Born in February 1964 (on the first day of the Chinese Dragon) in Shropshire, England, Debra enjoyed a conventional British upbringing as the eldest of three children.  Unable to read until the age of 11 however, she managed to avoid the usual shift into logic which accompanies the Western education process.  Instead, Debra maintained contact with her guides and so called "imaginary friends" and indeed continued to develop these skills, only many years later studying and qualifying both as a UK commercial lawyer and clinical hypnotherapist- in so doing bringing together a desire for structure and form within an otherwise seemingly formless world.

Spending her childhood and young adult life being guided to many sacred sites across the world, she was often spontaneously attuned to the magical energies which she found there.  In particular, she found every excuse to repeatedly visit Egypt during the 70s and 80s, at the time often blissfully unaware of her life's Service work already unfolding.  Since those early years, Debra has returned to this magical land of Khem time after time, on each occasion retrieving a little more of her memory related to the ancient mystery schools and their powerful teachings.  A significant part of her soul purpose for this lifetime is to participate in the activations which she facilitates at many sites each year.

Debra is qualified in a number of different healing modalities including:

• Hypnotherapy
  
• Past Life regression Therapy
  
• EFT and Emotrance
  
• NLP
  
• Reiki and Sekhem
  
• Angel Therapy
  
• Crystal and Colour Therapy and the use of Essences for the promotion of well-being

These days she prefers to blend use of these and other skills in accordance with the needs of her clients rather than to work with any particular healing system. Debra works out of the main College site at Willenhall but also works on a distant healing basis where required. To contact Debra for further information on booking a consultation, please email her at debra@athenaschool.co.uk

It is with deep love and gratitude that Debra continues her work in Service in Love, offering to help others as they are guided towards their own personal growth and highest potential.

Leanne is a fully qualified reflexologist and gym instructor. As a mum of two young children she has a very busy lifestyle and has found reflexology has had a positive effect in relaxing and improving her children’s holistic well being.

Leanne has previously worked as a care assistant and enjoys working to help people maintain and improve their way of life. From her experience in these fields she understands how the body can benefit from exercise and holistic therapies including reflexology whatever their age or ability.

With her calm, hands on approach to life Leanne strives to helping people improve their lifestyle.

Gary, who originally hails from Wolverhampton, started out life as an engineer and until 2001, worked for a number of large and small businesses in senior executive roles. After graduating from Wolverhampton University in that year with an MBA and also a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (post 16), Gary then headed to Colchester, where he taught mature learners on professional business and marketing programmes.

In 2003 Gary then headed to Australia and found himself returning back to the corporate world, but still retained a keen interest in people development and education. Whilst MD of a construction company, Gary undertook a professional coaching course and became a member of the International Coaching Federation. So as well as his ‘day job’ Gary also started to coach other business owners and executives and found that ‘helping’ people to rediscover themselves was more satisfying, from his personal perspective, than running a construction company.

On this same theme and due to Gary sustaining a lower back problem in 2007, he became interested in Yoga for long-term pain relief and at the same time developed a greater understanding of postural and muscle imbalances as we mature, sustain injury or suffer illness. Keen to explore the wider implications of Yoga, as well as just the poses (Asanas), Gary together with his wife, completed Yoga Teacher Training in New South Wales, Australia.

Since then Gary has returned to the UK and is now once again based in Wolverhampton. In Australia Gary also rediscovered his passion for exercise and fitness and took up running, cycling and triathlon. It seemed logical that he has since qualified as a personal trainer and now operates a home, outdoor and gym based fitness business, together with running a business consultancy and coaching business specifically aimed at small business owners.

One of the discoveries that Gary has found on his coaching journey, is that it is really important to help clients identify the real cause of their imbalance in their lives and not to just take the outward signs at face value. People have emotional, physical and spiritual needs and it is only when these things are in balance can we truly become self-aware.

Sally is a qualified, practising beauty/ complementary therapist  with a B.A. Degree in Post Compulsory Education. She has over 20 years’ experience of providing treatments and 10 years’ experience of teaching, assessing and internally verifying therapies in a private and a further educational college.

Sally started her career in 1989 after completing the CIBTAC & IHBC level 2/3 Diploma in beauty therapy, electrolysis and body treatments.  After finding employment within a beauty salon she was provided with the opportunity to rent the salon; enabling her to expand the business to meet the needs of the  clientele.    

