SAGE (DBT & CBT Program for Young Adults)

What is SAGE?

SAGE is a system of modular evidence-based programs for young adults that utilize DBT, CBT and executive functioning strategies in an intensive format with an additional parent component. Our SAGE programs, which meet in both virtually and in person, are designed for young adults with a primary diagnosis of anxiety or mood disorder who are unable to reach developmentally appropriate life goals. These young adults may have difficulty regulating emotions and behaviors, may present with multiple problems, exhibit a high degree of withdrawn or avoidant behaviors and/or have difficulty with executive functioning skills. Young adults presenting with a range of different symptoms may benefit by enrolling in the modular programs simultaneously, progressing through our SAGE I DBT, SAGE II DBT/EF and SAGE II CBT sequentially, or participating in only one of the modular components. For example, young adults may enter the SAGE II CBT program to address withdrawal and avoidant behaviors either directly or after they have already participated in SAGE I DBT and/or SAGE II DBT/EF and received the necessary support, structure and skills to regulate their emotions.

Admissions Criteria

Patients may be referred from a variety of sources, including individual therapists, inpatient settings, partial hospital settings, outpatient therapy departments, psychopharmacological providers, medical providers, college counseling departments and themselves or their families

Accepted participants meet the following criteria:

• Aged 18-30
• High school graduate
• Have a primary diagnosis of mood or anxiety disorder.

*Patients with a primary diagnosis of substance abuse, severe cognitive limitations, or violent behavior are not eligible.

Participants who experience suicidal ideation and/or engage in self-injurious behaviors are eligible for the SAGE I DBT Foundations program. However, they must not have an intent to commit suicide and must be willing to seek assistance during times of stress.

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 non-attendance.

Other Stipulations:

Patients need to seek psychopharmacological and medical support independently. We require consent to reach out to parents in case of emergency. We will also follow up with families when participants have significant difficulties with attendance.

Admission Procedures

Interested participants should contact our intake team to schedule an intake assessment by emailing intake@cbc-psychology.com or calling (914) 385-1150, Option 1. In cases where a potential SAGE participant is currently in therapy with a CBC provider, intake assessments may be waived and orientation to SAGE may be integrated into regular sessions.

Aftercare

Based on need, SAGE participants will be referred for aftercare on a case-by-case basis. Following completion of the SAGE I DBT Foundations program, some patients may simply continue treatment with their individual therapist. Patients who are still working on encoding skills may be referred to standard outpatient DBT programs so that skills can be encoded in more depth and over time.

The majority of SAGE I DBT Foundations patients typically transition to SAGE II programs. For example, patients who complete SAGE I DBT Foundations who require skill strengthening as well as continued structure, community, executive functioning, and emotion regulation coaching may be referred to SAGE II DBT/EF Skills Strengthening and Generalization. Patients who need to overcome avoidant behaviors may be referred to SAGE II CBT after completing SAGE I DBT or SAGE II DBT/EF. Finally, patients who need to overcome avoidance while supporting emotional stability and self-management skills may be referred to SAGE II DBT/EF and SAGE II CBT simultaneously for a four day per week program that lasts eight weeks after graduation from SAGE I DBT Foundations.

SAGE II programs are designed to taper slowly and to gradually transition young adults to more independence. After eight weeks of 2-4 days per week of SAGE II programs, young adults can choose to attend a second round of eight weeks at a frequency of 1-2 days per week. Once patients graduate from SAGE II programs, they generally continue in individual therapy. Patients with co-occurring substance use disorders may be referred for follow-up treatment to our Encompass program.

Please visit our SAGE program pages for more detail on our specific programs:

• SAGE I DBT Foundations: Young Adult Individual Therapy + Skills
• SAGE II DBT/EF Skills Strengthening and Generalization: Individual Therapy + Skills Generalization/Executive Function Group
• SAGE II CBT Overcoming Avoidance: Individual Therapy + Group Therapy
• SAGE Summer Community
• Parents of Young Adult Program

"Anytime I open my [SAGE Foundations] binder, it calms me down and centers me." — Current SAGE participant