The Oak Center for DBT & Counseling Services

10/05/2025

We’re thrilled to participate in MidMo’s 25th PrideFest this weekend! We had a great time yesterday seeing new and familiar faces, and we hope to see more of you from 12 to 6pm today! Our booth is located at the corner of Park Ave and St. James St.

You can visit MidMo PrideFest’s page for more information https://www.facebook.com/share/14KGtu7aJfq/?mibextid=wwXIfr

08/28/2025

The Oak Center has rapidly grown over the summer, and we want to take the next few weeks to introduce you to our newest therapists! First, we want you to meet Lily Kohler who recently graduated with their MSW from the University of Missouri in May! Lily is a passionate DBT provider who brings a wealth of knowledge and lived experience in their work with teens and young adults who are neurodivergent and LGBTQIA+.

As a provisionally-licensed therapist, Lily is currently able to accept Blue Cross Blue Shield and self-pay clients, and they are in the process of getting credentialed with all Missouri Medicaid plans. They have immediate openings!

To learn more about Lily and apply for services with them at The Oak Center, please visit

Lily Kohler, MSW, LMSWHello! My name is Lily Kohler (they/them/theirs), and I’m so glad you’re here! I am a provisionally licensed therapist here at The Oak Center. When here I provide individual therapy and help co-facilitiate groups. We all have our own journeys and for some of us those journe...

08/22/2025

We are so excited to be offering Your Parent Compass (YPC): a DBT-informed parenting class available virtually and in-person. YPC was designed to help parents with children (ages 10-30) struggling with behavioral and emotional challenges and is open to anyone in the community!

For more information, please visit our website at https://theoakcenter.com/groups/p/4l0thp4558n2umejtt9cv49kvhwcpd

06/07/2025

We had a fantastic time presenting at Coyote Hill’s Foster the Call conference this weekend! Geared towards those who interact personally or professionally with children in foster care, Clare and Nancy taught on the art of validation in their workshop Seen, Heard, Valued: Building Trust through Validation. We love sharing tools to help people connect with vulnerable children - especially with people so eager to learn!

05/28/2025

The Oak Center is growing! To make space for several new therapists joining our team over the next few months, we've been making some physical changes to The Oak Center. Enjoy these behind the scenes "sneak peeks" of how we turned a conference room into two additional offices!

03/29/2025

Introducing the two newest faces of The Oak Center: Peewee (left) and Potato (right)! Though the concept of "therapy rats" seems unique to The Oak Center (specifically our therapist Brighton Sanchez), we have been amazed by how pet rats increase comfort and engagement for the teens that Brighton works with. Though we've only had Peewee and Potato for a few weeks, we've already enjoyed getting to know their little personalities.

02/02/2025

Since 2021, The Oak Center has worked to make Dialectical Behavior Therapy more accessible for folks in mid-Missouri. We are excited to reopen our application for services thanks to multiple new team members joining our mission over the last few months! To learn more about our availability and the cost of starting services, please visit

If you are ready to take the next step and would like to begin services at The Oak Center, you may submit a referral for yourself or someone else by completing the referral form on this page. All potential clients will receive a free telephone screening interview after December 7th. After January 4t

12/21/2024

It's been a while since we have shared our art showcase! We love our winter display and the way each piece was crafted so mindfully. Per the artist, "Turn your mind's eye inward; what colors do you see? Here are but a few that I've discovered."

11/27/2024

This Thanksgiving season, we are sharing our gratitude for our newest team member, Jamie Yates, LPC! Jamie joined The Oak Center at the beginning of November and quickly demonstrated her commitment to our mission and the people we serve. She is a joy to work alongside, and the way she seamlessly stepped into her role here makes it hard to believe she has only been with us for a month! To learn more about Jamie, visit her page on our website:

Jamie Yates, MA, LPCMy name is Jamie Yates, and I have 5+ years experience as a therapist.  I have been fortunate enough to train in Michigan at the DBT Institute before returning to Missouri.  I have experience working with adults, adolescents, children, and couples in the areas of depression, an...

10/28/2024

What a beautiful day to participate in Columbia's 10th annual Out of the Darkness Walk to ***de. We even found ourselves underneath a beautiful oak tree, and we took it as an opportunity to reflect on all of our clients - past, present, and future - who embody the resilience of an oak tree. And if you ever don't feel like a mighty oak, remember that Marsha Linehan once said, "The acorn is the tree."

10/18/2024

The Oak Center is honored to be participating in Columbia's Out of the Darkness Walk later this month to raise awareness and increase prevention for su***de. Our mission has always been to instill hope, reduce emotional suffering, and decrease psychiatric hospitalizations and deaths by su***de. We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with others passionate about spreading awareness and saving lives. This year, we are walking in support and hope for our clients, their families, and people in our community who we've lost by su***de. We hope that you consider coming out on October 27th and joining us!

You can use the link below to learn more about this event and other ways to support this meaningful cause.

Please support the American Foundation for Su***de Prevention to help save lives and bring hope to those affected by su***de. Donate or register to walk!

10/04/2024

Hi there! My name is Mac Dallenbach and as of this week I am a provisionally licensed therapist at TOC providing individual psychotherapy to youth (8 to 18 years). Presently, I am offering general outpatient therapy, in which I operate through a DBT-informed lens. I have immediate availability for services for self-pay clients! Please feel free to visit https://theoakcenter.com/mac-dallenbach to learn more about my approach and services I offer. If you believe your child and I would be a good therapeutic fit, please contact me at mac@theoakcenter.com.

I anticipate offering comprehensive DBT services in 2025 and am currently in the process of getting credentialed with Medicaid.