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I still remember the wisdom my original teachers imparted to me as their young student. I smile as I write their names: Dr John Kells, Nigel Sutton, Linda Chase – Broda, Chrissie Coburn – Krzowska to name but a few. They shared a commonality – PASSION and for the time I was with them, they were my role models. Each taught me in their own unique way in the field of Cheng Man Ching style Tai Chi and Shibashi Qigong for general health and wellness. Little did I know that a full-time career would manifest in Tai Chi and Qigong and in later years, Medical Qigong.
After experiencing a severe fall in Olympic gymnastics at the age of 12, a consultant informed my parents that I would be disabled for life and that I would never do competitive sport again. I still can’t believe that I had to walk with a walking stick as the pain was so bad. Never one to give up – I began the study of Chinese Internal Arts and eventually the British T’ai Chi Association became my home in London. In time I scrapped the walking stick, and some of my teachers asked me to start teaching their classes for them.
Teaching was something that I had never imagined I would do. But when the opportunity arose to work with a Western University in the ‘Lifelong Learning Department’, I grabbed it with enthusiasm. Whilst studying over three years for the Teaching Cert Ed – PCE qualification, I became liaison representative with various County Councils and Further Education departments, writing the learning criteria for Tai Chi and Qigong Instructors Courses. Up until this time Tai Chi and Qigong had always been taught as a recreation type event; seen more as a club than a recognised course. As funding was made available for subjects such as Tai Chi and Qigong, my role involved writing the strategies, learning objectives, learning outcomes, scheme of work, and lesson plans expected in Further Education settings. At one point, I worked for three different regions in the UK. Although a little daunting, my work in health Tai Chi and Qigong was continuously inspected and recorded by OFSTED (Office for Standards in Education) and FENTO examiners/inspectors. All my hard work as a teacher within the UK educational system resulted in a new standard in the Tai Chi and Qigong world. When I qualified as a Level 5 teacher in the health and wellness arena, a rewarding full-time career emerged enabling me to share my knowledge in my own Qigong training courses.
In later life, in tandem with completing a BSc (Hons) in Acupuncture, I studied with two amazingly gifted and spiritual teachers, Dr Barbara Briner and Dr Taya Stanley from The Yellow Mountain Institute in America. Then I became a student of Dr Bernard Shannon in California, an internationally recognised teacher in Medical Qigong Therapy, Daoist Priest. Truly inspirational, genuine, and experienced Dr Briner, Dr Stanley and Dr Shannon are all respected students of Grand Master Jerry Johnson, a practicing TCM Doctor and Professor of Medical Qigong Therapy. As a result of winning a national award in Tai Chi and Qigong for NHS Falls Prevention, my role as an influencer grew as I became a Consultant to NHS Governors and Government Commissioners. After much work identifying the future needs of the UK population, I founded the UK College of Qigong for preventative initiatives with the aim of teaching a different type of exercise to keep our nation mobile and healthy.
Advisory: for those with a post graduate degree in Western or Eastern healthcare systems, please visit https://ukcollegeofmedicalqigong.co.uk/ Medical Qigong requires a diagnosis (western) or evaluation(eastern) to identify which prescriptive exercise will be appropriate based on the patient’s constitution, Yin/Yang component and Five Element model. In short, Medical Qigong is the fourth branch of Chinese Medicine.
Our Qigong College is based on lineages we deeply admire and respect. My passion has become more than just sharing my knowledge. All our Qigong Instructors will be fully qualified, ethical and will have the option to join a national network of like-minded people.
“My life purpose as a Senior Teacher is to effectively communicate current knowledge and evidence wholeheartedly, so that Eastern and Western health systems can empower humankind.”