Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) Internship Clinicians

Donna Pattie, MSW, LICSW

DBT Trainer and Consultant

Donna Pattie, MSW, LICSW is a Linehan Board Certified DBT therapist who is the DBT Team Lead in New Brighton, MN and the DBT Trainer and Consultant for 16 DBT outpatient teams within Nystrom & Associates, LTD.  Donna supervises team members and interns, and has delivered DBT in both the Adult and Adolescent/Family programs since 2011.  She has trained intensively with Melanie Harned in DBT PE for clients with PTSD, has delivered DBT PE since 2015, and supervises Nystrom clinicians across MN in the delivery of DBT PE monthly.  Donna has run a DBT Adaptive Skills Group for clients with traumatic brain injury/developmental delays, DBT Adult groups and a DBT SUD group for clients with co-occurring substance use disorders.

In addition to her work with Nystrom, Donna is contracted nationally as a DBT Trainer and Consultant with Behavioral Tech (BTECH), a Linehan Institute Training Company, in delivering DBT Foundational Trainings, DBT Intensive Trainings and DBT Skills Trainings.

Prior to working in MN, Donna delivered CBT in an outpatient private practice in North Easton, MA and was the Team Lead of the VA Medical Center’s Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Clinical Team in Brockton, MA.  Her work at the VA began with the Substance Use Disorder Inpatient Detoxification and Rehabilitation programs.  Donna brings over 30 years of experience in the clinical field and has a passion for fidelity to DBT treatment and for training both new and experienced clinicians in the field.  She received her Master’s degree in clinical social work from Simmons College School of Social Work in Boston, MA.

Sarah M. Gross, MSW, LICSW

Executive DBT Program Director

Sarah M. Gross, MSW, LICSW is a Linehan Board Certified DBT therapist who serves as the Executive Director of the DBT Program of Nystrom and Associates (NAL). Sarah helped begin the DBT program at NAL and has provided DBT services since 2006. Sarah currently oversees 16 DBT teams and provides supervision, consultation and leadership for the DBT program. Sarah has had extensive training including advanced training with Marsha Linehan, DBT treatment developer, and Melanie Harned, DBT PE treatment developer in addition to intensive trainings by other DBT experts. As a clinician Sarah works with adults, adolescents and parents using the DBT treatment modality.

In addition to her work with Nystrom, Sarah participates in several DBT consortiums and leadership groups to help advance the use of DBT as an evidence based treatment.

Prior to working for the Nystrom and Associates DBT program, Sarah worked as an in home family therapist, school social worker, community coordinator in services for the homeless and in the mental health triage unit for county mental health services. Sarah has over 25 years of experience in the social work and mental health fields. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Macalester College in Psychology and Environmental Studies. She received her Master of Arts degree in Social Work from the University of Minnesota.

Rebecca Sanders Lindquist, MA, LPCC

Associate DBT Program Director

Rebecca Sanders Lindquist, MA, LPCC is a Linehan Board Certified DBT therapist and DBT Program Associate Director at Nystrom and Associates, Ltd. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin- Eau Claire with her Bachelor’s in Psychology and Comparative Studies in Religion and from St. Mary’s University of MN with her Master’s Degree in Counseling and Psychological Services in 2003.

Rebecca has been part of the DBT program at NAL since 2006, and helped to create the DBT-A (Family) Program. She has delivered adherent DBT for over 10 years within both the Adult and Adolescent/Family DBT programs. She helps to supervise and oversee the 16 DBT teams that are currently in the NAL system. Rebecca has been intensively trained by Marsha Linehan in DBT and Melanie Harned in DBT Prolonged Exposure for clients with PTSD.

Kathy Spiry, MSW, LICSW

Associate DBT Program Director

Kathy Spiry, MSW, LICSW, is a Linehan Board Certified DBT therapist and DBT Program Associate Director at Nystrom & Associates, Ltd. Kathy graduated from the State University of New York at Albany with a Master’s Degree in Social Work in 1994. Kathy has maintained the LICSW licensure since 1996. Kathy joined the Nystrom and Associates, Ltd. DBT Program in 2009 and has been delivering DBT services since 2005. Alongside the other two DBT Directors, Kathy supervises and oversees the 16 DBT teams at Nystrom & Associates, Ltd. Kathy has been intensively trained by Marsha Linehan in DBT and Melanie Harned in DBT Prolonged Exposure.