Located on Main Streets in RIDGEFIELD, CT & WESTPORT, CT

Best of Mental Health Services in Ridgefield, CT for 2022, 2023, & 2024!

Individual Therapy for Adults, Adolescents, & Children

Family Therapy

Group Workshops

Parent Support

Dynamical Neurofeedback

Individual Therapy for Adults, Adolescents, & Children Family Therapy Group Workshops Parent Support Dynamical Neurofeedback

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About Us

Welcome to SpireTHERAPY!

More Than Therapy. Real Skills. Meaningful Growth. Lasting Change.

At SpireTHERAPY, we believe therapy should do more than help you navigate life's challenges. It should empower you with the understanding, confidence, and practical skills to thrive beyond the therapy room.

Our dedicated team of therapists provides personalized, evidence-informed care for children, teens, adults, couples, and families. Through our signature SPIRE Method, we combine compassionate therapeutic support with structured skill-building, helping clients better understand themselves, strengthen relationships, regulate emotions, and develop healthier patterns that last.

We don't believe in one-size-fits-all therapy. We believe in meeting you where you are, understanding what makes you unique, and helping you move toward where you want to be.

Whether you're seeking support for yourself, your child, or your family, we're here to help you turn challenges into opportunities for growth.

Because feeling better matters. Learning how to stay better matters, too.

Denise Santangelo

Founder and Lead Clinician

“Above all, I believe in your capacity for healing and growth. Therapy isn’t just about getting by—it’s about helping you live a life that feels vibrant, meaningful, and true to who you are. I can’t wait to help you get there.”

About the Founder

Meet Our Team

The SpireTHERAPY Process

More Than Therapy. Skills for Life.

A STRUCTURED, COLLABORATIVE APPROACH TO MEANINGFUL, LASTING CHANGE

Step 1

Understanding the whole person, not just the presenting problem.
Every journey begins with understanding. We take the time to explore your experiences, challenges, strengths, relationships, and goals.
Whether we're working with a child struggling with emotional regulation, a teen navigating anxiety, or an adult experiencing burnout, we look beyond the immediate symptoms to understand the patterns and underlying factors contributing to those difficulties.
Together, we identify where you are, where you want to be, and what skills will help you get there.

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Step 2

WE CREATE YOUR PERSONALIZED PLAN USING THE SPIRE METHOD: A Curriculum Designed for Meaningful, Lasting Change
At SpireTHERAPY, we believe therapy should do more than help you understand your challenges, it should equip you with the skills to overcome them.
That's why our founder, Denise Santangelo, developed The SPIRE Method, our signature, structured therapeutic curriculum that bridges evidence-informed clinical treatment with practical, real-world skill development.
Grounded in established therapeutic approaches, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), mindfulness, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and other evidence-informed modalities, The SPIRE Method provides a comprehensive yet individualized framework for meaningful growth.
Rather than relying solely on traditional talk therapy, our therapists use this curriculum to identify each client's unique challenges, establish measurable treatment goals, and systematically teach the emotional, behavioral, cognitive, and executive functioning skills needed to create lasting change.
The result? Therapy with structure, purpose, and practical application—so progress doesn't end when the session does.
Because at SpireTHERAPY, we don't just help you work through life's challenges. We teach you the skills to navigate them with greater confidence, resilience, and independence.
More Than Therapy. Skills for Life.

Step 3

Because insight is important, but knowing what to do next changes everything.
Our sessions go beyond discussing what happened during the week.
We actively teach, demonstrate, and practice strategies that help clients strengthen emotional regulation, manage anxiety, improve executive functioning, build confidence, communicate effectively, establish healthy boundaries, and navigate challenging situations.
For younger clients, we incorporate developmentally appropriate activities, creative interventions, games, and interactive learning to make these skills accessible and engaging.
Our goal is to help clients understand not only what a skill is, but when, why, and how to use it.

Step 4

Real progress happens when skills move beyond the therapy room.
Learning a skill during a session is the beginning. Applying it when life becomes difficult is where meaningful growth takes place.
That's why we help clients practice their skills in real-world situations, whether that's navigating a difficult conversation, managing frustration, getting started on homework, handling anxious thoughts, or responding differently to conflict.
We encourage reflection, problem-solving, and continued practice so these strategies become increasingly familiar and effective.
For children and teens, this often includes helping parents understand how to reinforce the same skills at home.

