Re reading Ian Phoenix’s life story that I originally wrote with Jack Holland whilst still in the throes of deep grief was in itself cathartic for my soul. The fact that I often say Ian has now done more work dead than alive is not as flippant as it sounds. My work over the years with those in grief from loss (death or divorce) has benefitted from my personal story of the most soul damaging loss of a true “soul mate”.

I unashamedly use Ian’s story and my own journey from grief to console, inform and inspire those who are trying to come to terms with their own devastating losses.
For me the whole of life on earth is a school of learning. My gratitude for those who have been friends or teachers (often both) seems to have culminated in this my last task for Ian.
Working with my son to make this happen has not been emotionally easy. We knew that Ian Phoenix would be happy that his story can help others – not just to understand the world of terrorism and danger but to appreciate and be grateful for all that we learned in that surprisingly happy family life together. His strength of character and not getting too hysterical about anything that life throws our way really has sustained us all Me, Niven and his sister Nicola.
Our past informed our future and most importantly our very fulfilling PRESENT.

He would be proud if you can enjoy it too.

All extra information is available on this site or David Hill’s well researched technical site.

A FEW Facts from my history:

• MY early training was as a British military nurse and youth worker in Northern Ireland.
• As an experienced psychologist for the deaf community in U.K. and Europe, I worked in Deafness research in Northern Ireland for many years.(most on a voluntary basis).
• I wrote many unique reports and surveys about the deaf population, covering education and family interactions. Some still around but I wonder did I waste my time?
• The pioneering video production unit for profoundly deaf children involved the deaf adult community in Belfast for the first time at a professional level.I am proud that many deaf adults who worked in the video unit team went on to work as television interpreters and support workers for several charities and agencies in Ireland. I was personally criticised for going against the rules in using sign language in education but those who benefited will know that our campaigning changed things for many.
• My background in military nursing, youth work, academia, researching and helping deaf children was diverse.
• I loved living a rural lifestyle with chickens, goats and ducks whilst rearing a family and supporting my husband in the dangerous world of IRA shootings and bombings.(read or listen to the book Phoenix, Policing the Shadows).
• Learning to cope with multiple loss became a catalyst for extensive research into complimentary therapies for the treatment of depression across the world. I moved to France and Spain for 20 years of renewal.
• My personal Journey of recovery is recorded in her book Out of the Shadows, A journey from Grief. ( Kindle- Amazon.co.uk).I am told that it continues to give comfort to those suffering loss with humour about life experiences. It discusses ancient healing techniques and the power of mind, body and soul over personal grief. I will upgrade it one day soon.
• I became committed to sharing the drug free path to wholeness and renewed happiness.

My interest in physicists researching world consciousness, it’s energy field and how it is affected by the individual’s energy from the mind/body/soul interaction shaped my clinical work in workshops and personal writings about the individual soul’s healing powers.

More recently my reputation as a down to earth “unconventional psychologist” filled some fun workshops with people transforming their lives, rediscovering their sense of humour with love and understanding of their life path.I trained in Past Life Regression Therapy (PLRT) with Dr Brian Weiss in The Omega Institute in New York. The resulting innovative meditation & energy workshops for grief and depression management were well known in Europe.

Campaign work:

• The long campaign to clear the Chinook pilots of blame for the crash that took the life of my husband and his colleagues is well chronicled in the Phoenix book. On hindsight that served many life lessons in spite of personal pain and grief . There was, as always in life crises, some personal growth too – hopefully.
• My dislike of long term anti depressant drugs committed my help for those in grief & pain to find the natural way to cope with life’s trauma. Witnessing my own Dad’s development of Akathisia as a result of inappropriate prescription drugs led to much more support of many self help groups for informed consent & more honest research in medical prescribing.
• Recent involvement in the No to the Barge campaign (NTTB) on the beautiful Dorset Island of Portland has re fired the old adrenaline where injustice for others is witnessed.