David Starlyte

Contemplative Psychotherapist & Retreat Leader

David is a Contemplative Psychotherapist, Naturopath, transformation advisor, and retreat leader specialising in psychological suffering, complex trauma, and human transformation. His work sits at the intersection of Buddhist psychology, phenomenology, contemplative practice, and depth-oriented psychotherapy, with a particular focus on identity, meaning, belonging, and the deeper conditions that shape human experience.

He holds a Master of Arts in Applied Buddhist Studies (magna cum laude) and a Master’s degree in Mental Health, alongside formal training in naturopathic medicine. His academic and clinical work explores themes of emptiness (śūnyatā), identity formation, existential suffering, contemplative healing, and the relational conditions required for meaningful psychological transformation.

Over the past 25 years, David has worked internationally across more than ten countries, with experience spanning clinical settings, contemplative environments, and leading global wellness organisations, including Six Senses, Aman, The Ritz-Carlton, and One&Only Resorts.

Grounded yet deeply contemplative in orientation, his work moves beyond symptom management to engage the psychological, existential, relational, and spiritual dimensions of human life. He works primarily with high-functioning individuals navigating complexity, transition, emotional suffering, and questions of meaning, purpose, and belonging in an increasingly fragmented modern world.

In parallel with his clinical and advisory work, David is developing a body of writing exploring what he describes as “the architecture of suffering” – an inquiry into the emotional, relational, and existential structures shaping contemporary human experience.

A central evolution of his work is the creation of immersive transformational retreats and sacred pilgrimages designed to facilitate deep psychological and contemplative integration within powerful cultural and natural environments, including Cambodia, Bhutan, and other sacred destinations throughout Asia and beyond.