About Dani

Hi! I’m Dani. I outline much of my life story throughout my writings, but I’ll start with a bit about myself here. I’m 27, a clinical social worker, and I moved to Israel from Seattle about 2 years ago — alone, in the middle of a war. But that doesn’t really say all that much about me, does it?

My Story

I struggled with identity for much of my life, as many of us do. I came into this world energetic, goofy, creative, sensitive, stubborn — traits I deeply valued about myself for a while… until I didn’t. They weren’t always traits that got praise in school, and I wasn’t always the easiest kid. For years I tried to make myself into someone I simply wasn’t — to fit in, receive validation, please others. I spent 12 years taking ADHD medication, shapeshifting, feeling like I had a split and fragmented identity.

I studied accounting and finance in college, worked for a few years, and over time my body and mind started screaming at me — years of suppression, buried emotions, and people-pleasing finally catching up through anxiety and panic attacks.

These struggles showed up in all areas of my life, especially my relationships. After experiencing an abusive relationship, I was brought to an ultimate breaking point. I suffered from depression and experienced hypomania for the first time. I was forced to confront my fragmented self. And while it looked like a “breakdown,” I believe breaking points can give us the greatest opportunities for growth. Mine became a window into my greatest awakening.

Coming Back to Myself

I quit my job. I stopped medication. I came back to the parts of myself I had long suppressed — writing again, making art again, doing sports I actually cared about again.

It was somehow the greatest gift. I finally saw that who I really was, my natural way of being, wasn’t something to rid myself of — it was actually my greatest strength.

Therapy became a big part of my process. Sitting with someone who helped me reconnect with parts of myself I had buried for years, finally talking about my past, being truly seen and accepted — it changed everything. It’s a huge part of why I want to help others do the same.

I moved to Israel alone, in the middle of a war, without the language or a built-in community. I became a citizen of a country full of people and values I admire. I went back to school for social work — a career that truly fulfills and excites me — and I’ve been learning Hebrew and pushing myself outside my comfort zone every single day ever since.

Along the way I’ve kept writing, making art, and training — CrossFit and now jiu jitsu. I entered a competition I doubted I’d even reach, and finished in the top 10. I’ve met people here who genuinely see, support, and encourage me for who I am — not who I was trying to be.

I also met my fiancé Tal, my best friend, the one who lets me become the best version of myself.

Most importantly, I feel more me than I ever have: more aligned, more whole, more at peace.

The Empathetic Creature

The Empathetic Creature grew out of all of this — my desire to share my experiences, my story, my thoughts on life, mental health, spirituality, identity, and everything in between.

For much of my life I held everything in. I hid, even and especially in my darkest moments. What I’ve realized is the most important thing is to let yourself be seen. To let yourself be raw and vulnerable and human. To eventually have the courage to share what is on your heart, with yourself first, and then with the world.

So now I’m sharing my work in the name of exactly that — my writing, my art, my voice. I spoke up about what matters to me, even and especially when it was difficult and not everyone understood. I hope by sharing what is on my heart, my struggles, my pain, my inner world, and my insights, that others will be able to find parts of themselves within it. We are all human beings; there is no point in trying to pretend we are something that we aren’t. I have walked through the darkness and made my way back, and my hope is that by sharing my journey, the insights I have gathered through it all—and continue to gather—will help you in yours.

One day, my hope is to turn all of these bits and pieces into a book on identity, life lessons, and how it is all related to the deeper truths I have learned in my journey with Judaism.

I hope that by sharing my story and my journey, it can help you feel a little less alone in yours.

I’m also offering 1:1 therapy sessions from my home in Tel Aviv — for anyone interested in working with me beyond just exploring my writing and cartoon stories. Learn more.

Faith & Healing

Through my writing, my art, my healing, and just living my life, I came to a lot of these truths on my own — about pain, joy, coming back to yourself, the way mental health and spiritual life are deeply connected.

Then I started learning more about Judaism. And I kept finding that it already had everything laid out. Ideas I had spent years arriving at through my own experience — already there, waiting. Every time I learn something new, it feels less like being taught and more like recognizing something I already knew. It’s beautiful every time.

I write about all of this most fully in my work. If that speaks to you, you’ll find much more in Jewish Philosophy & Israel.

What I Believe

• The parts of you that got told they were “too sensitive,” “too scattered,” “too loud” — those are actually your superpowers, if you can learn to stop betraying them.
• Everyone has parts of themselves they’ve learned to hide, shrink, or overdevelop.
• Our patterns, struggles, and “symptoms” are trying to tell us something.
• Healing isn’t about becoming someone new — it’s about stopping pretending you’re someone you’re not.
• The path back to yourself often goes through your pain — and learning to be with it honestly is what makes room for real joy. I’ve cried a lot along the way — tears of sadness, gratitude, love, and everything in between — and I’ve felt blessed for the depth of it all.
• We’re here to live in a way that feels true — and to stay connected to ourselves and the people we love.

This is my work, but it’s also just my real life.

I don’t have all the answers. What I do have is my story, my heart, my curiosity, and a lot of practice sitting with the mess.

If you see yourself in any of this, you’re in the right place.

Work With Me