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Middle School Summer Intensives
Therapeutic and Skills Based Social Skills & Executive Functioning Program
For the kid who's ready to walk in confident, connected, and prepared.
They won’t tell you they’re nervous. But you can see it.
This program gives incoming and current middle schoolers in Bergen County and Hudson County, NJ the skills they actually need - social confidence, emotional regulation, stress management, and executive functioning -before September arrives and the pressure is already on.
We're giving middle schoolers real skills before September arrives, so they walk in knowing who they are, how to handle what comes at them, and what to do when a hard day happens. Every kid deserves to walk into a new school year feeling ready.
Space is limited to 6 participants per group.
Interest forms are reviewed in the order they're received.
Here’s what we know about middle school: it’s a lot. New building, new teachers, rotating schedules, lockers they can’t figure out, and a social world that’s shifting faster than anyone warned them about. Most kids walk in without a map, and most parents watch from the sidelines hoping it works itself out.
Sometimes it does. And sometimes the anxiety, the friendship stress, and the “I don’t know how to keep track of anything” spiral quietly takes hold before anyone notices.
This program isn’t only for kids who are struggling with the transition, it’s for any middle schooler who wants to feel more confident, more organized, and more socially prepared. Whether they’re just starting out or looking to have a stronger year, there’s a place for them here.
We're giving middle schoolers real skills before September arrives, so they walk in knowing who they are, how to handle what comes at them, and what to do when a hard day happens.
Every kid deserves to walk into a new school year feeling ready, not behind before they even start.
Concepts That Actually Matter
2 Ways to Join Summer 2026
Monday Weekly Group
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July 6, 13, 20
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August 3, 10, 17
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4:00 - 5:30PM
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In-Person @ Ridgefield, NJ
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Maximum of 6 participants
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Gives kids time between sessions to practice what they’re learning in real life, with each week building on the one before.
August Intensive
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August 24, 25, 26, 27
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10AM - 12PM
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In-Person @ Ridgefield, NJ
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Ridgefield, NJ
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Maximum of 6 participants
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Four consecutive mornings timed close to the start of the school year. Kids leave with their full toolkit fresh and ready, right before they walk through the doors.
Program Investment: $725
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Both formats carry the same total investment. Families simply choose the structure that works best for their summer.
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A structured payment schedule is provided and reviewed at the consultation call.
What Makes This Different
Built by someone who has actually been inside middle schools.
I spent 18 years as a certified educator and middle school counselor before becoming a therapist. I've been in those hallways. I know what kids are actually navigating in those first weeks, and I built this program around that.
Small group, by design.
I keep groups between 3 and 6 kids intentionally. Middle schoolers open up in small groups and perform in large ones.
Therapist-led, not curriculum-delivered.
I facilitate every session. This program is relational and built around the kids who are actually in the room, not out of a workbook.
Evidence-based and therapeutically informed.
This program incorporates evidence-based therapeutic techniques to help kids strengthen how they see themselves and manage what they're feeling.
The possibility of a therapy dog.
Ollie is my certified therapy goldendoodle. When all group members are in agreement, Ollie may join select sessions. Kids tend to remember the sessions he's in.
Parent touchpoint built in.
After each session, I send parents a note with the concepts we covered and how to reinforce them at home.
A personal introduction before day one.
Once enrolled, your child will receive a personal video introduction from me before the first session, so they know who's in the room before they walk through the door.
Space is limited to 6 participants per group.
Interest forms are reviewed in the order they're received.
How it Works
3
Schedule Your
Parent Intake
Once a group has enough confirmed interest to run (minimum 3 families), we’ll reach out to schedule your 30-minute parent intake during the second half of June. Scheduling the intake and submitting intake fee officially secures your child’s spot. We’ll always let you know as soon as that is reached.
Frequently Asked Questions
Vanessa De Jesus Guzman, LPC, NCC
I spent 18 years as an educator and school counselor before becoming a therapist, and I can tell you something most people outside of schools don't know...
The kids who struggle most in middle school aren't always the ones anyone thinks to check on. They're the ones holding it together just enough to look fine. I've been in those hallways.
I've sat with those kids. And I've watched what happens when someone finally gives them the language and the tools to handle what they're carrying.
This therapist-led group program covers social skills, executive functioning, emotional regulation, stress management, and organization for students in grades 5 through 8.
That's what this program is. Not a lecture series. Not a workbook. A real group experience, built by someone who has spent over two decades on both sides of the door.