About Process of Change
Hi, and welcome! I’m Dr. Medina Daniels, a trained behavioral scientist and licensed psychologist based in Los Angeles, California.
I created this psychology center and practice to offer evidence-based, culturally responsive therapy and self-help educational tools that honor the whole person—mind, body, identity, and context. Throughout our clinical services and products, the mission is to make therapy and therapeutic knowledge accessible, authentic, fun, and effective for a wide diversity of folks. ​We are a match for you if you long to feel more alive, are invested in self inquiry, and are willing to make some changes to improve your well-being and quality of life. Because investing in a "process of change" is truly the only alternative to remaining stuck and entrenched in anxiety, internal thoughts, or external expectations.
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In a nutshell, our clinical services and educational products are designed to help people reconnect with their values and create meaningful lives—even in the midst of anxiety, stress, mood instability, addiction, and life transitions.
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Process of Change's Core Commitments:
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Evidence-based care that integrates mind-body wisdom
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Cultural humility and anti-oppressive practices
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Authentic connection over clinical detachment
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Practical tools you can actually use in real life
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Courage over comfort—growth happens at the edge
Core Values
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HUMAN CONNECTION
Therapy works best when it's built on authenticity, depth, and dedication—balanced by reciprocity, clear boundaries, and mutual respect. Change happens in the context of safe connection between therapist and client.
SELF-EXPRESSION
I bring creativity, vibrancy, humor, and warmth into my work, while maintaining scientific integrity and clinical precision. Therapy doesn't have to be sterile to be effective—it can be both rigorous and alive.
COURAGE
Growth requires taking fear along for the ride. I encourage clients to "make good trouble," start from where they are now, and embrace the ambiguity and uncertainty that naturally unfolds in your process of change.​
About Dr. Johnna Medina Daniels
“For what it’s worth: it’s never too late to be whoever you want to be. I hope you live a life you’re proud of, and if you find that you’re not, I hope you have the strength to start over.” — F. Scott Fitzgerald.
Bio and Professional Journey
I identify as a BIPOC clinical psychologist and 4th-generation Mexican American. I see myself as both scientist and artist—someone who values precision and creativity, evidence and intuition, structure and spontaneity. My journey began at Stanford University, where I double-majored in Psychology (health and development) and Art Practice (oil painting)—a combination that continues to inform how I practice: rigorous yet relational, evidence-based yet deeply human.
My path into clinical psychology began with two years of research at the VA Menlo Park, studying PTSD and substance use in veterans. This experience clarified my commitment to being proficient in both research and clinical practice. I earned my M.A. from SMU and my Ph.D. from UT Austin in 2017, where my dissertation focused on exercise and yoga-based interventions for anxiety and addictive behaviors—work that remains central to my clinical approach today.
In my research, I've co-authored over 15 peer-reviewed publications and book chapters. You can review my NIH bibliography here and see an overview of my academic background and clinical proficiencies here.
After graduate school, I completed a biobehavioral research training fellowship at Stanford Medicine's Department of Psychiatry, deepening my expertise in mind-body interventions (including self-hypnosis) and the pathophysiological mechanisms of stress and medical illness (such as dysregulated cortisol rhythms). During this time, I refined my clinical skills in addiction medicine, dual-diagnosis treatment, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). I joined the clinical faculty of Stanford's Addiction Medicine/Dual-Diagnosis Clinic in 2019 while simultaneously launching a small private practice in San Francisco's Sunset District.
In 2020, amid the pandemic and significant personal transitions, I gained clarity about what mattered most. I made the decision to leave academic medicine, return to Los Angeles to reconnect with my roots, and focus on building the practice I had been envisioning. That pivotal choice led me to create the Process of Change—a practice grounded in authenticity, evidence-based care, and the courage to refresh the therapeutic space with some fun and creativity.
Outside of my clinical work, I enjoy life in Los Angeles with my family—my husband, our 1-year-old son, and our two senior dogs. I continue my own practice of yoga, which remains both a personal anchor and a clinical passion that informs my mind-body approach to therapy.
My Approach and Who I Work Best With
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I specialize in working with adults navigating anxiety, substance use concerns, chronic stress, and major life transitions—particularly supporting BIPOC individuals, those in recovery, and clients seeking lively and engaging behavior therapy. My therapeutic approach integrates evidence-based mind-body practices with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), emphasizing psychological flexibility, values-aligned living, and the mind-body connection.
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ACT builds your ability to stay present with difficult thoughts and feelings while taking action toward what truly matters to you, rather than getting stuck in avoidance or struggle. Mind-body approaches like yoga, exercise-based therapy, breathwork, and self-hypnosis recognize that our bodies hold stress, trauma, and emotion—these practices help you regulate your nervous system, reduce physiological arousal, and reconnect with your body's wisdom.
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My style is direct, warm, collaborative, and actively engaged in session. I value a strong, dynamic partnership between client and therapist and do my best work with clients who are simultaneously initiative-taking and receptive to clinical guidance. I believe there is no one-size-fits-all approach to therapy—I assess and treat every person as an individual, recognizing the unique version of your background, symptoms, and values.
I take a goal-driven, time-sensitive approach because, although each person requires a different pace, the ultimate aim of therapy is to help you become your own therapist, capable of giving yourself the tools and care you need.
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I am the best fit for clients who are invested in their growth, curious about their emotions, and ready and willing to make changes in areas of their lives that aren't working. I have a particular interest in serving populations that traditional mental health spaces have not adequately supported—particularly BIPOC or ethnically diverse individuals, neurodivergent folks, and high-achieving professionals in tech, healthcare, creative industries, and the arts who may have felt unseen, misunderstood, or underserved previously. I identify as a cis-hetero woman (pronouns she/her) but consider myself an LQBTQ+ ally and continually engage in consultation and training experiences so that I am checking my blind spots and maintaining clinical competency caring for queer and gender minority clients.
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Please note: I work with adults 18+ and am not currently accepting clients requiring intensive eating disorder treatment, acute psychosis management, or those under 18. I'm happy to provide referrals for specialized care when needed.
Los Angeles, CA