RA Board of Directors, Professional Standards Team manager

Wendy has a background in biological sciences and education. She began her career path in medical pathology managing a haematology department with the Commonwealth Department of Health. Wendy furthered her education in natural therapies studying massage, naturopathy, iridology, nutrition and herbal medicine before specialising in homoeopathy.

For the last 19 years Wendy has conducted a fulltime private practice as a Homoeopath and Reiki treatment practitioner. She currently operates the Wellspring Clinic in Chatswood, Sydney.

Wendy is an elder in the Australian Reiki community having first been initiated into the Reiki in 1985. She trained as a Reiki Master in 1995 and regularly conducts Reiki classes. Wendy is a founding member of Reiki Australia and currently manages the Professional Standards Team as well as being a director on the board.

Wendy has strong case management and organisational skills developed through overseeing a diverse caseload. She brings this clinical experience and a scientific perspective to the Professional Standards project.

Wendy was nominated by the CS&HI Skills Council as an Industry Refrence Group ( IRG) member for the Complementary and Alternative Health IRG.   The role of the IRG was to provide sector coverage for the review of the Health Training Package HLT02.

RA Board of Directors, Professional Standards Team member 

Sharron undertook her initial Reiki training in 1990, trained as a Reiki Master in 1996.  She regularly teaches Reiki classes and has a strong public treatment practice   She is also an accredited Clinical Hypnotherapist, and Counsellor, and a superviser for both the Australian Society of Clinical Hypnotherapists, and the Australian Counselling Association. Her diverse career background spans the Fine Arts, Retail, Information Technology and Healthcare industries. She has used her management and report writing skills to support a variety of community service programs in a voluntary capacity and has strong skills in communication, legal and ethical issues in complementary health disciplines, and managing voluntary staff. For the past 12 years she has operated a fulltime Hypnotherapy and Reiki treatment practice and brings to the project business, clinical and professional development experience.

Sharron's diverse clinical Reiki treatment experience allows her a unique opportunity to inform the development of professional Standards for Reiki. From her experience as a supervisor of hypnotherapists she also brings to the project a strong focus on professional development issues. This background has enabled her to offer supervised clinical practice for Reiki students in the absence of defined industry standards.

Sharron is a founding member of Reiki Australia and is a director on the board.

RA Director/Chair and Professional Standards Team member

Annabel completed Reiki First Degree in 1989 and received initiation as a Master in 1991, from which time she maintained a small Reiki teaching and treatment practice alongside her other work. In 2004 she retired from the paid workforce and continues to conduct Reiki First and Second Degree classes and to provide hands-on treatments in far north Queensland. Her Reiki practice also includes developing and facilitating, in conjunction with Reiki Australia member Mark Ruge, workshops that provide an opportunity for Reiki practitioners to explore more deeply the potential for personal and spiritual enrichment inherent in the Usui System.
Annabel joined the Professional Standards team in 2004. From almost 40 years working initially as a social worker, and later as an organisational consultant where her professional focus was on individual, management and team effectiveness, Annabel brought a broad range of skills to the team.
During the development of the draft Reiki treatment qualification for submission to the review of the Health Training Package, she was able to make a significant contribution with her background in designing training to address defined competencies; defining competencies and designing training for hospital staff; interpreting and ensuring compliance with Health Department accreditation standards; and provision of on-the-job supervision for social work and welfare students during their field work placements.  She holds a Certificate IV in Workplace Training and Workplace Assessment.
Annabel enjoys writing, assists with the production of and writes regularly for a community-based magazine in Cairns, and in 2001 co-authored a book, Turning Points. Regaining Joy after Loss, which deals with recovery after major life change.

Adviser (former member of the Professional Standards Team)

Eileen is a full time Reiki Practitioner and Master (teacher). She has her own private Reiki practice and has been practising Reiki professionally since 1991 and teaching since 1994. Eileen also has a background in yoga and meditation practice, which began in the late fifties and early sixties. From 1988 to 1995 she was a Shiatsu practitioner and educator, teaching Oriental Medicine Theory and supervising Shiatsu students in their clinical practice. She was a steering committee member and inaugural vice president of the Shiatsu Therapists Association of Australia (STAA). She has also trained in Therapeutic Touch (Krieger/Kunz method) and in Japanese Meridian Acupuncture. Eileen has experience in presenting workshops and talks at a variety of venues, such as local groups, community groups, medical centres, universities, major festivals, conferences and public meetings.

