David Roland brings warmth, humour and insight to his work as a writer, presenter, forest bathing guide and psychologist drawing on lived experience and professional training. He graduated from the University of Sydney with a BSc (Hons). He gained his PhD in clinical psychology from the University of Wollongong with a research focus on performance anxiety in musicians. He worked for over twenty years as a clinical and forensic psychologist in private practice. Now he is a part-time consultant psychologist and part-time forest bathing guide and advisor.

David is the author of three books. The Power of Suffering: Growing through life crises (Simon & Shuster, 2020) narrates stories of posttraumatic growth. How I Rescued My Brain: a psychologist’s remarkable recovery from stroke and trauma (Scribe, 2011) describes how David implemented his own rehabilitation plan using neuroplasticity, psychology, nature and social connection. The Confident Performer (NewSouth) came out of David’s PhD research and his work with hundreds of performers, public speakers and examination takers.

David is interested in using nature connection to ease anxiety and in bringing nature connection to people with disabilities. He lives between the rainforests and the ocean in northern NSW, Australia.