After 10 years of running a successful business Sally decided that she needed a new challenge and was inspired to go in to teaching; to assist individuals in changing their life’s by motivating and helping learners to realise their true potential. In May 2000 whilst completing her teacher’s  training she found employment at a further educational college and by the second year was the Curriculum Co-ordinator for the holistic therapy courses.  During the 10 years at this college Sally was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to teach  the majority of subjects at all levels and for a short-time also taught at Athena.

During the last 20 years Sally has increased her knowledge and experience by studying, practising and teaching other therapies such as Reflexology, Aromatherapy, Indian Head Massage, Crystal Therapy,  Auricular Thermo-therapy, Clinical Hypnotherapy, EFT, Reiki,  Hot & Cold Stone Therapy and Anatomy & Physiology.

Since June 2011 Sally has had the privilege of working with St Giles hospice as a volunteer treating patients with long-term illnesses and their carers to complementary therapies which she finds extremely rewarding due to meeting such courageous individuals who truly appreciate the time and care provided by the therapists. 

Lynny Jennings is based in Lichfield, Staffordshire, and has worked as a fitness professional for over twelve years. Originally a trained dancer, Lynny has long be in-tune with physical demands that can be made of the body – demands which became all too apparent when an injury forced her to abandon dance as a career but at the same time led to her interest in fitness, health and well being.

Intially, she qualified as a personal trainer and group excercise instructor and, running her own successful business, she continues to deliver classes at numerous gyms and health clubs in the area, specialising mainly in Body Balance – a mixture of yoga, pilates and tai-chi based excercise – and other mind and body classes.

Initially, her one-to-one personal training provided excercises for all levels, sports rehabilitation, injury prevention, nutritional advice, dietary analysis, cardiovascular and flexibility training. Because Lynny has always made efforts to get to know her clients as friends, it soon became apparent that there was just as much work to be done on an emotional level, and that physical fitness and outer appearence were not in themselves enough to bring happiness and wellbeing. Having previously conquered some serious issues of her own using an holistic approach, she then went on to train as a Holistic Therapist, thereby ensuring her clients would benefit from an all-inclusive methodology.

Now a qualified practioner of Reiki, Reflexology, Indian Head Massage and Holisitc Massage, Lynny continues to formally study holistic therapies and uses them, not only for ceaseless personal development, but primarily for helping a wide range of people, from all walks of life, realise their full potential.

Some years ago, although I was quite happy in my role as a management accountant, I felt the need to broaden my horizons and having always had an interest in aromatherapy oils, signed up for a series of evening courses at Telford College of Arts & Technology. Over the following two years I qualified in Swedish body massage, Indian head massage, Aromatherapy and Reflexology and began to use my skills on family and friends working from my home in Telford.

Quite by chance, I stumbled across Clear Intentions when looking to advance my reflexology skills, having been told that they offered a course in vertical reflexology. While there – I was attracted to the crystal therapy course and this was the beginning of a truly fascinating journey. Crystal therapy was swiftly followed by Aura Balance (energyfield therapy), Healing with Angels Practitioner diploma, Kahuna Reiki and Alchemy of the Heart Ascension programme. And continuing into the future - Ascended Master and Ascension Sekhem Reiki programmes.

The training I have undertaken has enhanced my life in ways that I cannot even begin to describe. It is therefore my wish to pass this knowledge on to other people, helping them attain their true potential by running workshops and continuing with my holistic therapy healing.

Nicola qualified as a classroom teacher in 1990 and has a career background in teaching children from ages 3 years-19 years. She spent 15 of her teaching years in the Caribbean working as a director of music but eventually began to feel the pull towards a new and different career but didn’t quite know what that career would be. She felt drawn towards the healing arts but did not know in which field she wished to work.

In trying to decide what to do she enrolled on a crystal healing diploma course and suddenly the whole world of healing opened up. She enjoyed the feeling of being able to help people to make positive changes in their lives or to help them on the path to recovery.

Although she felt she wanted a new career in the healing arts, she realized by watching the children she taught every day that the music she was teaching them had its healing powers too. Watching a child walk into a classroom with the weight of the world on its shoulders and seeing it leave with a lighter air and a smile on their face showed her that healing was what she was doing every day. So instead of changing one career for another, the two careers have now melded into one.

As a teacher, she teaches music to children in nursery and primary schools in Walsall. Since 2005, Nicola has qualified in a number of skills including: Clinical Hypnotherapy, E.F.T, Emotrance, Auricular Acupuncture, Angelic Reiki, Crystal and Gem Therapy, Reflexology, Auriculotherapy and Tai Chi and Qigong. When not teaching in school, Nicola runs weekly classes in Tai Chi and Qigong and works as a Holistic Therapist.

