SPP 191: DBT to Honor Identities, Foster Belonging, and Support Validating Environments for All

#psychedpodcast is thrilled to have Dr. Thomas back for this discussion! https://www.cbc-psychology.com/cbc-staff/minu-thomas-psyd Minu Thomas, Psy.D. is Director of Consulting Services at CBC where she oversees a large team of trainers and consultants as well as trains and consults to numerous schools, agencies and organizations nationally. She is a licensed psychologist in New York, certified school psychologist in New York and New Jersey, and holds a Diplomate in School Neuropsychology. Dr. Thomas has worked in a range of school settings in New Jersey and New York for the past 15 years as a school psychologist and Chairperson for the Committee on Special Education and Section 504. Most recently, Dr. Thomas was the Director of Pupil Personnel Services. Dr. Thomas has participated in hundreds of Individualized Education Plan (IEP) and Section 504 meetings in both New York and New Jersey with an extensive understanding of IDEA and OCR regulations. While a school psychologist, she served as DBT Team Leader among many other responsibilities there.

Dr. Thomas received a B.S. in psychology from Rutgers University. She received her M.S.E.d in school psychology at Queens College, and educational leadership at Bank Street College of Education. Additionally, she received her Doctor of Psychology degree at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. Her doctoral dissertation was “Program Evaluation of an Executive Functions Intervention at a Middle School Setting” and her master’s thesis was on “Multicultural Competence of School Psychologists and its Effect on Appropriate Service Delivery to Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students and Their Families.” Dr. Thomas has supervised trainees at the masters and doctoral levels and was previously an adjunct professor at Rutgers University and Iona College. In these various roles, Dr. Thomas has chaired multiple committees, participated in and led numerous professional learning experiences on a wide variety of topics, initiated and supported many broad-based program development projects. She has worked extensively with students, parents, faculty members, administrators, and practitioners about special education, mental health, curriculum and instruction, and diversity, equity and inclusion. Dr. Thomas was instrumental in the implementation of comprehensive school-based DBT and creating a scope and sequence for the universal lessons. She has created and taught an online course on DBT and Diversity, Equity, Inclusion as well as Action Research courses for K-12 educators. Dr. Thomas has conducted district-wide training on multi-tiered systems of support, positive behavior supports, resilience, executive functioning, inclusion, diversity, belonging, & equity.

Dr. Thomas is passionate about supporting the mental health of children and their families through a strength based and culturally responsive lens.