SAGE II CBT Overcoming Avoidance: Individual therapy + Group therapy
SAGE II CBT participants learn coping skills to help manage uncomfortable emotions that lead to avoidance.
What is SAGE II CBT?
SAGE II CBT is an eight-week skills and practice group that meets on Mondays and Wednesdays from 1-3 pm with the goal of helping individuals tolerate and confront uncomfortable emotions. After eight weeks, young adults have the option to step down to one group per week to continue exposure practice and generalization. Participants can miss up to three groups (two groups if participating in one group/week). Participants must be in individual therapy while attending the group, and may have a therapist outside of CBC.
This group is designed to help young adults (aged 18-30) with a range of anxiety and mood disorders (e.g., panic with or without agoraphobia, OCD, GAD, SAD, PTSD, specific phobia, illness anxiety disorder, MDD), who are struggling to actively engage in their lives and activities that are important to them. These individuals may struggle to engage in daily living activities on their own and require significant support and accommodation from their families. This program is ideal for individuals who seek to reduce and overcome avoidance and are struggling to engage in exposure homework assignments and/or would benefit from increased exposures. In order to attend SAGE II CBT group, patients must have the ability to engage in exposures without resorting to suicidal ideation, self-injury or dropping out of the group.
The curriculum in this group includes learning coping skills to help manage uncomfortable emotions that lead to avoidance. Participants will learn techniques to understand and manage thinking patterns and learn advanced relaxation skills. Group members will learn about emotional and behavioral avoidance. Young adults will practice in-session exposures as well as learn ways to incorporate exposures into their daily life to allow them to gain independence and take steps towards their long-term goals.
SAGE II CBT FAQs:
Who can benefit from this group?
This group is designed for young adults with a range of anxiety and mood disorders who struggle to engage in daily living activities on their own and require significant support and accommodation from their families. This program is ideal for individuals who seek to overcome avoidance, struggle to engage in exposure homework assignments, and/or would benefit from increased exposures.
When do the groups meet?
The SAGE II CBT group Mondays and Wednesdays from 1-3 p.m.
When can new members join?
New members can join weekly on Mondays (with the exception of the eight week).
Do you need to be in IT while attending SAGE II CBT groups?
Yes. Patients are required to be in individual therapy at CBC or elsewhere but are not required to be in DBT or CBT.
How long is the commitment?:
Patients are required to meet two days a week for eight weeks with the option of re-committing to one day/week for another eight weeks to continue exposure practice.
What is the process for joining?
Patients undergoing individual therapy outside CBC will need to complete a 90-minute intake session before joining. Patients who have graduated from SAGE I DBT, SAGE II DBT/EF or are receiving individual therapy within CBC will require a 45-minute orientation and assessment session before joining the group.
Are patients required to participate in the SAGE I DBT or SAGE II DBT programs before joining the SAGE II CBT program?
No. Patients can directly attend SAGE II CBT without first completing SAGE I DBT or SAGE II DBT. Although SAGE II CBT is open to members who graduate from SAGE I DBT and SAGE II DBT, participation or completion of SAGE I DBT or SAGE II DBT is not required. Individuals may also attend this group while simultaneously participating in SAGE II DBT.
How will parents be involved?
Parents will complete assessment measures when young adults begin this program to support their treatment plan and progress. Consent to speak with parents is a requirement of this program. Parents will be contacted if patients are not attending sessions repeatedly or if we have concerns about safety. Parents will be included in treatment through family sessions with their young adult and his or her individual therapist.
What can I hope to achieve after completing the program?
After eight weeks in SAGE II CBT, young adults will have acquired advanced CBT skills to help them tolerate a range of uncomfortable emotions without escaping through avoidant behaviors. They will have increased awareness and understanding of their patterns of behaviors contributing to their current challenges. They will have acquired skills to confront and tolerate emotions in difficult situations that previously interfered with their functioning and long-term goals.
What are the options for aftercare?
After completion of SAGE II CBT for eight weeks twice per week, patients have the option of repeating the group for a second eight weeks on one day per week to continue exposure practice and generalization. Following the completion of SAGE II CBT, patients may continue with their individual therapist.
Please visit our SAGE program pages for more detail on our specific programs: