Embrace Acceptance,
Create Change
Located in St. Paul, MN. Providing compassionate care to adults in the twin cities communities and greater MN.
in person and virtual services
Specializing in Dialectical Behavior Therapy, trauma treatment, and mindfulness-based therapies. Individualized and compassionate care treating anxiety, depression, trauma, BPD, and other issues of emotional wellness.
About Me
Hey! I'm Kim.
I am a LICSW and have worked in mental health for over 30 years. Summit Hill Zen Mind Psychotherapy is a private practice dedicated to teaching the principles of mindfulness. The practice of mindfulness has been shown to alter our brain structure, which can help to regulate overwhelming thoughts, feelings and emotions. I am a long-time meditation/mindfulness practitioner. I believe a common characteristic of all people is that they want to improve their lives and be happy. Mindfulness is an essential ingredient in this. Research shows that mindfulness is related to mental health outcomes such as high levels of positive affect, liveliness, adaptive emotional regulation, lower levels of negative affect and psychological symptoms. Mindfulness is a super power!
Specialties:
Dialectical Behavior Therapy
Exposure-based therapies
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
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Why therapy?
As humans, we are faced with many challenges that can affect our emotional well-being. Studies show that psychotherapy improves emotions and behaviors and is linked to positive changes in your brain and body. While therapy can be hard work, you deserve to live a life that is joyful and fulfilling.
02
Why me?
I love being a therapist! It's incredibly inspiring to watch my clients reach their goals and experience more happiness and satisfaction in their lives. Studies have consistently shown the success of therapy is directly linked to the quality of the therapeutic alliance. Marsha Linehan says "The therapeutic relationship is a real relationship between equals" and that resonates deeply with me. I am delighted to provide treatments that work. I offer a non-judgmental, compassionate, and safe space to work on your concerns and reach your goals. We will collaboratively navigate your journey.
03
What are you waiting for?
Haven't you struggled long enough? While taking the first step to reach out can be frightening, your healing will not begin until you do. Research shows that participating in psychotherapy can be incredibly beneficial, with approximately 75% of individuals experiencing improvements and greater life satisfaction. Psychotherapy is a powerful tool for personal growth and well-being. I welcome being a part of your journey. Give me a call!
Services
15 min free
consultation call
I offer a free consultation call. This allows you to help me understand your issues and see how I can help. It also will provide you an opportunity to get to know me and see if we feel like a good fit.
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I look forward to speaking with you!
individual therapy sessions
Services begin with an assessment to understand your background and reasons for seeking care. We will collaborate on the best treatment approach, create a treatment plan and get you started on your journey to emotional wellness.
My Specialities
Treatments that work!!!
01
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
DBT is especially effective for people who have difficulty managing and regulating their emotions. It helps people learn and practice new skills to reduce ineffective, self-destructive behaviors. These tools help patients manage emotions, cope with difficult situations, and improve relationships.
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Mindfulness-Based Therapies
Mindfulness techniques help individuals practice how to stay in the present moment, with acceptance and curiosity. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) are approaches that treat depression and anxiety which are often the result of resting our mind in the past or the future.
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Trauma Treatment
DBT Prolonged Exposure treatment designed to help people recover from trauma. Avoidance is a major factor that maintains PTSD and prevents recovery. Trauma treatment provides education about PTSD and treats the avoidance directly so you can fully engage in your life.
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Supportive Psychotherapy
Sometimes we have an issues to work through and it is helpful to have a safe space to process these. A therapist can support you during life’s challenges and offer solutions to help you feel less overwhelmed. Therapy can help you discover new ways to approach difficult situations that will support your well-being as well as help you manage your feelings and unhelpful thoughts.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy
What is Dialectical Behavior Therapy?
DBT is an evidence-based therapy developed by Dr. Marsha Linehan.
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Its main goals are teach people how to live in the moment, deal with stress in a healthy way, manage emotions, and improve relationships with others. Originally intended to treat Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), studies have found DBT is effective for a wide range of disorders and difficulties related to regulating emotions and associated thinking and behavioral patterns.
The DBT program comprises of individual DBT therapy, skills training groups and phone coaching.
Skills training groups are psychoeducational in nature and involve learning, refining and generalizing your skills.
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DBT's Skill Modules
Mindfulness: Central to DBT, mindfulness teaches individuals how to live in the present moment.
Distress Tolerance: Teaches individuals how to tolerate and survive crisis situations without exacerbating them.
Emotion Regulation: Helps individuals gain control over and manage their emotions.
Interpersonal Effectiveness: Focuses on managing conflicts effectively and maintaining and improving their relationships with others.
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You can't think yourself into new ways of acting; You only can act yourself into new ways of thinking. Acceptance is the only way.
-Marsha Linehan
DBT Prolonged Exposure
What is DBT Prolonged Exposure?
The DBT Prolonged Exposure (DBT PE) protocol was developed by Dr. Melanie Harned specifically to treat PTSD among high-risk and multi-problem clients who are receiving DBT. The DBT PE protocol is based on Prolonged Exposure therapy and was adapted to fit the needs of this complex client population. DBT with the DBT PE protocol is a comprehensive treatment designed to help these individuals recover from trauma and build lives they experience as worth living.
Individuals with PTSD often present to treatment with comorbid conditions such as personality disorders, dissociative disorders, substance dependence, eating disorders, and mood disorders. 66% of individuals with PTSD have two or more comorbid disorders and up to 30% attempt suicide. When not treated, PTSD increases the risk of suicidal and self-injurious behavior and is likely to interfere with achieving recovery.
How the DBT PE Protocol Works
Avoidance is a major factor that maintains PTSD and prevents recovery. There are two ways that people with PTSD typically avoid. The first is trying to push away memories, thoughts, and feelings about the trauma. The second is avoiding situations, people, and objects that are reminders of the trauma. Although avoiding trauma-related thoughts and situations works to reduce distress in the short run, it prolongs and intensifies post-trauma reactions in the long run. The DBT PE protocol aims to help clients stop avoidance and instead confront trauma-related thoughts and situations so that trauma can be effectively processed.
Payment
Insurances
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United Health Care (UHC)
Optum
United Behavioral Health (UBH)
Medica
I accept private payment and am an out-of-network (OON) provider. I am happy to provide a superbill to submit to your insurance provider. Many plans reimburse at 50% - 70%. HSA and FSA payments are accepted.
Zen
There is nothing comparable to it. It is unique – unique in the sense that it is the most ordinary and yet the most extraordinary phenomenon that has happened to human consciousness. Zen lives in the present. The whole teaching is: how to be in the present, how to get out of the past which is no more and how not to get involved in the future which is not yet, and just to be rooted, centered, in that which is.
Contact Me
Hours
Tuesday
Friday
5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
8:00 am – 4:00 pm
other appointment times available upon request