Social Skills Classes and Michelle Garcia Winner

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I am not a parent but I have AS myself as well an interest in human development and also am a very avid reader. I have read Michelle Garcia's Winner books about teaching AS kids and teens how to "think socially" and apply those social skills she teachers with their peers and teachers. I really wish I had someone to teach me those things as a kid. I really devoured all her books and liked her down to earth writing style. She seems to have read my mind when I read certain vignettes from the book. Other people seem to agree with me as her books get pretty good reviews online.

Her website is http://www.socialthinking.com/

I was wondering if anyone here has sent their child to Michelle's Social Thinking Clinic or a a clinic modeled after her methods. I want to know if those methods really worked for your child and if they were able to apply what they learned in the social skills class in day to day life.

I am writing a book about an 11 year old protagonist with AS who was diagnosed at age 7. Since I grew up undiagnosed, I need to have some insights on what life may have been life for a child that has been diagnosed and gotten some social skills training. Don't worry, I'm not going to plagiarize any of your stories but I really need to know if the skills transferred. I suspect that it may be hit or miss because I imagine even if I had the skills classes as a child, I may have been able to repeat the "social rules" and do them in the class setting but still make the same mistakes I actually did I tried to socialize with my peers at lunch.

Also did your kids enjoy the classes or did some of the activities make them bored or uncomfortable? Michelle writes about games and role playing activities that look like fun but I imagine that it could be torture for some kids depending on their personality.

I need some input in knowing about what others are thinking what I'm thinking about what my character's who's struggling to think about what her peers are thinking (sorry, bad social thinking humor).

Thanx,