Peer vision Program - Creative ARts for Adolescents
Peer Vision Acting & Improv Workshop will now be held at MarbleJam Enrichment Center, Tenafly, NJ.  This program was made possible with a grant from
The Doug Flutie Jr Foundation.
The Peer Vision Program brings Yoga, Art, Dance and Acting to teens with Autism Spectrum Disorders and Special needs. The classes provide peer models as partners to assist highly qualified and experienced instructors and therapists for each class. Peer Vision is an inclusion program providing options for typical peers to collaborate with special needs populations. The learning and experience that is shared amongst participants provides benefits that are immeasurable.  Yoga - is creative, holistic approach that addresses the physical, emotional, social, and spiritual aspects of the child, and supports their natural development in a safe, creative, and fun environment. Peer Vision Yoga for Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders, allows a student and teacher to gradually develop a foundation of mutual trust and friendship. The introduction of the Yoga poses (asanas) and breathing exercises (pranayama) help to bring the student out of his or her shell and relax into the world of social interaction. As the student becomes familiar with introductory poses, more asanas are added to the routine moving towards deeper relaxation. The combination of asanas, pranayama and deep relaxation strengthen the child’s nervous system, increases overall health, and facilitates the development of body awareness and concentration. By establishing optimal physiological and psychological integrity, Yoga therapy helps the student gain new motor, communication, and social skills. The end result is an overall improvement in their quality of life.  Art - Art therapy is a mental health profession that uses the creative process of art making to improve and enhance the physical, mental and emotional well-being of individuals of all ages. It is based on the belief that the creative process involved in artistic self-expression helps people to resolve conflicts and problems, develop interpersonal skills, manage behavior, reduce stress, increase self-esteem and self-awareness, and achieve insight. Peer Vision Art for Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders the intention is to teach art making technique while providing a creative, safe and supportive environment for teens to share their inner most thoughts and insights on how they manage their social world. Art as an outlet for expression releases tension, build confidence, and may even provide a child with opportunity as a potential lifetime profession.  Drama/Improvisation - Drama Therapy integrates role play, stories, improvisation, and other techniques taken from the theater with the theories and methods of therapy. The result is an active, experiential process that draws on a child’s capability for play, utilizing it a s a central means o f accessing and expressing feelings, gaining insight, practicing successful approaches to difficult situations. Peer Vision Drama for Adolescents with Aspergers, addresses the social constraints that often impede self esteem, self expression, and the ability to cope in stressful environments. With model peers as partners, there is opportunity for both typical and atypical teens to mutually understand that each person brings unique perspectives to life’s journey. This program will provide typical peers the opportunity to empathize and understand the difficulties of socially disabled individuals and in turn become ambassadors for change in an often unfriendly world for adolescents with Aspergers Syndrome.