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Danielle A Duchnick, LMSW, graduate of The University of Texas initially received a Bachelor’s of Science in Psychology and Sociology with a minor in Criminal Justice from Sam Houston State University in 2002.  After graduating, she was uncomfortable committing to one psychological discipline in her studies so she chose to enter the field of Social Work; this allowed her to combine and expand upon both areas of study from her undergraduate work. Danielle earned a Master of Science in Clinical Social Work from The University of Texas at Austin in 2005.  Throughout her practice experience she specialized in understanding and working within the adolescent subculture.

Danielle has provided therapeutic services to youth and their families within their homes, schools, communities, residential facilities and those within Juvenile detention.  These experiences resulted in a tremendous amount of knowledge about developing and nurturing relationships, mental health, chemical dependency, human development and the ways in which the larger systems of our society affect individuals and their loved ones.

Danielle often chose to incorporate her enthusiasm for nature into client sessions and interventions; in turn she has assisted many clients and groups with large and small gardening projects.  Successful gardens have been created with participants involved with: Phoenix House, The YWCA, Garza High School, and The Alternative Learning Center and various other schools within the Austin Independent School system.  In addition, Danielle has worked collaboratively with individuals and client’s associated with The Town Lake Trail Association, Meadowbrook/Fairway Housing complexes and Austin State Hospital. Danielle’s practice of landscape design and empathic/reflective communication skills proved highly effective with the preparation and construction of healing gardens in our community.

Despite the accomplishments made with clients, there were multiple periods of psychological and spiritually exhaustion due to: limitations on practice methods, synthetic environments, mandated clients and fatigued/apathetic colleagues; this created vast barriers to work productivity and resulted in the need for Danielle to search out an alternative way to aid others in our community. To balance mind and spirit, Danielle nurtured her relationship with nature, art and exercise. She has traded synthetic air for a natural breeze and institutional systems for weather systems.

In addition to her clinical background, Danielle has 15 years of cumulative experience working with plants, their enthusiasts and assisting in landscape design.  Danielle managed her family’s garden center for twelve years; while residing in Austin she has had three pleasurable years working with and learning from the knowledgeable team at The Great Outdoors.  Her time with the nursery has allowed Danielle to gain proficiency with the native and organic philosophies of the Austin gardening community.

Danielle is now a co-owner of Life Gardeners, a holistic health care and counseling practice in Austin, Texas. Through Life Gardeners, she offers therapeutic gardening services to assist others in personal empowerment and spiritual connection with plants and the environment.  Life Gardeners is the marriage of two things that are primary components of Danielle’s identity, the need to serve those in our community and to do this work in a true and organic setting.