Hanna Silnicky, LPCC

I was drawn to DBT because of how the underlying philosophies resonate with how I practice. As a clinician, I deeply value both meeting people where they’re at, and encouraging them to address problems head on. This is captured perfectly in the dialectical balance of acceptance and change. Clients often come into my office saying that they’ve felt stuck or stagnant in other therapies, and I am so happy to offer a treatment that I’ve seen bring meaningful, long lasting change. The DBT skills are something that I apply, both personally and professionally. Being non-judgemental, or checking the facts really changes the way people handle situations and gives them more control when things are tough. While I practice adherent DBT, I also see many non-DBT clients, tackling a variety of other challenges including but not limited to, Eating Disorders, Substance Use Disorders, Anxiety, Depression and Trauma Disorders. 

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Something that is so wonderful about our whole practice, is how much time we invest in training. I received intensive training at Behavior Tech and taught DBT by experienced clinicians in the field. Making sure my practice as a therapist is grounded in the most up-to-date evidenced based interventions is really important to me. One of my favorite parts of the year is attending the annual ISIT DBT Conference. We get to spend time as a team together and learn about cutting edge research from DBT practitioners all over the world. We also get to travel together, which I love. 

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In 2025, I attended the DBT Prolonged Exposure training with the psychologist who developed it, Dr. Melanie Harned. This evidenced based treatment has been proven to help those who have experienced trauma. In the Fall of 2026, I will have completed an EMDRIA Approved EMDR (Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) training. This will allow me to offer multiple evidenced based trauma protocols to clients that are looking for deeper healing work. More recently, I have begun working with families and attended training through Portland DBT Institute on “Incorporating Loved Ones Into DBT.” Families play a huge role in treatment for many of my clients, and I am excited to continue offering family therapy services.

Before I was a therapist, I was an Elementary School teacher for 5 years. I received my Undergraduate degree from Indiana University (Go Hoosiers) with a double major in Elementary and Special Education. This gives me a unique perspective on navigating mental health within schools and advocating for my clients within these systems. Our DBT skills group really is more like a skills “class.” My experience leading a classroom also made leading and teaching our skills group come naturally to me. There is so much content to learn in DBT, and I always strive to make the material accessible and approachable.

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Outside of clinical work, I developed and facilitated a “DBT Strategies for Educators” pilot program with the non-profit Alex’s Way. I created program materials and carried out instructional seminars at multiple schools across the Greater Cleveland area. It was a privilege to get to work with teachers and administrators that took time out of their demanding schedules to learn more about DBT. After providing training, I received so much positive feedback about how skills like validation and mindfulness helped them to support their students.

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Before LakeWest DBT, I spent my first few years as a therapist in community mental health, with a clinical focus on early childhood mental health. I received training in child development, mental health disorders of early childhood and how to resource families of children with complex needs. I frequently worked with people that had been in the foster care system or were recently adopted. Working with families helped me build much of the foundational skills that I now apply in parent coaching or family therapy.

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I’ve seen so many people come to therapy, scared and overwhelmed by the challenges they face. Whether it’s suicidality, self harm, intense emotions, or trauma, starting with someone new is an incredibly vulnerable step to take. Making my clients feel safe with me is always a top priority. I love to see how, with time, my clients gain more confidence in their abilities, more compassion for themselves, and how their lives change over the course of the treatment. In DBT, we offer phone coaching, which means our clients can reach out to us in between sessions. Change doesn’t stop when you leave the therapy office, and I love that DBT allows us to be accessible to people when they need us most. 

A few more things about me personally, I’m originally from the Washington, DC area and moved to Cleveland in 2020. In my free time, you can find me walking my dog, trying new restaurants or going to concerts. I also love to curl up on the couch and watch TV with my cat. I love being a therapist and the relationships that I have been able to form with my clients over the years. Walking into an office with someone new and trusting them doesn’t come easily. Feel free to give me a call (216-767-5898 x5) or send me an email so we can set up time to get to know each other and see if I might be the right fit!