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About Deirdre Gough

Deirdre brings to her work a broad range of experience and knowledge gained from four decades in the fields of psychotherapy, massage, aromatherapy and shamanic healing. In 1990 she returned to the U.K. after spending seventeen years in the U.S.A. where she received formal training in Therapeutic Massage and related disciplines. Currently she is in private practice in Southwest London.

Daughter of former dancer at Ballet Rambert and dress designer Annie Gough and illustrious military father Hugh Patrick Gough, Deirdre grew up with a strong sense of both graceful style and practical commitment to life. While her maternal Grandfather, entrepreneur and self made business man Horace Kilian taught her the satisfaction, pleasure and responsibility of running her own business.

In early 70's Deirdre's world shifted, she started to explore anthropology and to travel. During her time in America she was included into a Wiccan circle, as a priestess. Prior to that she studied Yoga in the U.S.A., Canada and the Bahamas with Swami Vishnudevananda at the Sivananda Ashrams. After achieving her Teacher Training qualification, she returned to London to start a Yoga studio, teaching Hatha Yoga and Meditation.

Deirdre subsequently moved to the U.S.A. to open "Sunshine Herbs" in Ashland, Oregon, a shop specialising in medicinal herbs and natural health products. For seven years she acted as an adviser on alternative health care and nutrition, in close collaboration with local physicians. She studied anatomy and physiology at Southern Oregon State College, and gained an Oregon State License in Massage Therapy through the Oregon School of Massage. She trained under Jack Schwarz, a world-renowned authority of voluntary controls and human energy systems, at the Aletheia Institute of Massage & Psycho-physical Studies where she completed the following courses: 'The dynamic relationship between the immune system, intuition and human energy', 'Energy in motion with light, colour and sound', 'The psychological dimensions of massage' and 'Exploring the paraconscious'. She was invited to join the staff at the Institute's Massage School, teaching Sports, and Therapeutic Massage. For three years she gave hydrotherapy and massage treatments as part of a team running the Institute's three day Personal Health Training courses.

During her 15 years in Ashland Deirdre and her family lived on a ranch in the Siskiyou Mountains breeding Crabbet Arabian horses. Both herself and her two daughters trained and showed these magnificent English Arabs at dressage and show jumping.

In 1983 Deirdre set up a private massage practice in Ashland, Oregon, specialising in Aromatherapy, Sports Massage and P.N.F. (physiotherapy). She undertook additional training at "Innerweave" with Patrice Morency, acquiring extensive experience of working with athletes 'in the field'. While living in the USA, Deirdre's other teachers included Donna Eden at Innersource (Touch for Health) and Richard Duree at the Association of Specialised Kinesiologists; in addition she took courses in Crystal Healing, Reflexology, Aromatherapy, Chinese Medicine and Martial Arts, and participated in workshops with Ron Kurtz, a pioneer of the Hakomi method of Body-centred psychotherapy.

A deep and abiding influence on Deirdre's work has been her association with Sandy Goodman, a traditional Reichian therapist for over fifty years. He knew Reich personally and is one of the very few people worldwide to operate professionally in a purely Reichian way. Since 1986 Sandy has been an invaluable friend and mentor to Deirdre, guiding her in her personal life and passing on his methods of working with clients. Sandy died on 17th April 2012. He is very much missed by everyone who knew him. He was an inspriation, a stickler for the truth and uncompromising in his work. His life was a celebration of aliveness.

Back home in the UK (1991) Deirdre participated in the intensive seven-year training programme at the Chiron Centre for Body Psychotherapy. After three years she received her certification in Holistic Psychotherapy and Biodynamic Massage. In her four-year post-graduate phase at Chiron she trained as a group facilitator, studied Somatic Trauma Therapy with Babette Rothschild, saw clients under supervision and assisted on the third year Gestalt Course with Michael Soth. She also took external courses with, and later assisted, Michael Gavin and Michael Randolf, facilitating RADIX groups. At this time she taught P.N.F. at the London School of Sports Massage (LSSM).

In 1998, while travelling in Thailand, Deirdre was awarded her Certification in Traditional Thai Massage after studying at the Institute of Thai Massage in Chiang Mai. Returning to England later that same year, she wanted to find a way of merging Eastern philosophies with living and working in a Western culture by integrating her work, relationships, life and spiritual practice in London.

In August 1999 Deirdre decided to participate in the longest organized motorcycle trip to date organized by Nick Sanders. This expedition would ride from NYC to Alaska and back again on Triumph sport motorbikes, over 12,000 miles in 26 days. She felt she had arrived at a cross road and needed to review everything in her life believing that by pushing herself mentally and physically with this challenging task it would act as a modern day vision quest. On her return to London her life questions seemed clear.

Following her discovery of Tantra and Taoism, in the mid 90's she embarked on a one-year couples training with John Hawken and Monica Entmayr of Skydancing UK, and later undertook further study with the Thai Toaist Master Mantak Chia. Since 1998 she has participated in many courses with Sarita and Geho at the Anglo-French School of Awakening Tantra. It was the latter who introduced her to Tachyon energy and the theory of verticality. Between 2000 and 2004 Deirdre completed the tachyon practitioner courses as well as the three levels of The Quality of One with Sarita and David Wagner. David pioneered the tachyonization process and created the Tachyon Institute for Spirituality and Science in the USA.

