Dani Thao is a Counseling Psychology and Family Systems Consultant with Minnesota Family Law Reform. She holds a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology and brings a professional background in trauma-informed care, substance and chemical dependency, and clinical work with individuals, couples, and families. Her experience includes working with clients navigating trauma, relational distress, family conflict, emotional regulation, substance use concerns, life transitions, and complex interpersonal dynamics. Her work is informed by family systems, attachment, and trauma-informed perspectives, with particular attention to how individual experiences and broader relational patterns influence the well-being of children and families.

Dani brings a clinical and systems-informed perspective to MNFLR’s educational and program development efforts. Her work emphasizes evidence-supported content, trauma-informed practices, clear implementation standards, and educational approaches that can be applied consistently across professional and community settings. Beyond her work in counseling psychology, Dani is deeply involved in community leadership and mental health advocacy. She serves as President of Asian Corporate & Entrepreneur Leaders- Minneapolis-St. Paul (ACEL-MSP) and serves as a Board Member of Project Tshav Ntuj (PTN), a grassroots Hmong mental health initiative founded in response to suicide within the Hmong community.

Through her mental health work, Dani has contributed to broader conversations about the cultural and linguistic barriers Hmong families may encounter when accessing or discussing mental health care. Her work across counseling psychology, community leadership, and advocacy reflects a commitment to making mental health knowledge more culturally accessible while strengthening families and communities.

Dani’s work with Minnesota Family Law Reform is grounded in the belief that meaningful family court reform requires more than policy change. Families and the professionals serving them also need practical, evidence-informed tools for understanding trauma, relationships, child development, and family systems. She is committed to bridging psychological knowledge with real-world education and systemic reform in ways that prioritize the long-term well-being of children and families.