Penny Kruger, LCSW-S

Penny completed her Masters in Social Work at Tulane University in New Orleans. Penny is intensively trained in both Dialectical Behavior Therapy and Radically Open Dialectical Behavior Therapy. In 2006, she founded the first adult DBT Intensive Outpatient Program in Austin, Texas at Ascension Seton Behavioral Health. In 2016, She co-founded Austin DBT Associates where she helped to train clinicians to provide adherent D In addition, Penny is an affiliate faculty member in the Department of Psychiatry at The University of Texas Dell Medical School where she teaches the psychiatric residents and social workers about DBT. She is passionate about training agencies across Texas to provide more effective DBT and RO-DBT therapy.

Structured therapy for observable change.

We can all struggle with managing the intensity of our emotions. However, difficulties with pervasive emotional dysregulation can greatly impact our quality of life…..

  • Do the intensity of your emotions often feel like they are going to overwhelm you or the people around you?

  • Despite your desire for closeness, do you continue to experience intense conflict in your relationships?

  • Do your impulsive behaviors or avoidance behaviors continue to cause you a lot of shame and remorse?

  • If you answered 'yes' to any of the above questions, I am the therapist who is committed to the relentless pursuit of helping you create behavioral change.

My style of therapy is transparent, collaborative and directive when needed. I have been practicing for 30 years treating men and women who were struggling with impulsive behavior patterns. My experience has included many specialty issues, including anger management, self injury, substance abuse, disordered eating, and personality disorders.

The work I have done in these areas has shaped me in many ways. My practice has become much more "skill based" over the years. I have learned that most of my clients want me to take an active role in their treatment. I teach the skills that we ALL need to manage the delicate balance of acceptance and change in our lives. People already possess many resilient qualities, and these skills are meant to build on the strengths that we already possess. We can not change our biological temperaments, but we can certainly learn skills that will help us to feel like a "better fit" with our lives.