About

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is an intensive, long-term outpatient therapy program for older children, youth, and adults who experience suicidal thinking, self-harm, or other significant behavioral issues. This therapeutic approach typically lasts six months to a year, or longer if necessary. DBT may be an option for individuals who have not been helped by other therapeutic options, such as traditional psychotherapy (“talk therapy”). Upon referral, an assessment will be conducted to determine if DBT is the best path forward. Vona is certified by Minnesota's Department of Human Services under Minnesota Statutes 245a and 245i.

Eligibility

Ages served
11-50
Genders served
All genders
Payments accepted
Insurance accepted, including Medical Assistance
Referral needed?
No

Contact and Hours

Address

9220 Bass Lake Road Suite 255
New Hope, MN 55428

Fax
1-888-965-5130
General phone
763-225-4052

Front Desk:
Monday – Thursday 8:30am – 5:30pm
Friday 8:30am – 1:30pm  

Appointments:
Monday – Friday 8:00am – 6:00pm with flexibility in scheduling to meet the needs of clients 

Manage stress

DBT helps people learn healthy coping skills to manage stress and difficult situations. 

Improve relationships 

Relationships are a two-way street. DBT can help people establish healthy boundaries and self-advocate, allowing them to experience greater satisfaction in their relationships. 

Re-engage

Mental health concerns can feel debilitating. DBT can help people re-engage in activities like school, work, volunteering, and socializing. 

Build a hopeful path forward 

Everyone needs help sometimes and seeking help is a sign of resilience and strength. People struggling to manage stress and regulate their feelings may also experience anxiety, depression, self-harming, and suicidal thinking. People living with these challenges may not have been helped by traditional psychotherapy (“talk therapy”). Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) is a proven approach to help address these concerns. 

Every person is unique, which is why we never use a one-size-fits-all approach. A therapist works with each person to establish a care plan that is adapted to fit the needs of the person, considering both age and development as well. Together, our therapists work with the person they serve to build a hopeful path forward through weekly individual therapy, phone coaching, and weekly skills training.  

Our DBT team is comprised of compassionate, dedicated, and experienced professionals who are licensed as psychologists, independent social workers, marriage and family therapists, or practitioners. The consultation team meets weekly to ensure care is coordinated and continues to meet the needs of each person served. 

Skills coaching helps with day-to-day life and coping with difficult situations, by building skills such as: 

  • Mindfulness. This is the ability to be present in the current moment and experience sensations, feelings, and thoughts in a nonjudgmental way. Mindfulness can help when we are overwhelmed and can increase our capacity for joy and hope. 
  • Distress tolerance. These skills help people navigate through difficult and painful moments without making things worse. Distress tolerance skills include crisis survival skills and the ability to accept pain in a more effective way. 
  • Interpersonal effectiveness. This helps to create necessary boundaries, by reducing painful and chaotic relationships. Interpersonal effectiveness skills teach people how to ask for what they want or need and say no to unwanted requests, while maintaining their self-respect. 
  • Emotion regulation. This skill helps to reduce painful, unwanted emotions. People learn how to live more effectively with their emotions – how emotions work, how to manage them more effectively, and how to reduce sensitivity to emotions. 

“I’ve been super happy with the services here. It’s the best place for therapy that I’ve been to. I appreciate ALL the staff here.” 

-DBT participant 

Commonly Asked Questions

DBT sessions may be scheduled via telehealth and at our office in New Hope: 

Vona Center for Mental Health 

9220 Bass Lake Road  Suite 255 

New Hope, MN 

Whether an individual must change therapists depends on the qualifications of their current provider. Individuals must have a trained, experienced DBT therapist either from Vona Center for Mental Health or from a qualified outside provider. 

How a specific individual participates in the program is a decision made by the individual therapist, participant, parent/guardian, and consultation team. The ultimate goal is to provide the best situation for the participant.  

Individual DBT therapists outside of Vona Center for Mental Health may contact us with a signed release of information to facilitate a referral to our DBT skills training only. 

DBT helps people learn new skills and strategies to cope with stress, regulate emotions, and improve relationships.