Whitney McDaniel is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor (LPCS) with almost fifteen years of experience working with individuals and families in all stages of life. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from Jacksonville State University in Family and Consumer Science in 2008 and began her career working as a family and consumer science teacher. She returned to Jacksonville State and earned her Master of Science in Community/Agency Mental Health in 2011.
Whitney spent the first decade of her career working mostly in substance use and trauma treatment with adults. She worked in residential and partial hospitalization programs and went on to work in outpatient private practice. In the outpatient setting, she has worked with a variety of issues, including addiction, trauma, adult ADHD, chronic pain/illness, emotional/binge eating, depression, anxiety, adjustment issues, life changes and transitions, and spiritual/religious trauma.
In the last two years, Whitney has shifted the focus of her practice to young children and families. She received a post-master’s certificate from Troy University in Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health, became a Certified Synergetic Play Therapist (one of only four in Alabama!), and completed training in Child-Parent Psychotherapy and Perinatal Mental Health.
She is passionate about helping young children and their caregivers and families end generational cycles of substance use, trauma, abuse, and mental illness. She believes mental health is generational wealth, and she seeks to equip families with the knowledge and skills to stop those unhealthy patterns.
Whitney is open about her own mental health, recovery, and parenting journey, and she uses a relaxed, person-centered approach in working with clients. You will often see her sitting on the floor with her shoes kicked off, two or three different drinks and a snack nearby, and wearing comfy clothes. She values authenticity and loves to see clients grow and become more confident in who they are.
