Danielle Quist

I offer face to face, online, telephone and nature therapy sessions to children, young people and adults aged 12 and over. The outdoor sessions are an opportunity to be held and inspired by the natural elements as you go through your own discovery process. One could say that the therapy is doubled with the infusion of nature, given research which shows strongly how nature positively affects our wellbeing on many levels. 

What is counselling or therapy?

Life can be exceptionally challenging. Whether through stress, anxiety, depression, feeling down or sad, bereavement or traumatic experiences, you may have come to a point where making sense of your inner and outer world is a struggle. Speaking to someone who can listen without judgement to what you are saying and welcome each feeling you share no matter what can be a lifeline. Therefore counselling can be said to, 'bring the inside, out'. Through the process of sharing and reflecting you can get a sense of what you think and feel, as well as how. This makes it much easier to make sense of your inner world and make clear choices. 

As a qualified counsellor, I will work with you to gently track your experience, feeding back what I notice. I will deeply trust and encourage your own inner ability to discover your own answers and meaning. I will steadfastly remind you of your intrinsic worth. I will provide a space where all that you are can be warmly welcomed and accepted. Your issues will be held with respect and we will move forward only at a pace that you are comfortable with. 

Seeking warm empathic support can be a courageous step out of emotional, psychological difficulty towards relief and greater self awareness. You matter and do not need to cope with being overwhelmed alone.

My approach 

While I work with a person-centred ethos, I bring to the table a deep understanding of the therapeutic process from a client's perspective. I believe in your inner ability and birthright to thrive, not simply survive. 

I work pluralistically overall and integratively. My approach is creative positive, nature-connected, trauma-informed and compassion-focused.  I firmly believe there are many dimensions to the human and that if necessary different techniques or modalities may be needed for healing to take place, and I will be led by your sense of what you need. That said, the service I provide is not about managing symptoms and providing strategies for a 'quick fix'.  However, if that is what you feel you need, we can consider this collaboratively, and I will support any signposting to different sources of support. 

The process of counselling can be deep work. It is a journey of mystery, finding new words and understandings that might before have been hidden. It can be a transformative experience, as your authentic self might begin to make itself known, and long held ideas fall away. Your life may change in ways you could never predict as you find your own inner resources to deal with your life challenges.

Counselling can help with:

• Stress, anxiety and depression
• Difficult life decisions and dilemmas
• Addictive patterns
• Traumatic experiences
• Bereavement
• Grief in its many forms
• Relationship issues
• Loss of meaning, purpose and direction in life
• Coping with challenging and contradictory feelings, emotions and thoughts

I aim to respond to all new client enquiries within 48 hours, but often will get back much sooner.

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Price is for face to face, outside, online or phone. Please note that outside sessions undertaken outwith Forres will be subject to a fair fuel charge on top.

Please note: overseas online clients (and London based clients), I charge £55 per session, due to admin I need to complete for insurance purposes. 

If money is a barrier please contact me and we can work out a fair exchange.

Healthworks also offer some financial assistance if you choose to have a face to face session there. Please ask for details.

I accept cash or payment via bank transfer.

Where sessions are not attended without 24 hours prior notice, the full amount will be paid by the client. 

I love nature therapy, given my many years of immersion in nature whether by walking, solo camping, meditating, gardening, wildlife watching, growing food or being an activist. It is a joy to provide an opportunity for others to deepen their own connection.  I also have a professional interest in neuroscience and trauma, as well as existential and transpersonal therapy. While no expert, I try to keep on top of recent research developments and feel I am learning all of the time.

Overall, I am passionate about personal expression and reconnecting to oneself in all its creative forms, how human beings can flourish in the world: writing, drawing, making, cooking, painting, dancing, singing, community, spirituality, nature connection. I am a student of healing in general and am fascinated by how humans can heal through adversity, finding their own renewed purpose, meaning and vision. I will be very curious about what makes you tick and what brings you into aliveness and joy. What are you passionate about?