About Us
Elizabeth Cohn Stuntz, LCSW–R
Psychotherapist, Teacher, and Author
Elizabeth Cohn Stuntz co-authored Coping with Cancer: DBT Skills to Manage Emotions and Balance Uncertainty with Hope — along with Marsha Linehan, the developer of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) . A cancer survivor, Zen student, and psychotherapist, Stuntz co-founded the Health Resiliency Institute to help patients and clinicians apply evidence-based coping skills. Her DBT-based curriculum is now under study for feasibility, acceptability, and early outcomes. Stuntz earned her BA from Cornell University, her MSW from Smith College, and her Psychoanalytic Certification from the Westchester Center for Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy, where she is also on the faculty.
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Marsha M. Linehan, PhD, ABPP
Marsha M. Linehan, PhD, ABPP, the developer of dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), is Professor Emeritus of Psychology and Director Emeritus of the Behavioral Research and Therapy Clinics at the University of Washington. Before retiring in 2019, she devoted her career to developing and evaluating, evidence-based treatments for populations with high suicide risk and multiple, severe mental disorders. Dr. Linehan's contributions to suicide research and clinical psychology research have been recognized with numerous awards, including the University of Louisville Grawemeyer Award for Psychology and the Career/Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies. She is also a recipient of the Gold Medal Award for Life Achievement in the Application of Psychology from the American Psychological Foundation and the James McKeen Cattell Award from the Association for Psychological Science. In her honor, the American Association of Suicidology created the Marsha Linehan Award for Outstanding Research in the Treatment of Suicidal Behavior. She is recognized by Time magazine's "Great Scientists: The Geniuses and Visionaries Who Transformed Our World". In 2025, she received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. She is the founder of the Linehan Institute and a Zen master.
Ronda Oswalt Reitz, PhD
Dr. Ronda Oswalt Reitz has been a leader in the delivery and implementation of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) for more than 25 years. She currently serves as DBT Coordinator for the Missouri Department of Mental Health, where she oversees statewide training, consultation, implementation, evaluation, and supervision of DBT services across diverse clinical settings.
An internationally recognized trainer and consultant with the Behavioral Tech Institute, Dr. Reitz also serves on the board of and as a consultant to the Linehan Institute. She is co-founder of the Health Resiliency Institute, dedicated to advancing innovative psychosocial health interventions, and was a lead collaborator in developing a DBT-based curriculum to help individuals cope with cancer.
Dr. Reitz earned her Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Kansas in 1999. A longtime student of Rinzai Zen, she has trained for more than 20 years under Roshi Marsha Linehan and Roshi Alice Cabotaje, integrating mindfulness practice into both her clinical work and professional training.
Geraldine Rodriguez
Geraldine Rodriguez currently serves as the Executive Director of the Linehan Institute, a non-profit organization dedicated to the worldwide dissemination of the legacy work and teachings of Dr. Marsha M. Linehan, focusing on her life-changing treatment, Dialectical Behavior Therapy. In addition to her role at the Linehan Institute, Geraldine also serves as the Operations Manager for Linehan-DBT Research Inc. Geraldine received her MBA from the University of Washington in 2008 and in her personal time enjoys spending time with her family and listening to podcasts.
Linehan Institute is driven by a single purpose: to expand global access to Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), the life-saving treatment pioneered by Dr. Marsha Linehan. We strive to bring DBT to communities worldwide, equipping individuals with the skills they need to build lives worth living.