Daniel J. Sonkin, PhD

is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in private practice in Sausalito, CA. His clinical work focuses on the treatment of individuals and couples facing a variety of psychological problems, including domestic violence and child abuse, from an attachment theory perspective. In addition to his clinical experience he has testified as an expert witness in criminal cases where domestic violence is an issue. He has evaluated defendants facing the death penalty, conducting social histories with a focus on their childhood abuse and its impact on adult criminal behavior. He has also testified as an expert witness in malpractice cases and licensing actions.

As one of the early investigators and specialists in the field of family violence, he has developed a widely used protocol for treating male batterers. He is the author of numerous articles and books on domestic violence and child abuse including: "Learning to Live Without Violence: A Handbook for Men," "The Male Batterer: A Treatment Approach," "Domestic Violence on Trial: Psychological and Legal Dimensions of Family Violence," and "Wounded Boys/Heroic Men: A Man’s Guide to Recovering from Childhood Abuse," "The JurisMonitor Stabilization Program for Stalkers," "A Counselor’s Guide to Learning to Live Without Violence" and "Domestic Violence: The Court-Mandated Perpetrator Assessment and Treatment Handbook." He has written software for assessing perpetrators of violence for both the Macintosh and IBM compatible computers. His most recent book is an edited volume, with Don Dutton, “Treatment of Intimate Violence: Multidimensional Perspectives on Addressing Violence in Psychotherapy.

He has conducted trainings nationally and internationally for mental health professionals on the treatment of male batterers. He is a former chair of the state ethics committee of the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists and a former member of the Board of Directors for that organization. In addition to his clinical practice, he is an adjunct faculty in the Department of Counseling at Sonoma State University.

Dr. Sonkin provides consultation, training and supervision in the unique model outlined in his books to individuals and agencies providing services to male batterers and their families.