our staff
Dr.
RENÉ MOONEY
Dr. Mooney is the Owner/CEO of Storybook Wellness. She graduated with her BA from the University of MN in 1999. She worked as a research assistant in the U of MN Psychology labs and as a Primary Care Counselor for the Wilder Foundation (children) and Guild Incorporated (adults) until she started Graduate School at the MN School of Professional Psychology (Argosy University) in 2002. Dr. Mooney obtained her Master’s in Clinical Psychology in 2004 and her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology with a Major in Child and Family therapy in 2006. Dr. Mooney completed her Assessment Practicum with Children and Adolescent Behavioral Health Services MN at Wilmar Regional Hospital in 2004. She completed her Therapy Practicum, Clinical Internship and Post-Doctoral Fellowship at Washburn Center for Children in Minneapolis and obtained her Licensure as a Clinical Psychologist in MN in 2007. Dr. Mooney has remained a Licensed Psychologist in good standing since that time. A significant part of Dr. Mooney’s training included Supervision and Consultation. Training graduate students, educating others, and all-types of consultation are passions of hers. Dr. Mooney is a registered Play Therapist-Supervisor with The Association for Play Therapy. Additionally, Dr. Mooney obtained her full license as a Psychologist in North Dakota in June 2020. Dr. Mooney sees patients of all ages and presenting concerns and tends to be more experiential in her approaches to therapy. Overall, Dr. Mooney takes a trauma-informed, eclectic approach to treatment with strong roots in Attachment, Developmental, Interpersonal Neurobiology, Person-Centered, Brain and Mindfulness-Based conceptualizations. Dr. Mooney has been trained in EMDR, TF-CBT, and ACT, as well as many other therapeutic modalities, all of which she draws from when working with people. In October of 2019, Dr. Mooney completed her 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training, with Talia Sutra and Julia Planine-Troiani in the mountains of Chamonix, France. Dr. Mooney completed her Trauma Informed Child/Adolescent Teacher Training with YogaEd in August of 2020 and is currently working towards completing her hours to become a Registered Child(ADOLESCENT) Yoga Teacher —RCYT with Yoga Alliance. Yoga has been found to be a very effective partner for psychotherapy and she also uses those teachings as part of her therapeutic interventions. Dr. Mooney believes strongly in the significance of the mind-body link and the importance of movement and connection to our breath, ourselves, and others. Research supports mind-body interventions as part of mental health treatment and Dr. Mooney continues to learn and apply brain-based interventions in every aspect of her work. Dr. Mooney also teaches Yoga Classes at Storybook Wellness Center, Sanford Wellness Center, and in the community.
Dr. Mooney took her training to be a MN Rule 114 Qualified Neutral, Family Mediator and Alternative Dispute Resolution provider in June 2020. She feels these services are so important for children and families and looks forward to Serving the community in these ways.
Dr. Mooney is originally from the Twin Cities area. She has lived in Thief River Falls for 11 years. Dr. Mooney is married to her husband Paul and has four children. Dr. Mooney is an active member of the community and has many hobbies! She enjoys running, Zumba, beekeeping, hanging with her 20+ animals, gardening, singing, dancing, yoga, acting, watching her children sing/act/and play, spending time with friends and family, traveling, and so many more things. She is never bored and wouldn’t have it any other way!