Since the age of seven recurrent illness has been a prominent pattern in my life - I have had recurrent episodes of glandular fever otherwise known as infectious mononucleosis, caused by the Epstein-Barr virus which has continued to impact throughout my life with long-term bouts of exhaustion and hormonal imbalances, eventually leading to a diagnosis of ME/chronic fatigue syndrome and auto-immune hypothyroidism in my forties. 

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At its most severe my debilitating illness stopped me from living any kind of full family life, and with two children to raise and businesses to run it certainly brought many challenges, yet it also gave me a gift. My emotional, mental and physical pain and limitations served to initiate me in a process of deep exploration and healing leading me to greater conscious awareness, improving self-esteem, more intimate connection with myself and others and so much more, which in turn affects every aspect of life.

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The Spiritual 

I studied psychic and esoteric practices for many years, learning meditation techniques and how to connect with energy at different levels. I offered mediumship and readings and then delved into the healing practices and skills. I deepened my training into working with plant medicine and essential oils and did a three-year shamanic initiation and training.

 

Further areas of deep study include listening and counselling skills, psychology, mythology, ancestral healing, relational therapy and trauma work. This ongoing journey has given me invaluable experience and innerstanding of the ways in which trauma, cultural and family conditioning, and our personal belief systems can adversely impact the mind, body and spirit at all levels, with effects varying from depression and anxiety, relationship problems and work challenges to severe and life-threatening disease.

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The Practical

Over the years I have learnt a great deal about marketing, business skills, design and websites and more... sometimes from attending courses and conferences, and primarily from day to day, down to earth experience. I have had my own private physiotherapy practice (I worked as a chartered physiotherapist for 16 years before my dramatic shift away from healthcare into other businesses). I have established and run a shop selling eco-friendly products in person and online, and for the past 21 years, I have run three successful award-winning campsites, one of which won the national campsite of the year award in 2009.

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The Family

Small family businesses bring with them their own set of challenges. Living and working with your husband can be tough to keep your personal relationships out of work, and vice versa. Add to this further the fact that both of our adult children work in the business and live in the valley with us too and you can see that being able to navigate relational dynamics is an essential activity. 

 

I am no longer directly involved in the day to day running of our family campsite but I mention this because the relational skills I have developed together with all the years of study and life experience have enabled me to establish a solid and grounded foundation for my mentorship and healing work.