SAGE Counseling is licensed by the Arizona Department of Health Services to provide court-ordered misdemeanor domestic violence offender treatment (see the Arizona Revised Statutes 13-3601.01 regarding requirements to complete such a program). We primarily utilize group rather than individual counseling, and offer more than 50 domestic violence offender treatment groups throughout the state (some of which are offered in Spanish). We also have multiple treatment modalities to better serve a variety of clients. Our groups are gender-specific and conducted in a psychoeducational format with a cognitive-behavioral approach. The program particularly emphasizes clients’ accountability, compliance with program and probation guidelines, and skill development and rehearsal. We employ structured curricula and methodologies that are designed to increase clients’ self-awareness of their controlling and abusive attitudes and behavior, enhance their sense of personal responsibility, and facilitate the integration of positive changes. Our clients’ assigned number of sessions follows the ADHS guidelines for licensed court-ordered domestic violence offender treatment programs.

Multiple Domestic Violence Treatment Modalities

In addition to the regular domestic violence offender treatment groups described above, SAGE also provides separate treatment for two other offender groups: those whose victims are non-romantic roommates, family members or children.

Non-Romantic Partner/Family, including Parent Offenders/Child Victims

SAGE Counseling, Inc. offers this group for people who are charged with domestic violence but do not fit the clinical criteria that is typically associated with domestic violence offending in a romantic relationship. For these individuals, more emphasis is placed on recognizing patterns of thinking and behavior that are ineffective and aggressive, as well as teaching and rehearsing coping skills for future potentially problematic situations. These skills include self-calming techniques, communication skills, conflict resolution, emotional literacy, stress management techniques, problem-solving skills, etc. These groups are part of SAGE’s ADHS licensed program, and also qualify for the requirements imposed in the Arizona Revised Statutes 13-3601.01.

This program is designed for clients with clinical issues based in aggressiveness, hostility, and poor impulse control, rather than a pattern of power and control within relationships (which are focused on in our Domestic Violence Treatment program). This program is not for clients with a domestic violence conviction, and does not fulfill the requirements for completing a licensed domestic violence offender treatment program. The program concentrates on increasing clients’ self-awareness of their controlling and aggressive attitudes and behavior, reducing hostile thinking patterns, improving impulse control, enhancing their sense of personal responsibility and pro-social attitudes, and building multiple skills, e.g., conflict-resolution, problem-solving, communication, thought-stopping, and positive self-talk. These groups are co-ed.

SAGE provides a range of Substance Abuse Education and Treatment services. Our services always begin with a comprehensive assessment, and we utilize evidence-based practices, e.g., Cognitive Behavioral Counseling, Motivational Interviewing, Relapse Prevention, and empirically-validated assessment instruments. Our services are provided in our many outpatient clinics in Maricopa County and throughout Arizona., and via telehealth. Our groups range in frequency and intensity depending on individualized treatment need. We offer early intervention, relapse prevention, and intensive programming that can range from once to three times per week. We also offer DUI services, and we  offer eight and sixteen-hour substance abuse education programs.

SAGE is licensed by the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) to provide all three misdemeanor DUI services: Screening, Level II Education, and Level I Treatment. Our Level II Education groups are offered on weekdays and on weekends, and we offer multiple Level I Treatment groups during the weekday with evening and weekend options throughout our clinics both in person and via tele-health.

This program is grounded in the idea that our feelings and behaviors are directed by our thoughts more than by external factors, such as people, situations, or events. The benefit of this understanding is that we can change the way we think to change the way we feel and act, even if the external situation does not change. This approach is based on the scientifically supported perspective that most emotional and behavioral reactions are learned. Therefore, the goal of counseling is to help clients identify their problematic beliefs and cognitive sets and “unlearn” their unwanted reactions (including criminal behavior) while learning new ways of responding. SAGE teaches clients about the effects of their current decision-making and problem-solving styles in order to improve them and develop healthy lives. This group is designed to instill positive values, increase empathy, promote positive changes, and enhance pro-social behavior. In order to help clients experience greater success as they increase their self-awareness and gain understanding of the process of change, we also teach them the Stages of Change Model.

In our outpatient programs, individual counseling is an option, as is group counseling. The specific modality or modalities utilized are based on clinical needs and the client’s specific situation. We focus on short-term stabilization and skills building to support clients through treatment.

Parenting counseling and education groups assist clients in enhancing their current skills, as well as developing and rehearsing new ones. Appropriate strategies for dealing with difficult parenting situations are addressed, as well as positive communication skills, appropriate use of discipline, parents’ self-care, boundary setting, anger management, developmental stages of childhood/adolescence, self-esteem, and family conflict management.

Our Shoplifting Education program is an educational class that helps participants understand the underlying causes of theft-related behaviors and develop healthier coping strategies. This course explores topics such as personal values, healthy boundaries, anger management, stress reduction, cognitive distortions, and relapse prevention, providing practical tools for long-term change. By addressing thought patterns, emotional triggers, and decision-making skills, participants learn to replace destructive thoughts, feelings, action, and behaviors with positive pro-social alternatives. The goal of this class is to promote self-awareness, accountability, and personal growth, ultimately helping individuals prevent future theft-related incidents and avoid further involvement with the criminal justice system.