected] - https://www.irlsocialskills.com/irl-blogPhone - (971) 373-4836Mara is a highly respected speech language pathologist with more than 15 years of experience helping autistic teens and young adults communicate, connect, and express themselves. Mara and her team developed IRL Social Skills to help teach teens and young adults across the United States the social skills they need to build real-world connections, and they’ve been doing that important work since 2021. Please reach out to discover how you can help your young adult and let her know you heard her on LAUNCH (she'll love that!).Remember to hit the FOLLOW button and please share this episode with another parent who needs to hear this.Thanks for listening!💻 The Waitlist for my Parenting Course is now OPEN for REGISTRATION! “Journey to Independence: A Step-by-Step Roadmap to Guiding and Launching Your Adult Child.” For more information and where to sign up, visit: https://parentingfx.com/parentingcourse 🪺Early Bird Discounts will be Offered to Anyone on the Waitlist ________________________________________________________________________________________________ Do you want to know if your adult child is struggling with Failure to Launch? Grab the FREE Failure to Launch Checklist here: 🗣️One-on-One Consultations are available. Click here! Email me if you have any questions at:
[email protected] 🎙️Remember to hit the SUBSCRIBE button so you never miss an episode. Shari can be found on Instagram & TikTok Search @sharijonaslifefx YouTube has all of the interviews available to watch! CLICK HERE...
New Zealand