Minnesota is one of the states where you can work with either of our clinicians, a psychologist or a licensed counselor.
Currently accepting new clients
Request a Minnesota appointmentMinnesota clients have a choice that clients in most states do not: both members of our clinical team practice here. Some people know already that they want psychological evaluation or the depth of a doctoral-level clinician; others want ongoing counseling from someone whose experience with children and families is extensive. If you are unsure which suits you better, the intake conversation sorts it out, and being matched well at the beginning tends to matter more than anything that comes after.
Everything is delivered by video, which fits a state where a winter drive across the metropolitan area or down a county road is its own deterrent. Clients in Duluth, Rochester and the smaller towns keep appointments a snowstorm would otherwise have taken from them. Families coordinate one session from two locations. A student in Northfield or Mankato carries on without interruption when the semester ends. We see individuals of all ages, couples, families and groups.
Minnesota clients can be seen for any of the following, with the clinician chosen according to the concern and to what you hope the work will accomplish.
Treatment for recent events and for long histories, beginning with safety, sleep and daily functioning. Nothing is revisited in detail until you have the footing to do it without being overwhelmed.
The months after a birth can bring anxiety, intrusive fears and a sadness that feels indefensible. Support addresses mood, lost sleep and strain on the relationship, with a partner included when useful.
For people maintaining recovery, and for family members whose lives have rearranged themselves around somebody else's use. Relapse prevention and an honest look at enabling patterns are both central.
Young clients are seen with parental involvement scaled to their age, addressing anxiety, school difficulty, anger and the effects of upheaval at home, and often including advocacy on the child's behalf.
Evaluation clarifies diagnosis, a learning profile, or a specific referral question from a school or physician. These are Dr. Lusk's services, and remote suitability is settled in consultation first.
Harsh self-judgment, comparison and shame about appearance are addressed directly rather than treated as vanity, along with the perfectionism and eating patterns that often accompany them.
With two clinicians practicing here, the first task is careful matching. Our intake establishes what Minnesota households, working professionals, and academics want changed, what has already been tried, and whether therapy, counseling, or evaluation is the correct instrument. From there, the work is highly collaborative. We frequently incorporate Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help clients systematically address their concerns, reviewing progress aloud at regular intervals. Because we do not offer a quick fix, we commit to a sustained pace that respects the complexity of your life. Neither clinician applies a standard course to every client, since a plan for a nine-year-old refusing school looks nothing like a plan for a couple renegotiating retirement. The method is always tailored to your specific situation.
Minnesota clients may work with Della S. Lusk, Ph.D., our Clinical Director and a Licensed Clinical Psychologist, or with Alethea Braun-Dunagan, M.A., a Licensed Professional Counselor. Some families see both, for different members.
Clinical Director · Bilingual Clinical Psychologist
Dr. Lusk holds the Authority to Practice Interjurisdictional Telepsychology (APIT™) granted by the PSYPACT® Commission, which authorizes her to provide telepsychology to clients located in Minnesota.
Dr. Lusk holds the Authority to Practice Interjurisdictional Telepsychology and has more than 25 years of clinical experience. Her undergraduate degree is an A.B. from Smith College, and her doctorate in Clinical Psychology was earned at the California School of Professional Psychology–San Diego, an APA-accredited program. Minnesota clients see her for individual, couples, family and group therapy and for psychological evaluations. She is bilingual in English and Spanish.
Request an appointment
Licensed Professional Counselor
Ms. Braun-Dunagan provides counseling to clients located in Minnesota through the Counseling Compact™, and has availability for Medicare and TriCare clients.
Ms. Braun-Dunagan is a Licensed Professional Counselor offering individual, couples and family counseling and groups, with Cognitive Behavioral techniques applied through a holistic, individualized lens. She has extensive experience among children, adolescents and adults, and particular expertise with young people, including advocacy, resolving trauma and restoring healthy relationships. Her interests include women's issues, stress management, postpartum mood disorders and relapse prevention.
Request an appointmentFull biographies, training, and areas of expertise are listed on our providers page. You can also read Dr. Lusk’s licensure and credentials and Ms. Braun-Dunagan’s licensure and areas of focus in full. You are welcome to ask any clinician directly about their qualifications and experience.
