Lori Daniels

Lori Daniels, Ph.D., LCSW is a Professor of Social Work at Hawaiʻi Pacific University within the College of Liberal Arts and School of Social Work. With over 20 years of clinical experience treating traumatic stress in veterans, she has held leadership roles at the Honolulu VAM&ROC and Portland Vet Center, specializing in PTSD, sexual assault survivor counseling, and creative interventions.

• Education: MSW (University of Chicago, 1987), Ph.D. in Social Welfare (University of Hawaiʻi – Mānoa, 2002)

Her research focuses on trauma recovery through life review, reminiscence therapy, and psychodrama techniques, particularly in aging veterans and sexual assault survivors. Publications examine PTSD in Vietnam veterans, geriatric mental health, and nontraditional therapeutic methods.

Scientific contributions include:

• Pioneering work on trauma-induced addictions (1994)
• Developing dreamwork therapies for traumatic nightmares (1998)
• Advancements in life review interventions for aging veterans (2015-2018)
• Recent systematic review on Pacific Islander civilian PTSD (2025)

Recognized as a VA/Hartford Geriatric Social Work Scholar, Dr. Daniels has consulted with the National Center for PTSD, co-chaired Honolulu's PTSD community conference, and contributed book chapters to The Handbook of Post-Traumatic Therapy (2002) and Healing War Trauma (2013). She also maintains a world-class competitive record in flying disc sports, holding multiple international titles (2003-2016).