Meet Dr. Danielle Delaney

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Dr. Danielle Delaney a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Dr. Danielle, appreciate you sitting with us today. Maybe we can start with a topic that we care deeply about because it’s something we’ve found really sets folks apart and can make all the difference in whether someone reaches their goals. Self discipline seems to have an outsized impact on how someone’s life plays out and so we’d love to hear about how you developed yours?

Excellent question.

Not much is possible without self-discipline. I’m a big believer that our habits decide our futures. What we do on the daily about the things over which DO we have control actually creates our day to day existence – and if you want to be successful in your life, work endeavors, and personal relationships, consistency is key. Knowing this truth deep down inside is where my self-discipline comes from. If you can do something NOW, do it right now. Tomorrow there will be new challenges that pop up, new surprises to deal with, new responsibilities, and more work. I had to rebuild my own life after extreme random & violent trauma as a crime survivor, and I wrote my book about that – its a how-to guide for reclaiming your life (“Expect Delays: How to Reclaim Your Life, Light & Soul After Trauma”) and taking control. Nobody is coming to save you – discipline in your use of your own time and energy is so imperative. I learned that out of necessity. It came as a by-product of the rebuilding of my own life – spiritually, physically, financially, and mentally.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I was humbled to learn that I am the youngest – and the ONLY Black owner – of a Sober Companioning and Wellness Concierge business in the United States of America. I’ve also been honored to have been named as an asset to the City and County of Los Angeles by the Office of Protocol. That is something that is special about my business and my program and sets it apart, along with it being uniquely niche as a business in the healthcare and wellness space.

Very fortunately, my company DDC INC (Danielle Delaney Counseling, Inc.) has been extremely successful for almost two decades now, as has my private counseling practice. Under that umbrella, I have just relaunched Plan D™️ Wellness and Recovery. It was actually launched during the pandemic, and the Sober Companions and Wellness Concierges working through me were dispatched to other states to help clients and implement our program while I was at work doing things such as being a National Spokesperson for SoberLink in an ad (pictured) with superstar attorney Laura Wasser, and appearing in her MasterClass about Divorce Trauma, and we also conducted a 100+ person webinar together for those stuck at home with a hostile partner they were divorcing during the time of the pandemic. I was very tied up with these endeavors as well as having more therapy sessions than normal at that time, so it just feels right to do a fresh relaunch for Plan D™️. This is a group of highly skilled, trained and dedicated professionals who focus our work on helping others to face, heal and recover from traumatic pasts, substance use disorder, and other mental health and behavioral issues. Our goal is to lead clients to experience the empowerment of a healthy and recovery-integrated life. An extremely customized approach and plan is created for each client, with their individuality in mind. Many of our clients have been to multiple treatment facilities where key elements may have been skipped or overlooked, and where that “plan” just didn’t work. Neither have their own solo efforts that followed. Thus, I created Plan D™️. This is a bespoke, curated concierge wellness and recovery experience for the A-list. I say that, because many of my clients have come from the entertainment & celebrity world, as I am based in Hollywood, CA – and they have a unique set of challenges, in that they are unable to be anonymous anywhere, and they need privacy and need individual attention. I own another business (Delangerous Productions.com) where I do consulting on television and film sets, such as for an actor on Dexter for HBO, and for other series – and learning how hard it was for some people in the public eye to get treatment for issues plaguing them has been an education in itself. The result has been expanding my practice to include Plan D™️. It is completely tailored to and personalized for each client’s situation and circumstance. Plus, we can work with you anywhere on the planet. We help to create long-term results. More information about my exclusive Plan D™️ Wellness and Recovery program is available upon request, and more information can be found at DanielleDelaneyCounseling.com.

I sit on the Board of The Minority Health Institute, which was founded 35 years ago as a nonprofit dedicated to the elimination of healthcare disparities. There is a lack of adequate care for minority populations, and the MHI summits bring together the most distinguished scholars, academicians, and clinicians to provide their expertise on a wide range of subjects impacting the Black community and other minority communities. I’m honored to have a part in it. Through that association, as well, I have had a front row seat in observing how there are many celebrities of color who haven’t felt as comfortable speaking to others in the recovery healthcare space about their personal issues as they have said that they feel with me. That is extremely important. I’m so pleased that being one of only a few mental healthcare program owners of color in this recovery space makes a difference for those culturally similar to me. I can assist absolutely anyone – but, knowing that I’m helping to bridge a gap and a hole in the industry is very meaningful to me. Over two decades, I have worked with people of all types, from people living in shelters to highly resourced individuals – and, having helped some of those internationally well-known clients who also intersect with my own community is a definite source of pride. Everyone needs care that feels safe and comfortable to them. The things that make me different in this space have turned out to be an absolute asset for my clientele.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

While my formal education and doctorates in Spirituality, Counseling Psychology, & Crisis Intervention and working in the areas of sex crimes, trauma, and addiction have been impactful in my journey, my answer for you is life experience. My own personal experience in surviving crime and trauma – and the fact that I’m not shy about sharing what worked for my own healing & recovery – is the most impactful quality. My advice for those new in their journey working in the mental healthcare and healing space is to really pay attention to the feedback you are getting on where you seem to be the most helpful, and lean into that. Look at where you seem to make the most difference for others, and do more of that. There is always room for improvement and higher learning for all of us – it can take a while to learn what area of the work you really enjoy, and where you excel. That’s okay, take your time…when you feel you are making strides and helping people, that is your sweet spot. Go in that direction.

Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?

Another excellent question you’ve asked for a mental healthcare practitioner and business owner!

I’m a busy person, and I don’t often feel overwhelmed – because, as we discussed at the beginning of this interview, self-discipline comes into play. I’m very good at saying “No” to any extra expectations when my schedule is too full, no matter who is asking or inviting. Time is non-refundable, and my energy is finite, I am only human! I know that feeling when things are starting to be “too much” and when everything feels like a burden or a rush…rushing is my pet peeve. So, my advice and strategy is to do an overview of each month at the beginning, and see where I can carve out time to regroup and to have time just for myself. For me, that is very important. When in a career that deals with everyone else’s problems as well as life and death situations (more than a few times, I have had to intervene in situations that have interrupted someone’s suicide attempt), one must take time for oneself. It is self-preservation. I force myself to take a tropical vacation once a year, and I find evenings or days in my schedule that are strictly for decompressing. I think its also a good idea to be ruthless as far as deciding what social activities, plans or people take too much out of you, and say No to those offers. Those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind – people who personally care about YOU don’t continually add to your stress levels! I have zero patience for drama and unnecessary stress, so that’s a good way to navigate it.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Photo by Travis Tanner Photography
Hair: Valerie Hinton
MakeUp & Hair Artist: Heather Borah
Billboard photo by Jon Abeyta
Image from SoberLink shoot by OnTV Casting

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