At Tree's House

We value the wisdom of turning pain into Purpose & Power.

Inky Johnson moment that changed his life forever.

We believe in reminding individuals of who they were before the moment/s that changed their lives forever.

"IF" by Rudyard Kipling

We believe in building with worn out tools. Teaching others how to make adjustments, stay the course of commitment, and how to stay even when your roots do not feel strong enough.

This moment is for you; let's make it together.

We are here, we believe in you. Look around you right now, and if you need a community that sees and wants the best in you and for you; we are here;we believe in you.

SAGE Experience Program

Standing And Guiding Experiences

A Flexible Experience, Grounded in Five Pillars

The SAGE curriculum is adapted to the needs, ages, and setting of each audience. Every experience is grounded in Safety, Self, Accountability, Grief, and Empathy, with activities and pacing shaped to fit the people participating.

SAGE has been offered as a 12-week experience, prison sessions held every other week, one-day and three-day workshops, quarterly workshops, and a week of restorative experiences in a high school.

The five pillars guide the work. The format creates room to meet people where they are.

Core Program Elements

Our approach emphasizes a shift in understanding—from viewing harm solely through the lens of individual victimization to recognizing its broader implications for our shared humanity. This shift is explored through the core areas of Safety, Self (identity), Accountability, Grief, and Empathy.

Become a SAGE today…

🔹SAGE Facilitator: guide and space-holder

Sage Facilitator: Someone who holds space for wisdom to emerge in a group or individual. They guide a process of self-discovery, using the energy of the Sage archetype—calm, reflective, insightful. They don’t push answers; they help others find their own. Their gift is in guiding, not fixing.

🔹SAGE Practitioner: active doer and wisdom-giver

Sage Practitioner: More hands-on. They use their Sage wisdom actively in their practice—maybe offering insight, teachings, or intuitive guidance. They’re doing the work with someone, like offering pathways to transformation and healing using structured frameworks.

Core Program Navigators

The Power of a Circle
The Power of Commonalities
The Power of Differences
The Power of Leadership, Followship & Partnership
Creative Arts
Guided & Illustrated Mindfulness Practices
Real-Life Storytelling & Support

Program Benefits

Builds self-awareness and emotional intelligence
Fosters empathy and community
Provides creative tools for expression and healing
Encourages accountability and personal growth
Strengthens inner peace, confidence, and resilience

S.A.G.E.
Standing And Guiding Experiences

SAGE Practitioner Journey

Throughout the SAGE Experience, participants engage in a transformative process designed to cultivate self-awareness, empathy, resilience, and leadership. Each stage of the journey builds toward becoming a grounded, compassionate guide for others, rooted in lived experience and healing.

Exploring Safety and Belonging
Participants examine the meaning of safety in relation to self, others, and the community, laying the foundation for connection through invitation, welcome, and belonging.

Understanding Identity and Impact
A deep dive into how identity is shaped through ACEs, labels, and the lasting ripple effects of trauma—building awareness of self in context.

Owning Decisions and Patterns
Recognizing how personal choices affect oneself and the broader community, while developing healthy coping strategies to interrupt harmful cycles and foster connection.

Healing Through Grief and Acceptance
Learning to love again after loss—honoring what once was, accepting what can no longer be, and navigating the shifting dynamics of relationships shaped by grief.

Practicing Empathy and Connection
Fostering empathy through shared experiences, while embracing both commonalities and differences to build meaningful, inclusive relationships.

Tree's House Soul 4 Sole

The SAGE Experience
SAGE: Stand And Guide Experiences, is more than a program; it is a structured journey of restoration. At its core, SAGE embodies four commitments: to See and Guide, Speak and Guide, Support and Guide, and Stand and Guide individuals through transformative experiences that reconnect them to their authentic selves.
Tree’s House Soul 4 Sole, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is rooted in the belief that when matters of the soul are addressed, movement in one’s soles naturally follows. Our work is humanity-centered, grounded in the understanding that grief, trauma, and adversity are universal experiences, no demographic is exempt.
Our foundation is built upon three guiding principles: Relationship, Redemption, and Restoration.

The Pyramid of Restorative Transformation
The SAGE Experience is delivered through a 5-story Pyramid of Restorative Transformation, adapted to each audience’s needs and setting. Each level builds upon the last, with time to reflect, practice, and grow. I believe the process does not produce results; it produces within us the version of ourselves that is ready for those results. Through Safety, Self, Accountability, Grief, and Empathy, we develop the capacity to receive, sustain, and build upon what comes next.

Each story prepares the foundation for the next:
Story 1: Safety
Transformation begins with SAFETY, within oneself and in connection with others. Without it, growth cannot be sustained.
Participants engage in restorative practices rooted in:
The power of the circle
The power of commonalities
The power of differences
Here, individuals begin to experience trust, belonging, and emotional security, conditions necessary for deeper work.

Story 2: Self (Identity Restoration)
Once safety is established, participants are guided inward to explore the SELF:
This stage focuses on restoring:
Beliefs
Self-efficacy
Self-esteem
Identity
Participants begin to separate who they are from what they have experienced, challenging labels, narratives, and trauma-based identities.

Story 3: Accountability
With a stronger sense of self, participants are equipped to step into ACCOUNTABILITY, not as punishment, but as empowerment.
Grounded in the understanding that:
“If you don’t heal old wounds, you’ll bleed on people who never cut you,” (by Isabella De Bruno) individuals examine behaviors, patterns, and choices with honesty and ownership, beyond the circumstances that led them into the carceral system.

Story 4: Grief
Accountability opens the door to GRIEF, often unaddressed, suppressed, or misunderstood.
Participants are given space to:
Acknowledge loss
Process unresolved emotions
Express pain in a safe, supported environment
This stage is critical, as unprocessed grief often manifests in harmful patterns toward self and others.

Story 5: Empathy (The Pinnacle)
At the top of the Pyramid is EMPATHY, the ability to genuinely understand and connect with others. Empathy is not taught in isolation; it is earned through the work of the previous stages. When individuals feel safe, understand themselves, take accountability, and process grief, they develop the capacity to:
See others with compassion
Build meaningful relationships
Contribute positively to their communities

Why the Sequence Matters
Each story in Tree's Pyramid of Restorative Transformation is interdependent. Skipping stages or rushing the process compromises transformation. True change requires a complete journey; one where individuals shed what no longer serves them in order to grow into who they are capable of becoming. Also, keep in mind that with every transition in life, one may begin the story again.