In 1992 Eileen created the Reiki Clinic at the Community Centre of the Windana Society in Melbourne . This clinic has been giving Reiki treatments to residents of the Windana Society's government-funded Drug and Alcohol Withdrawal Program. Partly staffed by volunteers, the clinic is fully supervised by a paid supervisor and conducted according to professional guidelines. It also now provides supervision and mentoring for student Reiki practitioners wishing to move into public practice. Since its inception in 1992 the Reiki Clinic has provided over two thousand treatments for residents in the Windana Drug Withdrawal House (DWH). Reiki treatments are also given to participants in other Windana programs such as the Community Integration Program. Eileen also established a Reiki clinic in a community health centre.

In 1995 Eileen together with Geraldine Milton co-authored a paper entitled "The Benefits of Reiki Treatment in Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Programs", based on the Windana experience. This paper was presented to The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) Australia `Pathways to Healing Conference' - the RCN's first national conference on complementary therapies. At the 2002 `21st International Conference of the World Federation of Therapeutic Communities (WFTC)' Eileen and Geraldine co-authored and presented a further paper which was an expansion of the findings presented to the 1995 RCN conference. At this same WFTC conference Eileen also ran a workshop providing information on the development of the Reiki Clinic at Windana for the benefit of those who were interested in establishing similar clinics at other Therapeutic Communities.

Eileen has a commitment to professionalism and ethical practice in the practice and teaching of Reiki and networks closely with Reiki Masters both nationally and internationally. She is a co-founder and inaugural President of the Reiki Association of Practitioners and Masters ( Australia ) Inc. (RAPMA); and member of the project group for development of the RAPMA Codes of Ethics and Professional Conduct. The experience of the Clinic at Windana strongly influenced these Codes. Eileen has been involved with Reiki Australia (formerly URPA) since its inception.

Founder and former Manager of Care and Education, Bloomhill Cancer Help

Adviser to the Professional Standards Team

Margaret has been nursing for the past 40 years.  For 30 of those years she has been specialising in palliative care.  She first became involved whilst working with the Blue Nursing Service in 1979 and presented her first paper at a national conference in Melbourne in 1984.  Since then she has had the opportunity to present papers at international (Cancer Nursing Conference in London in 1988) and national conferences.

Margaret has for the past five years been a guest lecturer at The University of Queensland involved in the education of 1st year medical students.

Along with a team of people Margaret has instigated four models for palliative care.  First was at ward 4B in The Prince Charles Hospital in Brisbane. The second was Karuna Hospice Service in Brisbane along with a Buddhist monk Pende Hawter.

Margaret was the coordinator of palliative Care Services for the Sunshine Coast District Health Service for four and a half years and has received numerous awards in recognition of her vast contributions and service to the community.  In 2002 Bloomhill Cancer Help was awarded the Inaugural Des Scanlan Memorial Award for the most outstanding community organisation.

Co-founder The Gawler Foundation and founder The Australian College of Supportive Care Medicine , Advisor to the Professional Standards Team

Grace co-founded The Gawler Foundation in the early eighties as a result of her partner's experience with cancer. She is recognised as a pioneer of the Australian self -help movement and has worked with 12,000 people affected by cancer over a thirty 30 career span. The use of safe touch as a tool for helping clients with relaxation and meditation is a skill that Grace developed as a result of spending time with Filipino healers, and it is an area that she continues to develop and practise as an important part of dealing with the negative affects of stress in body and mind and spirit. Grace qualified in Natural therapies, herbal medicine (trained by Dorothy Hall), sciences, counselling and studied in the USA with Ilana Rubenfeld, founder of The Rubenfeld Synergy Method.

In 1997 Grace had her experience as a patient with a life threatening condition following permanent nerve damage sustained during a routine surgical procedure. Fourteen more restorative surgeries over the ensuing seven years saw her undertaking a highly experimental bionic procedure at The Erasmus University Hospital in Rotterdam . The procedure, a world "first" for her condition was 100% successful and she is now a bionic woman.

