I am a counselor, educator, and guide, with a passion for integrating social-ecological awareness and psychological health in meaningful ways. My philosophy is grounded in the belief that our well-being is deeply tied to our relationships—with ourselves, each-other, and the more-than-human world. This website represents my counseling and ecotherapy practice. Please reach out through the contact form below if something here resonates with you.
~David Wynn
The therapeutic relationship is a container for open exploration—a space to process experiences, uncover inner wisdom, and reconnect with life in more authentic ways. I work with creatives, sensitive souls, and unconventional thinkers: artists, entrepreneurs, spiritual seekers, and fellow helpers who value both insight and action. With couples and families, I bring a systems perspective to relational patterns, fostering deeper connection. My approach blends mindful focusing, somatic awareness, narrative inquiry, and experiential deep ecology. This work is not about fixing, but remembering—trusting the innate healing that unfolds through compassionate presence and support.
Sessions may take place outdoors, at the llama farm, or online, tailored to meet your needs.
I offer a safe, supportive space to explore:
Anxiety, depression, and other challenging psychological states
Life transitions and existential inquiry
Multigenerational trauma and family patterns
Spiritual emergence and emergency
Persistent interpersonal difficulties
Ecological and collective grief
Self-limiting beliefs and barriers to growth
Mind-body connections and somatic manifestations
The journey toward self-actualization and authentic alignment
Contact me for a consultation.
I will return your contact at the soonest opportunity. We will schedule a 15 minute call to discuss treatment fit, exchange contact information and availability, choose a meeting location, and schedule an intake session.
Following this conversation, I will email you with information regarding the text messaging application I use, the platform utilized for telehealth sessions, how to complete intake paperwork, and how to conduct payment transactions.
Meeting Locations:
In-person sessions are typically held outdoors in the Hot Springs area, at locations like the Rocky Bluff Campground, Lover's Leap Loop Trail, Laurel River Trail, Mill Ridge, Murray Branch River Park. I recommend dressing appropriately for outdoor activities—including footwear for trail-walking—and always packing a rain jacket, a bottle of water, and other outdoor comfort items (bug spray, walking stick, etc.) We can also hold sessions at the llama farm or my home office. Click any of the location links above for directions.
For telehealth meetings, it is helpful if you have a reliable internet connection, gentle lighting, and a set of headphones. You will need to enforce your own privacy in selecting a location and appointment time.
Session Lengths and Rates:
I provide sessions in a range of lengths to best support your healing journey:
Hour-long sessions ($100) are ideal for regular check-ins, sustaining progress, and addressing pressing concerns.
Ninety-minute sessions ($150) allow for deeper insight explorations and more overall space to engage with the therapeutic process. Intake/couples sessions benefit from a 90-minute minimum.
Two-hour sessions ($200) create adequate space for facilitating an effective introduction to healing practices, trauma processing, and immersive experiential therapies, such as canoeing, forest bathing, and fly-fishing.
For those seeking intensive healing, I also offer in-person half-day, full-day, and overnight nature-based experiences. These can be particularly beneficial for deeper transformation or for clients traveling from a distance. Examples include rites-of-passage ceremonies, wilderness therapies, and depth integration work. Contact for a quote.
Payment Methods (and Insurance):
I can accept cash, check, and all credit and debit cards. Payments are due at the beginning of session. Payments are auto-billed to a card on file on the day of each session.
I do not submit claims to insurance, and am not in-network with any insurance company. I am able to further adapt costs to your current economic situation if needed.
Cancellation/Reschedule Policy:
Cancellations made within 48 hours of our appointment, as well as no-shows, will incur a missed-session fee equivalent to our agreed-upon session rate. If you need to reschedule, I’m happy to accommodate at no charge, provided you give at least 48 hours' notice, there is availability, and the new session falls within two business days of the original appointment.
Unless we've made prior arrangements, I will not follow up to check in or send reminders. Instead, I will bill the missed-session fee and wait for you to follow up when you're ready to schedule again.
DSM and Diagnosis:
In my practice, I embrace a non-pathologizing approach to care, which means I view emotional and psychological challenges not as fixed disorders but as meaningful experiences that arise from a person’s unique life context. While the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) has been a cornerstone of mental health diagnosis, its history is fraught with controversy, including concerns about over-medicalization, cultural bias, and the risk of reducing complex human experiences to simplistic labels. I use the DSM as a lens—a tool to inform understanding and guide treatment—rather than as a definitive label. This approach allows me to honor the individuality of each client, focusing on their strengths, values, and potential for growth.
Privacy and Confidentiality:
Privacy and confidentiality are fundamental to my counseling practice, both in conversation and in the way I handle technology. Just as therapy provides a secure and protected space for personal exploration, I take intentional steps to safeguard digital and online privacy. In addition to meeting and exceeding standard HIPAA/ACA requirements, I use end-to-end encrypted messaging and telehealth platforms, turn off my phone completely during sessions, and maintain paper notes along with a physical calendar. With an awareness of data breaches, digital surveillance, and the risks of electronic record-keeping, I integrate these privacy-conscious choices into my practice to ensure that your sensitive information remains secure and our therapeutic space remains truly confidential.
Please complete the following forms at least 24 hours before your first session.
If you feel that you would like to collaborate your session with another provider, complete and return the following form:
I am a licensed counselor with over a decade of experience helping individuals and families navigate life’s changes. My path to therapy grew from the compost of my own ups and downs, years of guiding others in the outdoors, and a lifelong appreciation for introspection. It is an honor to practice this work in the world.
In addition to counseling, I also teach outdoor therapy and lead llama-assisted treks. When I’m not working, you’ll often find me in the canoe, garden, or forest—foraging mushrooms, reading books, or philosophizing about anything. I feel deep gratitude to all who have walked with me on my path—I am because we are!
Degrees & Credentials:
NC Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor #15902
SC Licensed Professional Counselor #10465
M.S. Clinical Mental Health Counseling, WCU
B.A. English Language and Literature, ASU
B.S. Agroecology, ASU
Mindfulness-Based Ecotherapist, MEC
Shinrin Yoku Forest Therapy Guide, ANFT
Wilderness First Responder, SOLO
CPR/AED, American Red Cross
Professional Trainings and Conferences:
Natural Flow EMDR, 2022, 2023
Climate Informed Clinician, 2020
Hakomi Mindful Somatic Therapy, 2021, 2024
Internal Family Systems, 2021
Ecotherapy and the Hero's Journey, 2023
Wilderness Therapy Symposium, 2016-2024
Professional Memberships:
Association of Nature and Forest Therapy Guides
International Community for Ecopsychology
Therapeutic Adventure Professional Group
American Counseling Association
Wilderness Educators Association
Publications:
Mathias, C., Schultz, C., Curtis, R., Wynn, D., & Schultz, J. (2025). Navigating Trauma in Wilderness Therapy: A Narrative Therapy Approach. Leisure Sciences, 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1080/01490400.2025.2479610
Curtis, R., Roberts, L., Graves, E., Rainey, H. T., Wynn, D., Krantz, D., & Wieloch, V. (2020). The role of psychedelics and counseling in mental health treatment. Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 42(4), 323-338. https://doi.org/10.17744/mehc.42.4.03
Schultz, C. S., McKeown, J. K. L., & Wynn, D. (2020). Altmetrics: Measuring engagement with contemporary leisure scholarship. Leisure Sciences, 42(1), 123-131. https://doi.org/10.1080/01490400.2019.1682727
Ecopsychology / Ecotherapy
