Meet Danell teNyenhuis Black | Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Danell teNyenhuis Black and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Danell, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
Work-life balance has always been important to me. Since becoming a counselor, I have understood the impact it can have if work overtakes one’s life. Every day, I listen to other people’s trauma, and I have to be able to set that aside at the end of the day. When I started my private practice I did telehealth exclusively. Now I rent office space so there is a clear separation between work and home. I still have the flexibility to work from home, which can help with work-life balance, but it is easier to transition when I am in a separate location. I use my drive home to connect with family members or listen to music or podcasts to destress.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I am a licensed professional clinical counselor in private practice. I completed my training during the pandemic, so I became very proficient in telehealth. My practice combines telehealth and in-person sessions. I rent office space Monday through Thursday and see a handful of clients in person.

I went into counseling after experiencing grief and trauma, and those are the areas I prefer to focus on. I am a certified Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) therapist. This is an evidence-based treatment for PTSD and other trauma. I have had remarkable success with this method, and I am grateful when I can help other people process their trauma.

As a counselor, I have learned that it is important to maintain my fitness for counseling. I do this by attending therapy weekly with my own therapist. We spend a lot of time talking about the practice of counseling, and I feel this makes me a better counselor.

I have learned that it is important that clients find a counselor they are comfortable with. Therapy works because of the connection between the counselor and the client. If someone does not feel comfortable opening up to me, they will not be able to make progress. I always explain this to my clients at the first session and leave my ego at the door. I am happy when someone is comfortable enough to tell me they will seek another counselor since this means I did a good job conveying the importance of selecting the right counselor.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I live four hours from Los Angeles, so I am not there often. The last time I stayed in downtown LA, I stayed at the Intercontinental, which had a great view of the city and a very good restaurant. In the past I have enjoyed going to Westwood, the Getty museum, Hollywood, and Universal Studios. I usually go a little further south to Disneyland at least once a year.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Prior to losing my own husband, I read a book, Radical Survivor, by Nancy Saltzman. Nancy lost her husband and two sons in a plane crash in September 1995. I reread the book after Patrick died, and I thought about Nancy frequently, and I would tell myself, “Nancy survived losing her whole family, so I can survive too.” She was my hero. Eventually, I reached out to her and connected on Facebook. I will finally meet her in person this summer when I attend an event for widows, Camp Widow, in San Diego. I am excited to tell her again how much it meant to me that she shared her story.

Website: https://danellblack.com/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danell-black-4518a045/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063601147594

Other: https://medium.com/@danellt9black

Image Credits

Photo 1: Danell and her late husband Patrick
Photo 2: Sierra, Patrick & Camille teNyenhuis
Photo 3: Camille, Danell & Sierra or Danell and her daughters