Grace has 4 children and two grandchildren and resides in Brisbane where she founded The Australian College of Supportive Care Medicine in 2005. She continues with practitioner trainings, support groups and residential courses for women with cancer and as a public speaker promoting health awareness. She is also a published author. Visit: www.gawlersupport.com

Founder and President, The Hopewell Centre, Gold Coast, which includes Hopewell Hospice Services, Paradise Kids, Clare College of Transformative Education and the Living Well Centre
Adviser to the Professional Standards Team

Bachelor of Theology; Diplomas of Nutrition, Dietetics and Swedish Massage; Certificates in Transpersonal Psychotherapy and Counselling, Multi-Disciplinary Hospice Care (St Christopher's, London), Spiritual Direction and Retreat Leadership, Mindfulness Meditation, and The Work of Byron Katie; Winston Churchill Memorial Fellow (1995, Spiritual Care of Cancer Patients) studying hospice care, Christian and Zen Buddhist approaches to death and dying, and programs on health and wellbeing in England and North America. A student of integral philosopher Ken Wilber, she applies his All-Level-All-Quadrant Model to areas such as Wellness, Grief, Death and Dying, and has spoken at National and International Conferences on Palliative and Hospice Care, and Spiritual Care to the Dying. Lecturer in Palliative Care, Grief Counselling, Wellness and Stress Reduction, and leader for retreats and spiritual direction. Paradise Kids, designed by Deirdre, provides grief, loss and illness support for children, youth and families, from the death of a parent or sibling, to separation, divorce or abuse issues, as well as training `buddies' who offer Reiki, art, story telling, visualisation and meditation as inner life skills through a special program for children with terminal illnesses.

To learn more about the Hopewell Hospice Service click here

Adviser to the Professional Standards Team and former HLT02 Review Project Manager

Lisa Hare is a qualified psychologist, kinesiologist and Chiron Healing practitioner, also trained in Reiki, Body Harmony, Bio-energy and Rebirthing. She has over fifteen years' experience in alternative therapies, and teaches Kinergetics, Inner Harmony Bodywork and Chiron Healing in addition to her own personal development workshops. Lisa also teaches the Certificate IV in Assessment and Workplace Training. She is founding director of the Australian College of Vibrational Healing, a Registered Training Organisation that offers accredited courses in Natural Therapies, encompassing many forms of vibrational healing.

Lisa's clinical experience amounts to over 2500 hours, and she has over 2000 hours of training in various healing modalities. Her teaching experience totals over 1000 hours across a wide range of healing and transformational courses. As a professional counsellor, Lisa brings a depth of knowledge and life experience to her work, which focuses on the body's innate desire and ability to promote health and wellbeing.

Lisa also has over 30 years of experience in the field of Information Technology, including twenty years with BP Australia. During that time she completed over 1500 hours of technical and management training in Information Technology. Lisa has occupied a wide range of positions, from programming and systems programming to project and line management, culminating in a position as Computer Operations Manager at BP which involved management of over 80 staff.

Since 1989, Lisa has worked as a senior consultant for a variety of organisations, including Coles Myer, Challenge Bank, Telecom , Australia Post and National Mutual. Lisa has strong skills in standards and quality assurance, inter-personal communications, project management, strategic planning, staff training, career planing, recruitment and organisational change.

Advisor to the Professional Standards Team, Communications Officer, Newsletter Editor

Coralea began her formal journey as a natural therapies practitioner in 1991 when she completed the "Diploma in Swedish Therapeutic Massage'. Coralea was first initiated into the practice of Reiki (Usui Shiki Ryoho) in 1996 and undertook second level training in 1997. Coralea has operated a fulltime private practice since 1992 offering massage & Reiki treatments and currently practices at "The Crescent Place Integrated Health Centre" Nambour, Sunshine Coast.

Coralea brings knowledge and experience of clinical practice to Reiki Australia's project to establish professional Reiki treatment standards. She holds a Cert IV Assessment and Workplace Training & Cert IV Natural Therapies Swedish & Remedial Massage. In earlier years she conducted massage classes as an accredited teacher with Queensland Swedish Massage Institute.

In 1999 Coralea co-founded the Coastal Usui Reiki Clinic: a dedicated Reiki clinic with a high public profile. In addition to offering Reiki treatments, the clinic held frequent public presentations; raising awareness, demystifying Reiki and striving to provide a ground breaking model for professional standards in Reiki treatment practice.

Coralea has been actively involved with Reiki Australia since 2001. 
 

OAM, FACE Executive Director Hopewell Hospice Services 

Adviser to the Professional Standards team
 
Ian holds Bachelors degrees in Arts, Education and Divinity (BA, BEd, BD) from the University of Queensland.  Diplomas in Physical Education and Religious Education (Dip.PhysEd, Dip.RE).  Doctorate in Education (EdD) from Teachers College, Columbia University, and Union Theological Seminary, New York, Fellow of the Australian College of Education (FACE) Order of Australia Medal 2002 (OAM) Minister of the Uniting Church, past General Manager Lifeline Gold Coast, member of the District Health Council, member of the Regional Communities consultative Forum for Gold Coast City, member of the Palliative Care Association Gold Coast.  Dr Mavor is currently the Executive Director of Health Services for Hopewell Hospice and plays a key role in courses offered by Clare College of Transformative Education.

