I’m a Waterford Woman through and through – I’ve lived my whole life between little Ferrybank and the (still not that big) City. I will always be grateful for my home place as well as all of the wonderful friends and memories I have made here.
That said, things were not always easy for me growing up here. I was raised in a council house in a poorer area of Ferrybank. In that small, 3-bed, 1-bathroom house, my mother was alone in caring for a family of 5 children. We relied on state funds to get by, which meant that many of the things my friends took for granted were luxuries to me. Unfortunately, my childhood was also marked by many things that no child should have to go through. In particular, I can remember seeing how the adults in my life used alcohol to deal with their own troubles. It was a path of self-destruction that could have easily become my own destiny.
It’s not a surprise then, that as a young teenager, I started drinking for the first time. I was unhappy, angry and only knew how to suppress rather than express my emotions. What’s more, I pushed away people who were only ever good to me and tried so hard to help.
So what changed?
I always had a feeling that there was more to this world than meets the eye – and it helps that I came into this world with someone who felt the exact same way. What they say about twin telepathy really is true; before we were able to even talk, my twin sister and I were communicating with one another. We might not always have known what to do with these gifts, but we always knew they were there.
One of my life’s big “ah-ha” moments came when I was still a teenager and given the opportunity to teach dance to children. Little did I know that they would be the ones teaching me. As I watched them, I was in awe: if a child is happy, you know they’re happy; when they’re sad, you know they’re sad – they express themselves unapologetically and are their own biggest cheerleaders. I asked myself: “Why can’t I be that way?”
My heart lit up at the realisation that, to be a happier version of myself, I had to first find myself. I began by expanding my knowledge on psychology and spirituality through reading, yoga and meditation. I soon started to consciously select my thoughts, words and actions and then aligned these to the woman I wanted to become. This turned into improving my day-to-day habits, mind-set and – in no time – my vibration.
Defying the odds, I got my first choice of college here in Waterford and, at 17, had the opportunity to study my passion for Nutrition and Exercise Science. During my four years of study, I did what most college students do: went out, drank, navigated friendships and relationships, and worked every other moment I had to get through the coursework and pay for it all.
The truth is, although I had fun, there was always a part of me that knew I craved a deeper connection to life. I wasn’t engaging in my spiritual practices as much, and it was affecting me at every level of my well-being.
After college, I was offered the opportunity to immediately begin pursuing a PhD in Nutrition. Considering my upbringing and everything I had been through, this was a huge “pinch me, I must be dreaming” moment. Yet something felt off. My belly started doing flips.
The day after I was offered this opportunity, I came across AlphaZone School of Yoga’s teacher training course, which just made my heart feel so full. Yet it was very much like the clichéd saying, as my head and heart battled against each other. Should I pursue a career in the academic or the holistic spheres?
Ultimately, I listened to the whispers of my soul and chose yoga, which was the start of a whole new beginning.
I always had certain beliefs about our world and our place in it, but I didn’t know that what I believed and practiced was known as Shamanism until a chance encounter in a very unlikely place. I had swiped right on a Tinder profile and the conversation somehow turned to spiritual subjects and then to a man named Patrick Dillane and Healing Tree Retreats.
My new friend introduced me to Pat, who took me on as a student. It was his down-to-earth approach to all things spiritual that inspired me to act upon my heart’s desire (and soul’s purpose) by setting about this work.
I often say that we are energetic beings with an intellect in a physical body. And so it’s only right that we are cared for mind, body and soul. That is why I have embraced so many different healing modalities, whether that be:
No matter where you are on your life’s journey, I am here to help you get to where you want to be. In this, I have discovered my purpose and I hope you can too.
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I’m sending you my love always, Ton x
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