Director of Behavioral Health and Community Living - Network 4
Thane Dykstra serves as director of Trinity’s behavioral health program. He joined the agency in 1995. His core areas of responsibility include the oversight of twenty group homes and an apartment complex serving persons with serious mental illness and dual diagnoses (with co-occurring intellectual disability and mental illness). Thane’s program responsibilities also include four psychosocial rehabilitation programs (providing intensive day treatment services), the Trinity Autism Support Center (TASC) which provides comprehensive services (diagnostic assessment, parent education, social skills training, in-home supports, etc.) to children with autism, and Trinity’s Family Counseling Center. Most of these services are delivered in the Joliet / Lockport area. Thane is also responsible for Trinity’s residential program located in Peoria, Illinois. Finally, Thane serves as Trinity’s Director of Research.
Thane graduated from Valparaiso University in 1987 and completed his doctorate in Clinical Psychology at the University of Nevada, Reno. Prior to coming to Trinity, he completed in pre-doctoral internship at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. He also served as an assistant project coordinator at the Brown Center for Alcohol and Addictions Studies.
Thane’s current professional interests include contextual-behavioral therapies such as Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Functional Analytic Psychotherapy (FAP), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). These approaches are frequently described as the “third wave” of cognitive therapies that have emerged after traditional cognitive-behavioral interventions. The contextual models tend to emphasize “mindfulness”, acceptance of private experience (thoughts and emotions), and the clarification and promotion of client values. Thane particularly enjoys applying these models in working with individuals who exhibit challenging behaviors. Trinity’s behavioral health program frequently and successfully provides supports to individuals who were discharged from other community providers as the result of behavioral issues.
Thane has numerous professional publications related to his field of study and he has also presented extensively at national conferences and invited trainings. He is active in the weekly didactic seminars that are offered to counselors and therapists that work within Trinity’s behavioral health program. Thane credits these staff for their tremendous dedication to helping the individuals served lead full and abundant lives. “I wish that I could list and individually credit so many staff members for their outstanding servant leadership. It is truly a blessing to be surrounded by gifted and caring colleagues.”
Within the state of Illinois, Thane has participated on steering committees and work groups for the Office of Mental Health, Office of Developmental Disabilities, and the Department of Children and Family Services. Most recently, Thane was appointed by the Governor to the state’s Quality Board which serves as the advisory committee for the Department of Human Services Office of the Inspector General.
Currently, Thane lives in Joliet, Illinois with his wife, Julie, daughter Kelsie (age 15), and son, Jarrod (age 10). Thane enjoys being in the outdoors camping, hiking, geocaching, fishing and playing disc golf. He is also an avid runner and has completed several marathons.