Meet Our Team - Danielle Gonzales
Danielle Gonzales, LMFTA
Position at the Hallowell Todaro ADHD Center:
Play Therapist
How long have you been working at the Hallowell Todaro ADHD Center?
Since November 2019
Where did you grow up?
Central Valley California
What are your favorite books / TV shows / movies?
As of now, I am mostly reading therapy and psychology-related books. Some of my favorites are “The Interpersonal Neurobiology of Play: Brain-Building Interventions for Emotional Well-Being,” and “The Self-Driven Child, and Attached.” As far as movies, I frequent the movie theater, recent favorites are “Knives Out” and “Little Women.”
Complete the following sentences:
When I’m not at work, you can find me....
spending time with my family, hiking, or doing something that gets my creative juices flowing.
When I want to de-stress, I...
get outdoors, do yoga, or take a nice walk with my loved ones.
My favorite time of year is...
Fall.
My favorite thing to cook is...
breakfast.
The best gift I ever received was...
a surprise trip to visit family.
If I could travel anywhere in the world, I’d go to...
Greece.
What led you to pursue a career helping others?
I had a positive experience with my High School counselor that served as the foundation for pursuing this career.
What education, skills, and expertise do you bring to your role?
I graduated from Antioch University Seattle with an MA in Marriage and Family Therapy. I completed a post-graduate certification in play therapy including Child-Centered Play Therapy, Child-Parent Relationship Therapy, and Sand Tray Therapy. I am also a Certified Positive Discipline Parent Educator. My BA is in Psychology. I specialize in treating children and parents. I am also passionate about working with adult women and couples.
Who/what inspires you?
What inspires me on a daily basis are my clients. My clients inspire me with who they are and what they work through in addition to their drive, authenticity, vulnerability, and process. It continues to inspire me in this work.
What’s your personal philosophy/approach toward the work you do?
My approach is highly relational and client-led.I am collaborative and build on the strengths held within. I believe that a safe and warm therapeutic relationship is key to the change process. I may propose strategies to build on the strengths you or your child already possess and share information to empower you. And because the quality of our relationship is so important to the process, I will ask for feedback about the therapy process. My clients and colleagues describe me as having a calm presence with a balance of playfulness and insightfulness. In my work, I consider the importance of past relationships and how they influence current areas of struggle because I believe that those relationships hold important insights into current challenges. I primarily work from a client-centered, attachment-based approach. In addition, I integrate other therapeutic approaches carefully and mindfully to best meet the treatment goals including play therapy, psychodynamic theory, experiential theory, family systems, interpersonal neurobiology, and cognitive behavioral therapy.
What is one small thing people can do to improve their lives and increase their happiness?
Give yourself some space to check-in on you every day, even if it is for 5 minutes. Try to notice where tension is held and release it, notice what you are in need of, and give yourself that space to breathe.
We provide coaching and therapy to help people manage a variety of cognitive and emotional conditions.