Dr. Darlene Mininni

Dr. Darlene Mininni is a psychologist, applied researcher, and educator whose career centers on translating scientific research into practical strategies for emotional wellbeing. Mininni holds a PhD in clinical psychology and a master's in public health, providing expertise at the intersection of mental health and health promotion. She spent more than 20 years teaching at UCLA, where she developed approaches to help individuals improve emotional intelligence, resilience, and overall wellbeing.

Mininni is the author of "The Emotional Toolkit: Seven Power-Skills to Nail Your Bad Feelings," published by St. Martin's Press. The book draws from the curriculum of her UCLA undergraduate course, "LifeSkills." For 15 years, Mininni was on staff at the UCLA Arthur Ashe Health & Wellness Center, where she taught students strategies for maintaining emotional health. Her emotional education course experienced significant growth in enrollment, reflecting the demand for evidence-based approaches to managing emotions.

Mininni's work addresses the question, "How can I thrive?" by leveraging her background in clinical psychology, health promotion, and media to design interventions that emphasize emotional intelligence, resilience, and mindfulness-based stress reduction.

In addition to her academic and clinical work, Mininni has contributed to media and the performing arts. She founded and served as artistic director of UCLA's Kaleidoscope Theatre, a performance troupe that used storytelling to promote wellbeing. Mininni also hosted the national SiriusXM radio show "The Emotional Toolkit Series" and Clear Channel Radio's "The Dr. Darlene Mininni Show" in Los Angeles. She contributed to Dr. Drew's TV show "Lifechangers."

Mininni has addressed audiences at events such as TEDxUCLA, The Juilliard School, and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Her work on wellbeing has been featured on CNN with Dr. Sanjay Gupta, PBS, and NPR, as well as in Prevention, SELF, and Huffington Post. She is a founding Wellness Advisory Board member for Everyday Health. Mininni continues to share insights on emotional wellbeing, mental health, and resilience with a range of audiences, including corporate leaders, students, and the general public.