At the end of 2000 and early in 2001 Deirdre was working with Mark Issott, Founder of the Sacred Angel School of Healing, and was initiated into Reiki and the lesser-known Violet Fire energy. She found that the latter, along with the tachyon, craniosacral and holotropic breathwork, not only began to transform her own energy practices but also were powerful tools for use with clients. Mark introduced Deirdre to India and they travelled to the South exploring the temples and ancient sites of Tamil Nadu. In 2007 and again in 2009 Deirdre returned to India where she felt a deep soul connection. She spent many weeks visiting the sacred sites of Rajsthan and Northern India, participating in ritual and particularly enjoying the holy cities of Varanasi, Khajuraho, Jaisalmer and Pushkar. She also visited Pune and the Osho ashram soaking up the controversial tantra Master's teachings before heading south to Kerala, the home of Ayurvedic medicine.

When, towards the end of 2003 Deirdre became aware of problems in her wrist and shoulder due to over twenty years of practising massage, a friend suggested she explore the NO HANDS® massage technique. This intrigued her and she subsequently participated in both the Foundation and Practitioners courses, obtaining certification and license in this unique form of massage created by Gerry Pyves, Founder/Director of The No Hands® Massage Company.

In the spring of 2006 Kristina Fitzsimmons and Deirdre decided to travel to Japan to visit the sacred gardens and temples of Kyoto, Miajima and Mount Koya. Kristina is a friend and renowned garden designer and had designed a tantric garden for Deirdre some years earlier. Japan offered them both a glimpse of an age old culture as they learned about the art of Japanese gardens, participated in Tea Ceremony, attended Fire Rituals and meditated with Buddhist monks.

Since her experience with yoga in the early 70’s pranayama and breathing techniques have been an important element in Deirdre’s life, so in 2006 when she came across Holotropic Breathwork, (developed by Stan Grof), she joined a group run by Marianne Murray and Michael Breer. This group is an ongoing pleasure and delight, being a gentle way of exploring the self and developing awareness. In 2010 Anthony Fidler, one of the group members, introduced Deirdre to Seitai a Japanese Healing art and philosphy of life. After an introductory workshop with Kayo Tatebi, Deirdre hopes to deepen her training in Seitai studying in Europe with Kayo or perhaps a return trip to Japan.

Deirdre's life path has led her to experience and study the mind/body/spirit matrix for most of her adult life. Her understanding of healing, and work with energy has led to her perception of the world as one in which there is no separation between mind and matter. During her initiatory crises, she underwent an intrapersonal metamorphosis, which forced her to draw on previously untapped energies and strengths. One thread of this rich tapestry is Shamanism. Her teachers include, Simon Buxton - Founder/Director of The Sacred Trust and the UK Faculty for The Foundation for Shamanic Studies; Nicholas Noble Wolf - a North American Shaman from Colorado and caretaker of the Earth Renewal Ceremony; Howard Charing - Eagle's Wing; Ross Heaven - Vodou Shaman and author and Sandra Ingerman - author, former Educational Director of the Foundation for Shamanic Studies in the USA and teacher of Medicine for the Earth. In the summer of 2006 Deirdre was invited by Simon Buxton in collaboration with Greg and Anne Laws of Openmind Training, to participate in a Pilgrimage to the Kalahari Desert in Botswana to live with and share healing work with the San (Bushmen) who are accepted as the oldest living culture on the planet. She gave and received healing from trance dance shamans, was given the San name of Qamou, and received the gift of n/om (inner life force) from her San family. "I have never met more open and loving people, so powerful in their gentleness".

Select the following link to view video of a San healing dance (16MG, MPG)

Trance dance had captured Deirdre's body and soul, especially after her experience with the Kalahari San. So in 2008 when she received an invitation from Nicholas Noblewolf to come to Wolf Creek Canyon Ranch, Colorado and participate in an Earth Renewal Ceremony on the southern Ute reservation Deirdre readily accepted. It had taken her eight years since first meeting Nick and his wife Anne to know this was the right moment for her to attend. Nick says that "It is sometimes said that a person does not choose to dance the Earth Renewal, but the Earth Mother chooses the person. To dance and sing and fast for three days is a personal offering for the Earth, for ourselves, for our families and for all." In early 2009 Deirdre discovered Argentine Tango - it is an improvised dance, a conversation of two bodies totally present to each other, moving with the music. It would seem to combine, Tantra, Therapy, Meditation and relationship, offering a lifelong path of personal re-invention and transformation – a lifestyle, a spiritual path. Argentine Tango requires a deep, mutual connection, a balance of yin/yang energy both within oneself and in the embrace. Having become totally enamoured with this dance, Deirdre travelled to Buenos Aires in the Spring of 2011 and again in Spring 2012 to experience the tango lifestyle at it’s very roots. She found it was intense, challenging and ultimately delightfully satisfying.

Deirdre's particular current interest lies in the interaction of shamanism, quantum physics, body psychotherapy and massage. Her approach to life upholds the importance of personal choice; authenticity; accepting responsibility for one's actions; acknowledging human beings as unique and whole; exploring subjective experience and seeking a meaningful life through personal growth. As a practitioner she looks at a client's needs in regards to their entire being and within the context of their environment and circumstances.

At this time Deirdre continues to explore and integrate her own spiritual practice in harmony with her work, her family and her life in London.

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About Deirdre Gough
Putney Massage & Wellbeing Clinic
London SW15, UK