Chelsa Daniels, MSW Associate Intern

Chelsa Daniels is a Master of Social Work intern who was born in Mobile, Alabama, and raised in Austin, Texas. As a Black woman, her lived experience informs her commitment to advocating for Black women and women of color, particularly those navigating chronic stress, emotional burnout, and systems that demand resilience without providing adequate support. At the core of Chelsa’s work is a deep belief in the healing power of community and the importance of creating spaces where people can feel supported, connected, and seen.

Chelsa’s path to social work has been unconventional. She earned her undergraduate degree in biomedical science with plans to attend veterinary school. After graduating during the COVID-19 pandemic and navigating her own mental health journey, she discovered a desire to help others move through healing in a healthy and compassionate way.

She is currently in the final semesters of her MSW program and is eager to continue developing her clinical skills. Chelsa’s long-term goal is to become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. She is especially interested in integrating ecotherapy, green social work, and somatic approaches into therapeutic work. As a certified yoga teacher, she is passionate about incorporating movement, nervous system regulation, and body-based practices into trauma-informed care.

Chelsa is drawn to working with women and women of color who experience anxiety, emotional burnout, chronic stress, and nervous system overwhelm. Her areas of interest include supporting clients with shame, self-criticism, people-pleasing, identity exploration, interpersonal challenges, and emotional exhaustion related to caregiving, work, or over-functioning. She strives to create a therapeutic space where clients can slow down, listen to their bodies, and reconnect with their inner wisdom.

In her work, Chelsa aims to help clients build tools for emotional and nervous system regulation, develop self-compassion and healthier boundaries, and feel more connected to themselves and their needs. She values fostering a healthy, supportive community, believing that healing is strengthened when people feel they do not have to navigate it alone.

Her professional experience includes working as a mental health technician at an all-women’s addiction and mental health recovery center and her current role as a care manager for older adults in Austin, Texas. These roles have strengthened her advocacy skills, deepened her understanding of systemic barriers, and affirmed her commitment to pursuing clinical licensure.

Outside of her professional work, Chelsa is involved in a community garden and enjoys yoga and dancing, practices that ground her and continue to shape her holistic, community-centered approach to healing.