Proprietary Tools
Synergy Foundation and the Synergy SA program are uniquely authorized to use several important proprietary tools and programs in the area of training and consulting, community and organizational response, recovery assistance to those affected by trauma or addiction, and proactive development and resilience buidling.
FTP – FTP stands for Fly the Plane, the brand name of a unique empowerment approach. FTP-related programs have been successfully extended to help all individuals who experience trauma of any kind, as well as for general resilience training, and to proactively help people meet other personal and professional development goals.
MMATRIX – MMATRIX, sometimes affectionately called the "Expectations Matrix" (a slight misnomer), is the MMATRIX Needs-to-Resources Assessment and Management Tool. Backed by sound research and know-how from multiple disciplines, it's a proprietary tool that helps people identify, differentiate among, and assess their needs, and match them to the appropriate resources, which are likewise evaluated. Training on the use of this tool is available for individuals whether they are in crisis, have experienced trauma, or are simply working toward proactive self-development. MMATRIX is a complement, not a competitor, to the work of various professionals and recovery programs, such as therapists, counselors, life coaches, religious leaders, medical or legal professionals, etc. It helps individuals choose and work more effectively with available resources, understanding what to expect and how to appreciate each relationship. We currently have specific components for PTSD sufferers, as well as the partners/spouses of addicts who deal with past or on-going trauma.
SES – SES stands for Stability-Education-Strategy, and is our research-based protocol used to help the traumatized progress through these three interconnected stages, during or after crisis. It is accompanied by practical tools that can be utilized well into the future. SES is part of our first response to assist porn users and/or their partners. For the partner, stabilization involves personal and situational validation, in some cases an acute safety checklist and/or at least rudimentary boundary-setting, as well as a variety of other exercises that deal with our emotions, self-care, and more. It generally includes use of the MMATRIX tool to begin needs-to-resources assessment, and to reassure the individual that s/he is not helpless. Timely success in this stage is critical. For the porn user or addict, stabilization may include exercises that deal with motivation and faciliate initial sobriety in preparation for the next steps. Once participants are better able to learn, process, and apply what they've learned, the Education phase includes sharing relevant general information and delivering practical training about the issue at hand (how it works, what to expect, how to outsmart it, and best practices for overcoming the problem and moving through recovery), partly so that informed decisions can be made in a timely manner. This phase may also include a safe, assisted disclosure process for information pertinent to the specific couple/situation. Strategy is the phase in which the informed individuals are then trained in decision-making and the setting and pursuing of goals and objectives. These tasks are supported partly by the MMATRIX results. SES helps make the difference between merely coping (often badly and while remaining at-risk) and actually overcoming challenges, between just surviving and truly thriving.
SaRT – SaRT stands for Synergistic Response Team, and is a comprehensive model for methodically mapping out key players in a community or organization, along with their roles, responsibilities and interfacing, in order to help them work together to achieve the most effective and well-coordinated response possible to an issue. In the foundation's case, the issue is typically the ill effects of trauma upon individuals and families, including trauma related to sexual exploitation, addiction, and related sources of stress and familial discord. Schools, for example, are appropriate candidates to implement a SaRT.