Toni Durnal Dunning is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who cares deeply for people. She believes that because people were created for relationship people carry deep within themselves the innate desire to be known, understood, accepted, and loved by another person who is safe, nurturing, encouraging, and supportive. In an ideal world, this can be experienced with our families, friends, and sometimes in the workplace. But we do not live in an ideal world. Instead, we rub shoulders with people who have been wounded, or have immature relationship skills, and sometimes with angry, scary, and dangerous people as well. Toni understands the importance of remaining “grounded in truth” when living in an unjust and unfair world. Toni meets each client in an atmosphere of unconditional positive regard and is skilled at tenderly creating safety and security with each client during the personal journey of discovery and building of relational skills.
Toni works effectively with individuals, couples, and families at all phases of life. Toni’s therapeutic approach is uniquely tailored for each client and typically involves family-systems, psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral, emotionally-focused, existential, play therapy, Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR) and/or other therapies as clinically appropriate. Toni considers each client’s history and needs and looks for opportunities to build a solid therapeutic relationship in an atmosphere of respect, empathy, and compassion. In collaboratively designing goals for treatment, Toni is attentive to attachment injuries, trauma, abuse, and complicated grief and their impact on relationships with self, others, and God. Toni is an interactive therapist who strives to be authentic and real in every context. Toni provides support and practical feedback that facilitates the insight and decision-making necessary for clients to effectively address personal life challenges.
Toni is an AAMFT Approved Supervisor and a CAMFT Certified Supervisor.
Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist (LMFT)
#MFC51248 (California)
#203141 (Texas)
#35001797A (Indiana)
Education
2019, DMFT (Doctor of Marital & Family Therapy), Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, CA 92350
2006, MA, Marriage & Family Therapy; Hope International University; Fullerton, CA
1983, BS, Business Management; David Lipscomb College (now Lipscomb University); Nashville, TN
Training
TRI EFT Alliant
EMDR Institute
Center for Play Therapy at University of North Texas – Denton
PREPARE-ENRICH Curriculum
Professional Memberships
Clinical Fellow, American Association for Marriage & Family Therapy
Clinical Member, California Association of Marriage & Family Therapists
American Association of Christian Counselors
EMDR International Association
Member, National Council on Family Relations
Delta Kappa, The International Marriage and Family Therapy Honor Society