Dr. Toni D. Dunning, MA, DMFT, LMFT

Dr. Toni D. Dunning, MA, DMFT, LMFT 
License No. MFC51248 
Founding Director

Toni’s inspiration for founding Center for Restored & Connected Families came through watching Kathleen Shanahan’s work with children and their families. Her 2019 doctoral project at Loma Linda University was a program development with an evaluation plan that was designed to meet the developmental needs of infants and toddlers at risk for autism with their caregivers and families. The Center for Restored & Connected Families program model leverages attachment, behavioral, developmental, and family systems theories to promote long term, healthy, and positive connection between caregivers and their children supporting neuroscience findings that link healthy attachment and the ability to regulate emotion. As a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who cares deeply for people, Toni believes that because people were created for relationship, each person carries deep within the innate desire to be known, understood, accepted, and loved by another person who is safe, nurturing, encouraging, and supportive. In founding The Center for Restored & Center for Restored & Connected Families, Toni wants to support the needs of caregivers and families so they can best support their children.