Hi, I’m Dr. Theresa H. Lienau (she/her/hers)

Thanks for being here. A little about me - I am a cisgender, White, heterosexual female. I am a mother, partner, aunt, sister, daughter, teacher, explorer, and friend. I see the world through the identities I hold, and I appreciate the diversity and complexity of every person’s paradigm. I hold values of compassion, generosity, humor, and kindness, and strive to have these values guide my work with clients. I work through a Relational Cultural lens which allows me to better explore and understand the impact of relationships, systems, and one’s unique experience of walking this earth, and how this holds potential for protection and harm. I work to hold space for each person with whom I interact. I trust that clients are the experts of their experience and that every person has the right to tell the truth about their lives.

I earned both my master’s and doctoral degrees from St. Mary’s University of Minnesota. I completed practicum trainings at Carleton College, Scott County Community Mental Health, and Student Counseling Center at the University of Minnesota. I completed an APA-accredited predoctoral internship at Mental Health Systems where I was trained to facilitate DBT group programming for adults and teens, and specialty DBT programming for individuals with dual diagnosis (substance abuse) and chronic pain and illness. I have worked with adolescents and adults in several contexts, from crisis intervention, community mental health, and college counseling centers.

I have a background in academic settings, having been a high school teacher, mentor, and coach, and am currently an adjunct professor at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. I have received over 50 hours of advanced training in the Adaptive Internal Relational (AIR) Network model of treatment, which has been designed for working with individuals with complex trauma, complex PTSD, and neuro-dissociative experiences. I have completed over 20 hours of consultation to become certified in the AIR Network Model of therapy. I also completed training in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) during doctoral and post-doctoral internship years.

My main areas of clinical focus include working with individuals that have experienced complex trauma, complex PTSD, gender/sexual identity exploration, and religious/spiritual trauma. I enjoy working with teens, emerging adults, and adult survivors of trauma. I thrive on creating a safe, non-judgmental space that opens doors to potential and possibility.

In my free time, I enjoy spending time with family and friends, reading, traveling, taking my dog for a walk, and being as close to the ocean as possible.

Professional Affiliations

American Psychological Association (APA)

Minnesota Psychological Association (MPA)