Daniella Saunders – MA(Phil), BA(Hons), RGN, ITEC

It was only when I became severely ill that I became able to fully appreciate the limitations of a medical system which is primarily built upon a physical approach to health.  I found that whilst there are some aspects which are highly beneficial, there are also many significant influences on health which are either omitted completely, or which you cannot integrate fully due to the reductionist approach which is used.

I also found that there is a vast difference between learning something through academic training, and living through it yourself. I now believe that experience is perhaps one of the most important aspects of being able to develop insight into any situation, especially if you are helping others in that area.  After all, how much can you ever really understand something if you have not experienced it yourself?

So, I went on to complete additional training in a variety of holistic health modalities, integrated them into my own life, and found this path to be the solution for regaining my own health and vitality. After this, I continued to work in the holistic health field, and ran my own practice for over fifteen years. I specialised in exhaustive conditions including chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, and burnout. I found this to be a highly effective way of helping people with a variety of chronic health issues, especially for pain relief, and stress-related symptoms.

Evolving Wisdom

My own journey involved developing a much deeper understanding of health, illness, healing, and the how these are influenced by an individuals understanding of the mind-body connection, and the myriad of cultural influences which impact health and wellbeing. I explored health from a truly holistic level, and from individual, collective, and existential perspectives of mind.

Taking a holistic approach to health involves taking into account of all parts of the self, and all the aspects of life which impact your experience and wellbeing.  It aims to support a person to develop skills and coping strategies so that they are able to thrive within their environment, no matter what situations they may encounter.  

On a superficial level, holistic health involves mind, body, and spirit. On a deeper level, it is a synergy of emotions, thoughts, identity, feelings, control, release, connection, experience, memory, actions, beliefs, and so much more. And on a fundamental level it is the process of self-realization – of understanding life, death, consciousness, the nature of existence, and of being able to fully take your place in the world.  

One of the interesting things about holistic health is that once you begin to explore the nature of mind more deeply, you naturally just keep going until the point where you understand the nature of mind on a fundamental level. Like many other people on this path, I went through a very lengthy, convoluted process, exploring many different spiritual avenues in an effort to find the answers I was seeking. Yet I found that many of them led nowhere – was just going round in circles of perpetual seeking.

So, I recently returned to university to explore the nature of mind-body health, completing honours and masters degrees in Eastern and Western philosophy, where I studied metaphysics, consciousness, healing, and the role of spirituality in health. 

On a personal level, this was one of the best things I have ever done, because it finally resolved all those burning questions that I couldn’t find satisfactory answers for.  It also helped me to understand the subtle differences between medical and spiritual approaches to the nature of mind, and how this manifests within a therapeutic situation.  

On a professional level, I now find myself able to use this experience to provide mentorship for my fellow practitioners; people who already have insight into wellbeing, but who want to take an even deeper approach to their practice.

Evolving Service

For anyone who is on a path of self-realization, the natural next step is to share what you have learnt with others and to help people who are experiencing emotional stress or suffering through your services.
Unfortunately, over the last couple of decades, whilst working as a self-employed therapist myself, I have seen so many highly skilled, caring, and empathic people complete their training as a coach or therapist, only to never actually use these skills in practice.

Some find self-employment to be a marked contrast to being employed by others, and are not prepared for the challenges that this new situation poses. Whilst others may have completed their training primarily to gain insights for their own growth, or as an attempt for the resolution of their own personal wellbeing challenges.

Since most therapists are highly motivated and solution-orientated, many people actively seek help to fill the gap in their business skills and knowledge. They often met with mentors who charge ridiculously high fees, and who are unethical in their own practices. Sadly, there are an increasing number of people who offer mentorship under the guise of being ‘spiritual’, not in a genuine way, but as a marketing tactic. Unfortunately, they often take advantage of genuine heart-centred practitioners who are trying to make a positive impact in the world through their work.

Its so unfortunate to see so many talented healing practitioners fall away from their therapeutic roles, when there is such a growing need for their services. In addition, the people who really need these services can also go through life without knowing that different types of high quality support are available, and so they are missing out too.

Over the last few years, my own personal circumstances have changed, and I now have caring responsibilities which impact my ability to physically go out to work. So, I have taken this as an opportunity to do something about this situation. Now I provide ethically priced support for healing practitioners, spiritual workers, and wellbeing service providers of all types. Including coaches, therapists, counsellors, nurses, social workers, spiritual mentors, and caregivers.

My aim is to provide the support needed to help healers maintain their own wellbeing, make progress with their own personal and professional development, and to be able to serve people who need their help more effectively. So that together we can make a positive impact in the world.

Scope of Practice

Professional Organisations

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