Tonya McDaniel, PhD, MEd, MSW, LCSW (Therapist & Director of Professional Development)
Tonya McDaniel, PhD, MEd, MSW, LCSWTherapist & Director of Professional Development(she/her/hers)
After nearly 30 years in the field, Tonya McDaniel has learned that effective therapy isn’t about using one perfect approach—it’s about knowing which tools to use, when to use them, and how to adapt as people grow and change. She is a licensed clinical social worker who works at the intersection of psychology, sexuality, relationships, and identity, bringing a deeply relational, strengths-based philosophy to her work. At the core of her approach is the belief that most people are doing the best they can with the tools they have—and that growth becomes possible when we expand those tools with compassion, clarity, and support.
As a therapist, Tonya’s goal is to create a space where clients feel both affirmed and gently challenged: a place to recognize what is already working, name what feels stuck, and build the skills needed to move through conflict and transition with greater confidence. Her approach is integrative and flexible, drawing from strengths-based, cognitive-behavioral, narrative, psychodynamic, neurobiology, and systemic therapies. She adapts her role to meet the moment—sometimes as an educator or advocate, sometimes as a steady listener, mediator, or champion for change.
In addition to her clinical work, Tonya is widely sought out as a speaker, trainer, and media expert. Her passion for translating complex psychological concepts into accessible, compassionate language has led her to present at hospitals, national conferences, and professional trainings; serve on interdisciplinary teams; develop sexuality and mental health curricula; train clinicians on sensitive clinical topics; and advise organizations on sexual relationship policies.
Tonya completed her PhD in 2025, further strengthening her role as a clinician-scholar who bridges research, practice, and public education. She holds a Master of Social Work and a Master of Education in Human Sexuality from Widener University, and spent a year studying psychology at the Université du Mirail in Toulouse, Franc
BOOK PUBLISHED
NPI: 1114442357
Licensure:
- Pennsylvania: SW134184
- Virginia: VA: 0904015874
- New Jersey: NJ: 35S100554000