Michelle has over 25 years experience in local government, 20 years working in the political arenan in Democratic Services and more recently as a Projects Officer working direct to the Chief Executive predominately dealing with equalities, communications and organisational development. 

Michelle has delivered Coaching for a number of years within local government and has been an Executive Coach, Leadership Mentor and Coach Peer Supervisor for West Midlands Coaching Pool since 2010.  Having also worked on a voluntary basis as a Life Coach and Learning Mentor for young and vulnerable people Michelle offers support in goal setting, confidence and self esteem building and goal attainment.  She believes that coaching gives people the opportunity to think through scenarios and solutions away from every day pressures in a supported, safe and confidential environment.  Whilst encouraging confidence and empowerment, she will help you focus on improving self awareness and an awareness of others, motivation and problem solving.  She believes that coaching should be goal focussed, positive, candid and relaxed with time for reflection and challenge. 

Holding an Institute of Leadership Management Level 7 qualification in Executive Coaching and Leadership Mentoring she adopts an integrated approach to coaching incorporating the GROW model and emotional intelligence.

Complementing these skills Michelle is also a qualified Clinical Hypnotherapist offering, amongst other things, Coaching with Hypnotherapy which facilitates access to the root of particular issues and blockages stored deep within the subconscious mind which may be preventing progression.  She is also a qualified Mediator and Reflexologist, offering a full range of mind and motion therapies to maximise individual potential.

Michelle is a working mom of three, used to juggling the work/life balance and fully understands the pressures and challenges of life She firmly beieves that to maximise our potential we all need to carve out time and space for personal development and future thinking. 

I have been a tutor of Complementary Therapies for over 9 years, where I have worked in further education and within adult education. I am self employed as a massage therapist and work in a treatment room in my local gym as well as teaching. I treat clients for therapeutic and remedial reasons and use a combination of Aromatherapy, Body Massage, Shiatsu and Sports Massage. I am also currently in the process of writing my first book on Complementary Therapies which should be out by Summer 2013.

My love of Complementary therapies came about when I didn't want to return back to University to complete my Chemistry degree so wrote a list of things that I enjoyed. The thread of health and massage was within that so I underwent training at a college initially, then began teaching and then went on to complete my degree in Complementary Therapies in 2006.

I am passionate about Complementary Therapies and have carried out work in salons as well as working for a voluntary organisation in Leicester called 'coping with cancer'. During this time I treated cancer patients and their carers by offering a range of treatments including massage, reflexology and Shiatsu.  

Lizie is a highly experienced Graphic and Web Designer based in Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands who specialises in websites, search engine optimisation (SEO), business branding, graphic design for print and online and professional PowerPoint presentation design.

Lizie has worked closely with Debra and the Athena team for over six years now and is responsible for all marketing, websites and promotional activities. Lizie also offers her services to students and graduates of the Athena School of Natural Therapies who may be launching or establishing their holistic businesses: www.holisticwebsites.co.uk

After becoming the mother of the very beautiful Isabella in 2010 Lizie commited herself to working between home and the College and took on the Student Liaison role. Lizie now thoroughly enjoys spending her time speaking with lovely people - helping them with their course choices and welcoming them to the College.

You can contact Lizie at any time with any queries or feedback you may have:

Email: lizie@athenaschool.co.uk
Telephone: 01902 607 320

Born in Kent, Becky moved to Lichfield, Staffordshire, in 1999 to commence marital life. Her son, Ben, instantly appeared and she spent the next 10 years devoting her time to motherhood and the preschool Ben had attended, as a playworker. Spending time with such free-spirited, untainted souls, giving unconditional love was an extremely blissful and grounding experience. For Becky this puts her time spent in this lifetime into perspective.

Following a turn of synchonised personal events, Becky was introduced to Debra Goldston who had an employment opening at the College. From early adulthood, Becky has had a deep interest in alternative treatments and is constantly on the self-development path. This commenced back in 1991 when she was taught Transcendental Meditation and in 2011 was given an attuntment to Level 1 Reiki. This technique she regularly gives to family and friends.

Becky is bubbling over with excitement in joining the Athena School of Natural Therapies family. "Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle and the life of that candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared". Athena School of Natural Therapies is that candle.