I am a wild spirit, identifying with forests, rivers, mountains, and our creature kin. A significant part of my journey has been staying for extended periods in forests, exploring natural wilderness outside and the inner wild within. I’ve recently moved and live near the forests in the Kodaikanal Hills, Tamil Nadu, India.
For over 20 years I have been exploring, creating, and walking on pathways to natural flow, both within and around us. I am Certified Advanced Resonant Healing Practitioner, Play for Peace Trainer, a trained mountaineer, martial artist trained in Kalaripayattu, dancer, empathy and play facilitator, and Co-founder of FAWES Nature Club. I draw from all of these experiences to support people in one-to-one or group sessions, to address and heal the impacts of conflicts and trauma, and come home to the inner wild: body, brain, and heart. I also work with organisations and marginalised communities facilitating deep connections with oneself, with each other, and with the earth, nurturing connection, play and joy in our lives.
I am experienced in working with conflict, pain, and trauma around climate change, natural disasters, sexual abuse, family dysfunction, war and displacement. I hold space for and create a supportive container enabling you to get in touch with the wisdom of your body, find clarity, and heal from personal and systemic alienation.
I have walked on these pathways of personal healing from my lived experience of family conflict, sexual abuse and intergenerational trauma. This led me to Sarah Peyton’s work in 2018. In my work with you, I accompany you as a fellow traveller on your way home to yourself.
I have not opened up to anyone as I have to Daya simply because she has been so non- judgmental and supportive as I waded through my issues. Her gentle words when i was struggling with my emotions, her carefully worded questions when I was stuck, her expressions of acknowledgment of having heard my side and her quiet voice are somethings that propelled me to open up. I would say I know myself better because of the unbiased and understanding space she offered in our sessions. I have and will keep recommending Daya to anyone who needs a listening ear, a gentle soul to reach out to and a good trauma counsellor. – Deepa
My session with Daya helped clear a lot of tangled things in my mind. I was struggling with a situation from a past relationship that was painful. The gentle holding I experienced was helpful for me to arrive at clarity and find movement from the painful situation. – Ramkishore
I love working with Daya. There is a sense of safety and welcoming I feel with her, which is so precious to find. My nervous system relaxes and I can go deeper into my own inner feeling jungle. I cannot even begin to describe how important this is to me, being somewhere on the autism spectrum which makes me feel like I am always the odd one out. Daya’s warmth and guidance feel so soothing, like there is a soft pillow to catch me fall. And we have fun and laugh too! – Tihana
