12 Points Psychology
Meet Danielle Graber – Founder & Principal Psychologist
BMSc, BSc (Honours), BPsy (Honours), MPsy (Clinical), Board-Approved Clinical Supervisor, Qualified Dog Trainer
Hello, I’m Danielle. It’s so nice to meet you!
As a Clinical Psychologist, business owner, trainer, animal-assisted therapist and Board-Approved Supervisor, my philosophy is that we learn best through relationships, play and stories. With a healthy dose of humour! So I strive to provide this to all of my clients, supervisees, and students.
My expertise spans various disciplines, reflecting a commitment to holistic well-being and the prevention of carer burnout, something I understand all too well and continue to navigate with care.
My approach is a distinctive combination of art and science. With my background in Medical Science, I have a strong grounding in evidence-based practice and research, but I use my more creative side (as evidenced in my training as an animal-assisted therapist) to apply that science in an integrative and innovative ways.
My mission in life is to make mental health accessible to all and eliminate burnout from the profession I love. So you know, small goals!
My Story
My journey towards psychology, and particularly animal-assisted therapy, is quite personally motivated. Throughout my life, I've navigated a myriad of medical challenges, which initially led me to pursue a career in medicine. However, during my university years, I ended up collapsing in a bit of a heap with a major depressive episode. I was used to managing physical health issues, mental health issues however were a whole new ball game! And it was this experience that illuminated the indispensable role of mental health; without it, I don’t care how physically healthy you are, you’re a long way from well.
While trying to deal with my depression, I was lucky enough to find an extraordinary therapist who truly transformed the way I thought and felt about myself. This was a pivotal moment, where I realised my scientific and medical curiosity could harmonise with a closer and more enduring relationship with those I support. Unlike the often brief encounters in medical practice, psychology offered me the chance to address more complex, long-term issues that impact every aspect of my client’s lives. Issues not as immediately visible as a broken leg but equally critical to our quality of life.
Then, as I started working as a therapist, I became acutely aware of the prevalence of relational trauma in the people I was seeing. The horrible irony is that the very thing that brought them to therapy (problematic relationships) was often the thing that was the biggest barrier to effective therapy (because they struggled to trust the relationship with me as their therapist!).
Reflecting on the solace and unconditional support my own animals provided me throughout my life, I was inspired to integrate this element into my practice. Animal-assisted therapy thus became a cornerstone of my approach, offering a unique avenue to foster trust and safety within sessions, without which, significant change and growth just isn’t possible.
