Charles C. Daniels

Dr. Charles C. Daniels Jr. is a licensed independent clinical social worker, therapist, scholar, and social entrepreneur specializing in mental health, fatherhood, and family support. Daniels' personal experiences growing up without a father informed his commitment to addressing the challenges faced by fathers and families impacted by trauma, substance use, and incarceration.

Before founding Fathers' UpLift, Daniels worked at the Boston Public Health Commission Men's Health and Recovery Program as a substance abuse clinician and managed a shelter for displaced youth. He was awarded the Albert Schweitzer Fellowship, where he developed a weekly support group for men seeking sobriety and first engaged with fathers separated from their children.

Daniels is the co-founder and CEO of Fathers' UpLift Inc., recognized as the first mental health and substance use treatment facility in the United States dedicated to fathers and families. The organization provides counseling and resources to help men achieve emotional stability and maintain active roles in their children's lives. Daniels has expanded the organization by evaluating outcome data, licensing an evidence-based model supporting men of color, and adapting interventions for international application.

Daniels holds a bachelor's degree from Bethune-Cookman University, a master's in divinity from Boston University School of Theology, and a master's in social work and PhD from Simmons University. His doctoral research evaluated the effectiveness of Fathers' UpLift's approach in reducing unmet basic needs, increasing parenting time, improving emotional regulation, and preventing recidivism among recently incarcerated Black fathers. He serves as a visiting research scientist at Yale University School of Public Health's Center for Interdisciplinary Research on AIDS. Daniels has taught at Harvard University and Simmons University, is a national speaker and writer, and has appeared on CNN, ABC, Good Morning America, Healthline, and WBUR.

Daniels was selected by the Obama Foundation as a Fellow for his work as a civic innovator addressing critical social issues. He is the author of "Present: The Crisis of American Fatherhood and The Power of Showing Up," published by Penguin Random House, as well as "Therapy for Kings," "Therapy is For Us Too," and the "Therapy for Kings Workbook." Through his writing and clinical practice, Daniels explores the challenges of fatherhood, family healing, and mental health, detailing the systemic barriers and societal stigmas that impact fathers and families, and offering strategies for reestablishing familial bonds.