Daniel Lyons M.A.

Daniel Lyons, M.A., is a writer, storyteller, educator, ecopoet, and advocate of LGBTQ+ well-being and mental health. Daniel has spent his career working at the nexus of psychology and education. Daniel holds an M.A. degree in Urban Education, with an emphasis on policy and administration from Loyola Marymount University and is an alumni of Teach For America, an organization focused on educational equity. Daniel also holds an M.A. degree in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University, where he graduated from Aliento, Pepperdine's Center for Latina/o communities, committed to serving the unique needs of Southern California's Latin@/x community. Daniel spent nearly a decade working as a counselor, educator, and clinician in the PK-12 education system in bilingual Spanish-English contexts throughout California.

Daniel's academic life and research primarily focused on the intersection of language and identity. He also researched and studied educational equity, culturally responsive educational and psychological practices, as well as positive psychology, well-being, authenticity, and what it means to live the "good life." His work has been interdisciplinary, emphasizing the intersectionality of race, gender, ethnicity, language, and sexual orientation throughout all of his endeavors.

Daniel had the privilege of living and studying in Latin America throughout his higher education, where he conducted research with educators in Mexico and learned from Argentine psychologists and community members. Daniel is an ally of the Latinx community and has advocated for immigrant rights on the U.S.-Mexico border and within the public school system. Daniel finds his second language, Spanish, allows for freedom of expression the English language does not always provide and believes deeply in human beings' right to express themself in the language and with the words most comfortable to them.

In 2017, Daniel left his clinical career as a therapist to pursue professional writing full time. He felt limited by strictly academic writing and inpsired to write for a broader audience. His writing has focused on mental health stigma, treatment of personality disorders, the mind-body connection, healthy relationships and most recently, LGBTQ+ mental health and well-being. His work has appeared on HealthyPlace.com, Our Human Family, both in print and digital editions, amongst others. His creative nonfiction has appeared in Animal, a Beast of a Literary Magazine. Daniel is presently writing a collection of poetry about nature, sexuality, spirituality, and gender. Originally from the Pacific Northwest, Daniel is constantly inspired by the simple beauty that surrounds him, recharging and finding inspiration through nature, horses, dogs, and meditation.

An active member of the LGBTQ+ community in Los Angeles, Daniel identifies as a human being and tries not to get too hung up on gender pronouns to define who he is. Daniel is committed to creating change for his community through education, public speaking, writing, and fostering awareness about the needs and challenges facing LGBTQ+ and gender-nonconforming folks in 2020 and beyond.