About the birth of Sage Owl Therapy, LLC
Sage Owl Therapy, LLC is currently accepting patients in Oregon and Georgia. I am the owner of this private practice which serves adults and children. As well as seeing individuals with anxiety and depression, I specialize in working with children on the Autism Spectrum, with ADHD and other Neurodevelopmental Disorders. I practice a Native American-Lakota-spirituality in my personal life and honor all religious/spiritual or nonreligious beliefs of my clients. The logo of the owl was chosen because owls represent wisdom and communication; and for Indigenous people, owls are messengers from the creator. Our hope is we can foster each individual to tap into their own Wise Mind, develop communication skills and make changes which will lead to extraordinary results toward their mental health and well-being.
My name is Scarlet Graham and I am a Clinical Mental Health Therapist. I have been a program therapist for a local Psychiatric hospital from 2013-2016, where I designed a program of Expressions in Sandtray for patients. The program continues to be utilized and the patients love it and look forward to narrating their story. The difficulties portrayed in the sand with miniatures produce a cathartic response, and patients begin to visualize changes they need to make or resolutions. A picture really can tell a thousand words and sometimes verbalize what we cannot. Patients comment how meaningful it is to them and request a photograph of their particular Sandtray story.
Prior to starting my private practice, I worked in an outpatient setting with clients. I had the honor to be a part of major transitions in their life in which they bravely and safely walked through pain and suffering to greater understanding, and relief from sadness, fear and anger with expressions in the Sandtray. They often felt as if a sword was taken out of their heart and a thousand pounds lifted. I am passionate about Sandplay/ Sandtray therapy and believe it is a very powerful creative therapeutic tool.
I want to empower my clients to find joy, health and peace with positive change and insight. I am particularly interested in being of assistance to children and teens in the Autism Spectrum. We know that individuals with Autism often think in pictures- Sandtray therapy is a series of pictures with miniatures placed in the sand tray, which communicate how we think and feel. Additionally, the sensory experience is soothing and helps focus for all ages and most problems.
Sage Owl Therapy specializes in working with children, teens, with communication problems including Autism Spectrum Disorder and ADHD, individuals of all ages and with a variety of needs are welcome. We support parents who are the most important individuals in their child’s life. We know how difficult it can be to have a child with special needs. We want to assist with communication and coping skills for your child and your family.
Sage Owl Therapy provides a warm, safe, honest, and nonjudgmental space where you’ll receive unconditional positive regard. The techniques are strength and evidenced based, where we work to highlight your strengths and provide clear perspectives on the emotions, thoughts, beliefs, and attitudes whether positive or negative- that form the landscape of your life. We believe you have the power within you for change and you are the expert, and the therapist a guide, while you continue your journey toward that change. Sometimes therapy is brief and solution based requiring only a few sessions others may require a longer journey of months or even years. We desire to empower you to achieve your therapeutic goals in your pace and time.
We apply an integrative therapeutic model for therapy including:
- One on One talk therapy utilizing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Therapy: CBT sheds light on negative thinking and internal inaccuracies to help young and adult clients change their thinking and behavior patterns and this in turn improves their emotions.
- Dialectical Behavioral Therapy provides coping skills of mindfulness, acceptance and distress tolerance.
- Creative Counseling Choices: Art therapy-drawing or painting and Sandplay- a creative Narrative type of modality of placing miniatures in a sand tray; children and adults have commented how Sandplay is fun, relaxing and meaningful.
- We often intervene with roll plays to foster better social communication skills
- For our Adults clients they may benefit from Psychodynamic Psychotherapy – seeking self-awareness by looking at the past and examining how it effects present behavior and emotions or moods. Benefits may also be derived from Gestalt Therapy – exploring personal responsibility, experiences, and coping adjustments through a focus on the relationship between mind, body and soul.