Click here to read about Hopewell Hospice Services

Consultant Ethicist , Adviser to the Professional Standards Team Member

Geraldine Milton is a highly qualified Registered Nurse and Midwife with a Graduate Diploma in Nursing Education, and Bachelors Degree in Community Nursing. She also holds a Masters Degree in Bioethics, and is a teacher and practitioner of Therapeutic Touch (Krieger/Kunz method), which has some similarities to Reiki. She was previously a Senior Lecturer at the School of Nursing at Monash University in Melbourne , where she worked for 11 years. During that time she was a member of the University's Standing Committee for Ethical Approval of Research on Humans for 6 years. Her main teaching focus at the University was in the area of bioethics, complementary medicine/therapies, midwifery and community nursing.

Geraldine has presented papers on a wide variety of subjects both locally and overseas, including ethical issues related to client choice/autonomy,  introduction of complementary therapies into the core nursing curriculum, ethics of research into complementary medicine (presented at a large medical forum in Munich) etc. She was a member of a small working party convened to advise the Board on proposed guidelines for nurses in relation to the use of complementary therapies within mainstream health care in Victoria . She was also a member of a small team convened to develop the first Standards of Midwifery Practice which were later adopted as the National Midwifery Standards.

Geraldine received initiation and training into 1st and 2nd degree stage of the practice of Reiki and is a member of Reiki Australia . She is very interested in assisting in the development of a professional practitioner course for Reiki practice, and has worked with two curriculum development teams over the last few years to develop a course at Cert 1V and Diploma level. She is currently a Maternal and Child Health nurse working in independent practice for the Shire of Mornington in Victoria .

We acknowledge Geraldine's contribution in being instrumental in developing the first draft of the Reiki treatment practice qualification. Geraldine has recently moved into other areas to support Reiki Australia i.e. Ethics Committee and Practitioner Development.

Coordinator of the Solaris Care Cancer Support Centre in Perth , WA
Advisor to the Professional Standards Team

David Oliver is the Coordinator of the Solaris Care Cancer Support Centre in Perth , Western Australia . He was appointed when the Centre opened in September 2001. The Centre is centrally located in Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital , a major public teaching and research hospital. The Centre's goal is to provide information and support, and access to safe, supervised complementary therapies. The Centre receives 150 visitors per week.

David has a lot of experience working with volunteers and with complementary therapies. He draws on his knowledge from a wide background of interests including adult education 1994 - 2001, small business 1980 - 2001 and complementary therapies 1980 - 2004. He has an extensive interest and experience in holistic therapies and philosophies and believes in integrating their best aspects into mainstream practice.

David has worked with people from all walks of life and believes in the strength and goodness of the human spirit to reach beyond itself to be of service to others.

(RA Director, Professional Standards Team member)

Dianne completed a Bachelor of Nursing Science in Canada in 1975 and worked in clinical, research and education arenas initially in Canada and subsequently in Australia. Her interest in holistic care has led her to work as a volunteer in Haiti and later in India. After completing a Master of Nursing Studies in Australia, Dianne promoted ecological public health by conducting `Health and Wellbeing' workshops in vastly different forums. She edited a book `The Ecological Self in Australian Nursing' (Royal College of Nursing 1996).  For ten years, Dianne operated a private business supplying 'environmentally friendly' cleaning and personal care products through which she promoted community education on holistic health and ecological sustainability.

After a life changing experience, Dianne was initiated into Reiki I and II in the healing system of Usui Shiki Ryoho in Melbourne in 1996. Since initiation as a Reiki Master in 1997, Dianne works as a Reiki practitioner and teacher. She was drawn to Reiki recognising it as a gentle system of natural healing, easy to use in everyday situations, harmless to the natural environment and supportive of total wellbeing of individuals, family health and animals. She finds Reiki complementary to her interests in holistic self-care, yoga and meditation.

Dianne attended the Third National Reiki Conference in October 2006 at which she participated in a Reiki Master Circle. She was subsequently invited to join Reiki Australia's Professional Development Team.

From her nursing practice and attendance at various national forums, Dianne has recognised there is an acute need for the acceptance of national standards of Reiki practice in order for Reiki to be incorporated into public health care.

Dianne brings skills and knowledge gained through her nursing career, personal studies and her diverse experiences with Reiki.  Dianne is keen to explore the possibilities of integrating the various paradigms of holistic nursing, ecology and complementary therapies in health care.