About Lotus Counseling & Psychological Services
Lotus Counseling & Psychological Services (Lotus CAPS) was created to provide compassionate, evidence-based mental health care that bridges emotional wellness and behavioral understanding. As part of the Lotus family of services, Lotus CAPS was developed to expand access to counseling that is practical, collaborative, and grounded in real-world change.
The vision for Lotus CAPS grew from years of clinical experience working with individuals and families navigating mental health, developmental, and behavioral challenges. Many clients and caregivers expressed a need for counseling services that not only provided emotional support, but also offered clear strategies for growth outside of the therapy room.
Lotus CAPS exists to meet that need — combining modern counseling approaches with behavioral science to support meaningful, lasting progress for children, adolescents, adults, and families.
Daniel Baker, CT, BCaBA, MS
Daniel is a Counselor Trainee working toward licensure as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in Ohio. His counseling services are provided under the supervision of a licensed independent clinician, as required by state regulations.
A Different Path to Counseling
Lotus CAPS was founded by Daniel Baker, Counselor Trainee and Board Certified Assistant Behavior Analyst, whose professional path has spanned community mental health, leadership in nonprofit services, and extensive clinical work in Applied Behavior Analysis.
Daniel’s interest in mental health began early as he felt a strong calling to help people better understand themselves and improve their lives. That interest led him to study psychology and begin his career working in community mental health, where he served as a program director for nonprofit facilities supporting individuals seeking employment, navigating addiction, or managing mental health challenges. While he deeply valued that work, he realized he wanted to work more directly with individuals and families - to be present in the change process itself. That realization set him on a path that would ultimately shape the vision behind Lotus Counseling & Psychological Services.
The Foundation: Behavioral Science and Real-World Change
Drawn to its observable, measurable approach and the meaningful changes it created for children and families - Behavior Analysis has become the backbone of Lotus CAPS vision. In practice, seeing progress unfold in real time - improved communication, increased independence, and stronger family relationships - reinforced how powerful structured behavioral support could be. We strive to view clients through a holistic lens - recognizing that behavior, emotion, environment, and relationships are deeply interconnected.
Bridging Counseling and Behavioral Health
When integrating behavioral principles into traditional therapy work, what was observed has been striking: when behavioral understanding was combined with counseling approaches such as CBT and DBT, clients often experienced clearer insight and more immediate, actionable progress.
Traditional talk therapy can sometimes remain abstract, while behavioral work alone may overlook emotional experience. Daniel saw clients gain the most growth when both perspectives were present - understanding not only how they felt, but how to translate that understanding into change outside the therapy room.
These experiences became the foundation for Lotus CAPS.
Lotus Counseling & Psychological Services was created to bridge this gap - offering therapy that combines emotional understanding with practical, real-world strategies for lasting change.
Autism & Neurodivergence-Informed Care
Much of Daniel’s work has involved supporting autistic adolescents and their families. Through this experience, he witnessed the emotional complexity families navigate - and the difficulty in finding mental health clinicians who understand neurodivergence.
Lotus CAPS provides general mental health services with specialized, autism-informed care. Lotus’s background in ABA allows us to understand both the individual experience and the family system, creating therapy that feels practical, validating, and informed.
What Clients Can Expect
Therapy here is collaborative, growth-oriented, and grounded in empathy. There are no “wrong” feelings - emotions provide important information. At the same time, therapy is not just a place to vent; it is a space for challenge, skill-building, and forward movement.
Our goal is for clients to leave sessions feeling heard, empowered, and equipped to create change in their daily lives.
Lotus CAPS exists to improve access to integrated mental health services, particularly for autistic individuals and families. The long-term vision includes multidisciplinary collaboration and expanded services to better serve our community.