Approaches
We used a variety of approaches and methods of therapy based on the individual needs and goals of each client.
The approaches we utilize at Sage Mind are trauma-informed and help build insight into our difficult patterns. We consider how they show up and create challenges in our lives. As we understand more about them, we can understand where they came from, how to heal from them, and conceptualize a different future state.
Mindfulness
Mindfulness-Based therapy encourages knowledge of the connection between the mind and body. In our culture, we often view the mind and body as separate, but they are deeply inter-connected. We explore how the mind interprets the body’s experience, and we seek to understand how these parts are interwoven and interdependent. Sage Mind Wellness therapists utilize the skills of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) as strategies to increase awareness and connection to the body, reduce stress and anxiety, and cultivate a healthy relationship with the mind.
EMDR Therapy
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is an evidence-based psychotherapy intervention that helps individuals recover from trauma, PTSD, anxiety, depression, and panic disorders. We utilize EMDR with a focus on the somatic experience and understanding attachment patterns and mechanisms the individual has cultivated to manage the symptoms caused by trauma.
EFT Therapy
Emotionally-Focused Therapy (commonly referred to as “EFT”) is the primary form of therapy used for couples at Sage Mind. EFT is a structured therapeutic approach that analyzes the patterns of attachment between two people and observes how the pattern has shaped the nature of the relationship. It can also be used in individual therapy to explore attachment patterns and experiences within relationships.
When a couple is in conflict, the partner is often viewed as the problem. Through our work with EFT, each partner learns that the true problem is the negative cycle of interaction, i.e. the ‘what happens between us.’ We work on reorienting our perspective of this cycle by understanding the emotional experience of our partner.
After successful EFT, couples better navigate conflict by leaning into their partners and relying on the connection to provide support. The goal of EFT is for each partner to view the relationship as a source of security, and to see the other person as helpful and supportive in regulating difficult feelings and experiences.
Gottman Method
Gottman Method Couples Therapy involves a thorough assessment of your relationship and evidence-based interventions to improve communication, manage conflict, and strengthen connections.
The goals of Gottman Method Couples Therapy, developed by Drs. John and Julie Gottman are to disarm conflicting verbal communication, remove barriers that create a feeling of stagnancy, increase intimacy, respect, and affection, and create a heightened sense of empathy and understanding within the context of the relationship.