Danielle McDonald

Danielle McDonald is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker practicing near Buffalo, New York, and she also holds certification as a school social worker. She earned a master of social work from the University at Buffalo in 2006 and has seventeen years of professional experience across inpatient and outpatient mental health settings as well as substance use treatment.

Throughout her career she has worked with children, teenagers, young adults and adults, addressing concerns such as anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, self-esteem challenges, career stress, substance use, and major life transitions. Her background across diverse treatment settings informs a flexible approach to different needs and age groups.

She values the therapeutic relationship as a central driver of change and emphasizes a collaborative, easy-going style. She builds rapport through empathy, attentive listening and appropriate humor, and clients describe her as a mindful listener who is compassionate and engaging.

Danielle primarily draws on cognitive behavioral therapy, client-centered methods and solution-focused techniques, adapting her approach to fit each person’s goals. Early sessions focus on understanding the issues that brought someone to therapy and establishing clear, achievable goals. She is willing to use the mode of communication that best suits each client and looks forward to supporting people as they take those initial steps toward change.