Step 5

We Support the People Who Support You: PARENTS, TEACHERS, PRESCRIBERS....
Because meaningful progress happens when families grow together.
At SpireTHERAPY, we recognize that children don't grow in isolation—and therapy shouldn't happen in isolation, either. That's why family collaboration is an essential part of our SPIRE Method.
We don't just work with your child. We equip you with the knowledge, strategies, and support to help your child succeed beyond the therapy room.
Dedicated Parent Skills Therapy & Coaching Sessions
Through biweekly or monthly parent skills sessions, we work directly with caregivers to provide practical, individualized strategies for managing challenging behaviors, strengthening communication, setting healthy boundaries, supporting emotional regulation, and reinforcing the skills their child is learning in therapy.
These sessions also give parents an opportunity to better understand the why behind their child's behaviors—and learn how to respond with greater confidence, consistency, and effectiveness.
Weekly Parent Updates & Communication
We believe parents should feel informed, involved, and empowered throughout their child's therapeutic journey.
That's why we provide weekly email check-ins highlighting the skills your child is developing, the areas we're working on, their progress toward treatment goals, and practical ways you can reinforce those skills at home.
Rather than wondering what happened in therapy, you'll understand what your child is learning and how to help turn those lessons into everyday successes—all while respecting your child's privacy and therapeutic relationship.
Collaboration Beyond the Therapy Room
With appropriate permissions, we also collaborate with schools, educators, and other providers to create consistency across the environments where your child lives, learns, and grows.
Our group workshops and Thrive After 3 program provide additional opportunities for children and teens to strengthen emotional regulation, social confidence, and executive functioning skills through structured, interactive learning alongside peers.
One Child. One Family. One Collaborative Approach.
Our goal isn't simply to help your child make progress during a 50-minute session. It's to create a connected support system that helps those skills become part of everyday life.
Because when parents have the tools, children have more opportunities to thrive.

Step 6

The goal isn't to need therapy forever. It's to build skills that stay with you.
As therapy progresses, we revisit goals, recognize successes, identify continuing challenges, and adapt strategies as needed.
We help clients develop greater self-awareness, recognize patterns earlier, respond to setbacks more effectively, and become increasingly confident in their ability to navigate challenges independently.
Progress isn't always linear, and we don't expect perfection. We focus on meaningful, sustainable growth and helping clients develop tools they can return to throughout life.

What Makes SpireTHERAPY Different?

At SpireTHERAPY, you aren't simply meeting with a therapist for an hour each week. You're becoming part of a collaborative therapeutic process built around understanding, learning, practicing, and growing. Our team shares a common philosophy while tailoring care to each individual's needs. We combine compassionate clinical treatment with purposeful skill development, parent and family support when appropriate, and opportunities to reinforce learning through specialized programs. We believe the most effective therapy doesn't just help you navigate the challenge in front of you. It helps you become better equipped to navigate the challenges still to come.

More Than Therapy. Skills for Life.

Because our goal isn't simply to help you feel better today. It's to help you develop the awareness, confidence, and skills to thrive tomorrow—and long after therapy ends.

Personalized support to strengthen relationships, improve communication, and build healthier family connections.
- Parent Coaching: Gain practical strategies for everyday challenges, including homework struggles, morning routines, and emotional regulation.
- Couples Counseling: Address communication breakdowns, conflict, intimacy, and trust while rebuilding connection.
- Personalized Guidance: Develop healthier patterns, strengthen relationships, and create lasting positive change at home and together.

Personalized, one-on-one therapy focused on building skills, confidence, and emotional well-being.
- Personalized Support: Therapy tailored to each individual's needs, challenges, and goals.
- Practical Skill-Building: Develop emotional regulation, anxiety management, focus, organization, social skills, and impulse control.
- Interactive Sessions: Engaging activities, conversations, and real-life strategies that encourage everyday growth.
- Parent Partnership: Regular updates and guidance to help parents reinforce progress at home.

Supportive groups that build confidence, life skills, and meaningful connections.
- Peer Connection: Connect with others navigating similar challenges, including anxiety, depression, self-esteem, and executive functioning.
- Practical Skill-Building: Develop emotional regulation, distress tolerance, coping strategies, mindfulness, and communication skills.
- Interactive Learning: Participate in guided discussions, activities, and exercises using CBT, DBT, and other evidence-based approaches.
- Parent Companion Workshops: Learn the same skills your child is developing so you can reinforce their growth and progress at home.