Thoughtful therapy for women.
Welcome to Sanctuary Ridge, a practice for women, rooted in the belief that therapy is a deeply human process.
Grounded in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), I work with women who feel uncertain of their ability to navigate the twists and turns of life — self-doubt that can emerge as people pleasing, perfectionism, or struggles with self-identity. This includes women navigating significant life changes such as motherhood, career shifts, or relationship difficulties, women who are carrying past trauma or who feel spread too thin and are looking for tools that feel more aligned with a healthier and more flexible life.
My role is to ask the questions that help you identify, without judgment, what serves you, what you are ready to release, and which tools will help you be effective. I would love to hear your story, answer any questions you have and see if we would be a strong fit for doing this work together.
Sessions
How we work together
We begin with an initial consultation and build a treatment framework shaped around your needs and goals.
Where everything starts
Initial consultation
The purpose of the initial consultation is to explore what brings you in, what you have tried in the past and what feeling better looks like for you. This also provides us an opportunity to see if I am the right person to help facilitate change for you.
By the end, you will have a sense of whether this practice is the right fit and a clear idea of what working together would look like.
Individual, 90 minutes
Group, 60 minutes
Individual therapy
One-on-one
Sessions are 50 minutes, in-person or virtual. We spend our early time together getting a clear picture of where you are feeling stuck and what you are hoping to move toward.
Our work is structured and purposeful. At times this can include between-session practice, like trying out a DBT skill we have been working on. The balance is always tailored to you.
Also available
Short-term intensives
Sometimes the most effective work is focused. Short-term intensives are built around a single concern or focal point, with a structure that flexes to fit your pace and goals. Topics this can be a strong fit for include:
Group therapy
Weekly groups
Groups of up to 10 women, forming around a shared experience, stuck point or area for growth. Enrollment is rolling.
There is something that happens in a room full of women who understand. Not because you told them your story, but because they are living a version of it too. After nearly a decade of facilitating women’s groups, I have seen this format change people in ways that individual work alone often cannot.
Weekly group
DBT Skills
A weekly skills-based group for women who have completed a full DBT program and want to continue practicing the work in a supportive community of other skill-users.
Meets weekly · Forming now · Up to 10 members
Weekly group
Rupture and Repair
For women navigating separation, divorce and the period of rebuilding that follows.
Meets weekly · Forming now · Up to 10 members
Weekly group
Trading Critical for Curious
For women navigating self-esteem, self-worth and self-confidence, working through the internal pressures of perfectionism and self-criticism to build a grounded sense of who they are.
Meets weekly · Forming now · Up to 10 members
Payment
Private pay
Many clients are able to use their out-of-network benefits to offset the cost of sessions. Sanctuary Ridge does not bill insurance directly, but we provide clients monthly superbills to support reimbursement. We recommend reaching out to your provider to understand your coverage before getting started.
Payment is due at the time of service.
Individual therapy
Consultation (90 min)
$375
Session (50 min)
$250
Group therapy
Consultation (60 min)
$250
Session (60 min)
$140
About
Isabel Spoehr, LCSW
Credentials
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
New York #095973-01 · Connecticut #015296 · Virginia
Master of Social Work · Virginia Commonwealth University
Jepson School of Leadership · University of Richmond
Background
For the last decade, I have worked with women across a wide range of settings, including hospitals, safe haven shelters, schools and individual treatment. Currently, I serve as the Women’s Group Clinician for Silver Hill Hospital’s Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP), one of the country’s leading psychiatric treatment resources.
I came to this work after years in senior corporate positions — a path that informs how I understand the relationship between performance, identity, and wellbeing.
Style of work
I work to find the balance with each individual — exploring your history to understand the “why,” holding curiosity about where you feel stuck, and incorporating the skills and goals needed to change your relationship to it.
I am trained in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Together, we will draw on the skills and structure of DBT alongside the rethinking and reframing tools of ACT, adapting the approach to what you need.
I work in a way that is gentle and exploratory, while also direct. Sessions are collaborative from the start. The work is structured, with room for open exploration.
Who I treat
I work with women, college-aged and older, whose symptoms or patterns are getting in the way of living a fuller life. Areas of expertise include:
Depression & Anxiety
High Performance Burnout
Perfectionism
Life Transitions
Relationship dynamics
Motherhood stressors
Self Exploration
Trauma
What guides the work
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
DBT teaches concrete skills for managing emotions, tolerating discomfort and improving how we relate to others. It is structured, practical and grounded in the belief that change is always possible.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
The purpose of ACT is to help you accept the things you cannot control and shift your focus towards building a life more aligned with your values. In this work, we focus on learning how to hold difficult thoughts and emotions with a new lens.
location
Find us
In-person
Wilton, CT
195 Danbury Road, Suite 260
Wilton, CT 06897
By appointment. Serving Fairfield County and Westchester County communities.
In-person
New York
NY location coming soon.
Telehealth
New York, Connecticut & Virginia
Secure sessions via a HIPAA-compliant platform, available across all three states.
Resources
Tools for the work
100 Grounding Techniques
A reference list of techniques for returning to the present moment.
Emotions Wheel
A tool for identifying and naming what you are feeling in the moment.
Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale
A brief, ten-item self-assessment of global self-worth.
On my shelf
The Body Keeps the Score
Dr. Bessel van der Kolk
It Didn't Start with You
Mark Wolynn
Emotions Revealed
Paul Ekman
Set Boundaries, Find Peace
Nedra Glover Tawwab
Unbroken Brain
Maia Szalavitz
The State of Affairs
Esther Perel
First, We Make the Beast Beautiful
Sarah Wilson
Self-Compassion
Kristin Neff
Mirror Work
Louise Hay
Welcome to the Jungle
Hilary Smith
The In-Between
Hadley Vlahos, RN
Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage
Belle Burden
Community support
Call or text 988 · 24/7
Text HOME to 741741 · 24/7
1-800-298-7233 · Westchester DV services
1-800-621-4673 · DV, crime and abuse support
coda.org · Co-dependency support
al-anon.org · Families affected by alcohol
adultchildren.org · Adult children of dysfunction
aa.org · Alcoholics Anonymous
dbsalliance.org · Depression and bipolar support
smartrecovery.org · Science-based recovery
Ready when you are.