ABOUT Me
Dr. Tierney is a licensed clinical psychologist based in Minnesota whose work is deeply informed by her training in health psychology and primary care psychology. She earned her Ph.D. from Saint Louis University and completed her APA-accredited internship and Fellowship in Primary Care Psychology at the Saint Louis VA Medical Center, where she developed a deep understanding of the connection between physical health, emotional well-being, and quality of life.
Through her training and clinical experience, Dr. Tierney developed a passion for treating the whole person, recognizing that thoughts, emotions, behaviors, relationships, and physical health are deeply interconnected. She provides evidence-based assessment and treatment while helping clients navigate health concerns, life transitions, and the emotional experiences that often accompany them.
At the heart of Dr. Tierney’s work is the belief that meaningful change happens through connection. She values the therapeutic relationship as a place where clients can feel seen, understood, and supported while exploring patterns, developing self-compassion, and moving toward lives that feel more aligned with who they are and what matters most.
Dr. Tierney has specialized training and expertise in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), eating disorders, anxiety-related concerns, perfectionism, and health psychology. She integrates Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) to help clients develop greater flexibility, self-understanding, and a more compassionate relationship with themselves.
Outside of the therapy room, Dr. Tierney is a mom, dog lover, nature seeker, and gardener-in-progress who finds peace along the lakes of northern Minnesota. She looks for glimmers, the small moments of connection, gratitude, and beauty that make everyday life meaningful. She views growth as an ongoing process, learning and evolving one season at a time, and considers it a privilege to walk alongside clients as they reconnect with themselves and create lives that feel more authentic, meaningful, and grounded.
Her training in Primary Care and Health Psychology
Dr. Tierney’s training in Primary Care and Health Psychology informs her whole-person approach to care. She works with clients navigating chronic pain, diabetes, sleep difficulties, and other ongoing health concerns, recognizing the close connection between physical health and emotional well-being.
She also works with clients experiencing anxiety, OCD, eating disorders, perfectionism, relationship concerns, and life transitions. Dr. Tierney doesn’t see therapy as a place where someone needs to be “fixed.” Instead, she and her clients work together to understand the patterns that may be keeping them stuck, make space for greater self-compassion, and discover more flexible ways of responding that support the life they want to live.
HER WORK IS GROUNDED IN EVIDENCE-BASED APPROACHES
Dr. Tierney draws from evidence-based approaches including CBT, Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), Inference-Based CBT (ICBT), ACT, DBT, RO-DBT, Motivational Interviewing, Brief Psychodynamic Therapy, and Mindful Self-Compassion.
She is also a Certified Daring Way Facilitator, trained in Brené Brown’s research on shame, vulnerability, and wholehearted living. She provides specialized assessment and treatment, recognizing that accurate evaluation is an important foundation for effective care.
Dr. Tierney is a licensed psychologist in Minnesota and provides in-person and telehealth services to clients located in Minnesota.
She is also authorized to provide telepsychology services through PSYPACT, the Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact. This allows psychologists who meet PSYPACT requirements to provide telehealth services to clients who are physically located in participating PSYPACT jurisdictions.
If you live outside of Minnesota, you can view the current PSYPACT map
and participating jurisdictions or contact the practice to confirm whether
services can be provided in your location.
Dr. Tierney has served as a Board Member of the Minnesota Psychological
Association Ethics Board since 2018.
She is a professional member of:
-
International OCD Foundation (IOCDF)
-
Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA)
-
National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA)
-
American Psychological Association (APA)
