Summer Programs at BCSC
We are excited to announce four program offerings for Summer 2026!
We are excited to announce four program offerings for Summer 2026!
Each program is designed to create a supportive, fun, and engaging summer experience for children and teens who may benefit from extra guidance with emotional regulation, social skills, and/or executive functioning. Our goal is to make the joy of summer camp accessible and meaningful for youth navigating mental health or behavioral challenges – without sacrificing play, creativity, and connection. Each summer program blends camp-style fun with evidence-based therapeutic approaches (such as DBT, CBT, ACT, and social skills frameworks).
We emphasize strengths, belonging, and personal growth, helping participants build confidence both in themselves and in their relationships with others. Whether your child or teen is looking to develop coping strategies, connect with peers, prepare for the new school year, or simply have a fun and structured summer, we’re here to help you find the right fit.
All programs are:
- Led and supervised by licensed behavioral health clinicians
- Staffed by our post-doctoral fellows, master’s-level clinicians, and trained clinical support staff
- Designed with a 4:1 participant-to-staff ratio (or lower!) to ensure individualized support
- Run in a welcoming, strengths-based, and nonjudgmental environment
- Open to participants with a range of emotional, behavioral, and learning needs — we do not use exclusionary criteria
Location
Our summer programs take place at our Boston office in Back Bay, with outdoor activities in nearby parks and community spaces.
➤ 729 Boylston Street, Boston MA 02116
Summer 2026 Program Offerings
Emotion Foundations (Ages 8 to 16) - REGISTRATION CLOSED
Emotion Foundations is a week-long summer program for youth who would enjoy a traditional day camp experience – arts & crafts, outdoor play, group games, and creative activities – while also receiving gentle support in emotional awareness, coping strategies, flexibility, and friendships. Each day includes structured skill-building woven naturally into movement, creativity, and play so that participants can practice emotional regulation in a supportive, fun environment.
Participants will:
- Build confidence in naming and managing emotions
- Strengthen frustration tolerance and flexibility
- Practice teamwork, cooperation, and conflict navigation
- Experience success, belonging, and moments of play
Community & Connections (Ages 10 to 16)
Community & Connections supports youth in developing practical social skills in a warm and structured environment. Mornings include facilitated practice in starting conversations, joining groups, reading social cues, perspective taking, and building reciprocal friendships. Afternoons involve guided community outings in Boston – such as eating at a restaurant, going bowling, visiting local parks, or exploring city spaces – where participants practice social skills in real-life settings with hands-on clinician support.
Participants will:
- Strengthen confidence in social interactions
- Practice flexible communication, cooperation, and shared activities
- Learn to navigate real-world social settings with support
- Build positive peer connections in a low-pressure, fun environment
DBT Skills Intensive (Ages 12 to 17)
The DBT Skills Intensive offers a camp-style, interactive approach to learning core skills from Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): mindfulness, emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness. Participants learn and practice skills through engaging activities such as collaborative art, outdoor challenges, problem-solving games, journaling, creative prompts, and group discussion. The program is supportive, energetic, and designed to help participants feel empowered using skills in their daily lives.
Participants will:
- Learn DBT skills in a hands-on, age-appropriate format
- Apply skills and strategies during team activities and real-time problem solving
- Strengthen communication, emotional awareness, and self-confidence
- Participate in a structured, encouraging, and fun group environment
Executive Functioning Bootcamp (Ages 11 to 18)
Executive Functioning Bootcamp prepares students for the upcoming school year with practical tools for organization, planning, motivation, and follow-through. Each half-day program features a skillbuilder block and a collaborative, team-based engineering challenge to apply skills in real time. Participants will be separated based on age/developmental level as indicated to tailor strategies to developmental stage, school demands, and peer connection.
Participants will:
- Practice planning, task initiation, and time management strategies
- Learn how to break big tasks into manageable steps
- Build routines and systems they can use independently
- Gain confidence, accountability, and connection with peers
Registration Information
Registration Process
Registration is open! Begin the registration process here.
- Complete the online registration form through our secure portal.
- Have a 15-minute consultation with a member of our Summer Programs team (at no cost) to ensure a good fit.
- If you decide to move forward, confirm your spot with a $250 deposit (or 20% of the program cost if your family has qualified for reduced fees).
- We intentionally keep group sizes small to support connection and individualized attention, so a deposit is required to hold your space.
- The deposit will be applied toward your total program fee and deducted from your final payment.
Refund Policy
Payment
Final payment is due on the last day of the program. We accept credit or debit cards, HSA/FSA cards, and personal checks. We provide a superbill at the conclusion of each program that some families are able to submit to insurance for partial reimbursement (out-of-network benefits).
Financial Assistance
We believe that financial barriers should not prevent access to high-quality mental health programming. To support greater accessibility, BCSC offers a sliding scale for possible reduced program fees based on financial needs. We also provide insurance-friendly superbills at the conclusion of each program, and accept FSA or HSA cards as payment.
If you are interested in exploring sliding scale options, please reach out to our team: camp@bostonchildstudycenter.com
Dates & Rates
| Program | Ages | Dates/Times | Fees |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Emotion Foundations REGISTRATION CLOSED |
Ages 8 to 16 |
July 6-10, 2026 |
$1200 |
|
Community & Connections |
Ages 10 to 16 |
July 13-17, 2026 |
$1200 + $200 expense account |
|
DBT Skills Intensive |
Ages 12 to 17 |
August 3-7, 2026 |
$1900 |
|
Executive Functioning Bootcamp* |
Ages 11 to 18 |
August 10-14, 2026 |
$800 |
*Please note: Given current enrollment, we are offering one combined section of the Executive Functioning Bootcamp for ages 11-18. We will separate participants into smaller groups based on age and needs if enrollment warrants.
Check Out Our Blog
Understanding Mindfulness: More Than Just Meditation
When people hear the word mindfulness, they often think of meditation — sitting quietly, clearing the mind, or trying to feel calm. But in psychological research, mindfulness refers to something broader and more practical: the ability to pay attention to the present moment with awareness and without getting automatically pulled
Supporting Children and Teens Through Summer Transitions: Balancing Flexibility and Structure
The transition from the school year into summer can feel like a welcome break, but for many children, teens, and families, it also brings a sudden shift in routine, expectations, and structure. While summer often offers more flexibility, most children and adolescents actually function best with a balance of predictability
What Makes a “Good” DBT Program?
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is one of the most well-researched treatments for individuals experiencing chronic emotion dysregulation, self-harm, and suicidal behaviors. However, not all DBT programs are the same, and outcomes depend heavily on how closely a program adheres to the evidence-based model. DBT is not simply a set of