Council of the Reiki Association

William Mitchell - Council member

I was born just north of London, but grew up in the West Highlands of Scotland before moving to Edinburgh for school and university.

At Edinburgh I studied Electrical and Electronic Engineering, then at the Victoria University Manchester for a masters in Computer Science, followed by 3 years post Graduate research into Digital Signal Processing. My career took me into the Civil Service. Taking early retirement as a Principle Scientist this was followed by 12 years as a Trustee of the Alzheimers Society, and a number of years as a trustee of an Advocacy Trust for those with Learning Difficulties.

I was introduced to Reiki when involved with a series of retreat weekends, before being initiated into Reiki 1 by Phyllis Furumoto in 2003. Joining TRA soon after, I have attended most of the Gatherings since.

After 10 years training with Phyllis Furumoto I was initiated as a Master in Kyoto in 2017, an amazing privilege with an amazing group of Masters.

I have always supported the TRA, initiating its move into social media by creating the TRA Facebook page which has continued to grow, also acting as the link for the Shares section of the website. Now having been accepted on the Council I will continue to serve to the best of my ability.

I continue to work from home, treating, as well as now teaching, and continuing to hold Reiki shares locally. I also facilitate Transformation Games , as well as being a soul midwife amongst many other things.

Louise Peeters - Council member

I was born, raised and formally educated in the West Midlands , graduating from the University of Birmingham in 1987 with a B.Soc.Sc (Hons) in Social Administration. Following 4 years in business as a Business Analyst for Federal Express’ European marketing department I took redundancy and started my own businesses; recycling motor vehicles and then, fitting and selling tyres with a female friendly focus.

In 1987 my partner ( now my husband) and I moved to a smallholding in rural Mid Wales and I personally spent three years transforming a derelict farmhouse into a home. I remain self-employed and after 15 years running beach donkeys on the Welsh coast, and retraining as an Equine Assisted Learning Facilitator I now run my own centre. I offer therapeutic interactions with my herd of 10 donkeys and 3 horses, chickens and dogs to adults and children who are facing numerous challenges in life including autism and mental ill health, and immersive donkey experiences to the wider public.

Reiki came into my life via a very special horse and led me to my Reiki Master who literally lives just over the hill. I was initiated into 1st degree in 2008 and 2nd degree two years later after joining TRA and attending my first gathering in 2010.

My work with TRA began slowly as Keeper of the Archive and then last September I was asked to take up the role of Animal Reiki liaison officer. Part of this role was to represent TRA on the working group of the Reiki Council developing standards for practitioners and courses for Animal Reiki Practitioners to build credibility and acceptance for those working with animals with the wider professional community. I was subsequently asked to represent TRA on the Reiki Council which I have been doing since March. I am also a signed up as a practitioner for the new Reiki Medic-Care initiative.

Reiki is a cornerstone to my life helping me to manage my physical and spiritual wellbeing, support the wellbeing of my menagerie of animals and giving me the comfort and security of being part of an inclusive, non-judgemental community. I embrace the challenge of serving on Council.

Diane Tyrrell - Council member

I was born in Lord Brockets Hall, in Hertfordshire, little knowing the story behind this until later in life, but was raised in North London until I married, when we moved to East London due to the nature of my husband’s job. Then moving four year’s later to South Hornchurch Essex.

In London I studied business, accounting and management and my working life has been in senior administration being employed by Bovril, Boosey & Hawkes, IBM and finally working for the NHS. This is when I branched out into project management after taking a course in Leadership Management and finally ending up by taking a Teaching Degree with Greenwich University as, at the time, typewriters were being replaced by Computers and I was asked to teach the staff. Alongside this I was very interested in complementary therapies and my calling into Reiki was in 2001 when, after a treatment, I immediately wanted to learn this. I then took Reiki II in 2002 and four years later in 2006 was initiated as a Master after intensive study, and having, by then, a healing practice which served both the NHS and the wider community. In 2008 I had the opportunity to leave the NHS after 16 years and set up my own company in therapies and teaching after having learnt other complementary therapies which I now practice and teach.

I joined TRA in 2009 and have been part of the Grassroots team as well as serving on the Care Service since I joined which has been an integral part of my reiki life. I was recently accepted to become the Co-ordinator for the Care Service which I am enjoying very much, meeting such lovely likeminded people. I now feel it is my time to put more energies into the Reiki Association so am part of the Reiki Medic-Care group and am also now part of the Reiki for Animals team helping to build trust and acceptance with both veterinary practices and the community as I feel Reiki for Animals is much needed at this time with the way the planet is. At the last Gathering I was both humble and yet gratefully happy to be accepted onto Council and my aim is to serve the members in any way I can.

However, my true passion is healing which has become a huge part of my life and always will be. It has taught me well; true acceptance of what is and what will be, given with unconditional love to all those who need it. I regularly run Reiki shares from home and offer healing to those less fortunate like ex service people with Post Traumatic Stress, animal rescue centres and charities such as Alzheimer’s, Cancer and the Heart Foundation, which are all dear to my heart, by running events to raise funds for them. This is with no financial gain to myself.

I am so blessed that I have Reiki in my life and have found it to open up to beautiful experiences and to meeting such lovely, accepting, likeminded people who I am so happy to know. It has certainly helped during difficult times in my life both physically, mentally and emotionally for which I will always be grateful.

Ahn Thatcher - Council member

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