Two different arrangements apply, depending on which clinician you see. Dr. Lusk practices under PSYPACT®, holding the Authority to Practice Interjurisdictional Telepsychology issued by the PSYPACT® Commission, whose directory of authorized psychologists and current list of member states appear at psypact.gov. Minnesota's participation is recorded there. Counseling with Ms. Braun-Dunagan is provided under the Counseling Compact™, whose rules and members are documented at compactconnect.org.
Both arrangements share one central principle: a clinician's authority is determined by where the client is sitting when the session takes place. Being a Minnesota resident does not settle the question by itself if you happen to be somewhere else that day. So your location is confirmed at the beginning of each appointment, and when you are going out of state we check in advance whether the relevant agreement reaches your destination, rescheduling if it does not.
Participating jurisdictions are published by the compact commissions and can change. You can review current psychology participation at psypact.gov, find the relevant psychology licensing board through the PSYPACT® board directory, or check counseling privileges at CompactConnect. If you are not sure which applies to you, call (844) 774-7997 and we will confirm before you schedule.
The state's public system and its independent liberal arts colleges draw students from far away, many of whom would rather not change clinicians whenever a term ends. Video sessions hold steady through a semester abroad, a summer at home, or a move between campuses. Faculty and staff are seen on the same basis. Listed below are the public universities and the independent colleges connected with our Minnesota caseload.
Appointments reach Minneapolis and St. Paul, regional centers such as Duluth, Rochester, St. Cloud and Mankato, and towns with no psychologist within easy reach. Anywhere in the state works equally well, provided you have a private space to talk from.
You do not have to decide before you call. Ms. Braun-Dunagan is our intake specialist, and part of what the intake conversation does is establish which clinician suits your situation. As a rough guide, a question requiring formal psychological evaluation belongs with Dr. Lusk, while ongoing counseling for a child, a couple or an adult can be provided by either of them. We will explain our reasoning.
Yes, and in some households it is the sensible arrangement: a teenager in counseling while a parent works with the other clinician, or a child under evaluation while the parents attend sessions about managing behavior at home. Where two clinicians are involved with one family, we set out clearly at the start who shares what with whom, and obtain the consents that requires.
Both clinicians do. Couples sessions take up communication, conflict that repeats itself, trust, and the renegotiation that follows a major change such as a new baby, a job loss or retirement. Family sessions may involve parents and children together, siblings, or a grandparent who is closely involved. Video makes it far easier to gather people who live in different places into one hour.
Usually something small and specific: noticing when a particular thought shows up, trying a different response at home, keeping a brief record of sleep or mood. The point is not homework for its own sake but that most change happens in the six days you are not in session. If a task turns out to be impractical, say so and we will design one that fits your life.
Our rates are sent in a fee agreement when you schedule an appointment. Before your first appointment, our office will answer any out-of-network questions you have; ring (844) 774-7997 and the staff will take you through it. Ms. Braun-Dunagan also has availability for Medicare and TriCare clients. That discussion stays with the office rather than the clinician, so your session time remains clinical.
We accept all major credit and debit cards, and we gladly accept HSA, FSA, and HRA cards so you can use pre-tax dollars toward your care. Our practice generally operates out-of-network. This allows us to protect your privacy, keep care highly personalized, and avoid insurance-mandated session limits.
Our rates are sent in a fee agreement when you schedule an appointment. Please check with your insurance company regarding your out-of-network benefits. As a courtesy, we will submit claims on your behalf upon request, and any reimbursement will be sent directly to the insured. Call (844) 774-7997 or email info@psychotherapy.com if you have questions.
Our services are by appointment only, during normal business hours. Evening, weekend, and early morning appointments are sometimes available for established clients.
Call (844) 774-7997 or email info@psychotherapy.com. The intake conversation covers what brings you in, which clinician is the better match, and when you would like to meet; the matching question can usually be answered during that first call.
We do not offer crisis, walk-in, or inpatient services of any type, and this page is not a substitute for emergency care.
Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Michigan Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming
This page provides general information about telehealth psychotherapy and psychological services. It is not medical or psychological advice, does not create a clinician–client relationship, and does not diagnose or treat any condition. Whether a particular service is appropriate for you is determined with a clinician during a confidential consultation. Telehealth authorization depends on your physical location at the time of each appointment; participating jurisdictions are published at psypact.gov and, for counseling, at CompactConnect. Arizona Behavioral Health Associates, P.C., 710 N Beaver Street, BLDG 4, Flagstaff, AZ 86001-3139 · (844) 774-7997
