Debbie Irvine

Personal Profile

Qualifications:

Master of Counselling (UQ) 2016
Post Grad Cert. Suicide Prevention (Griffith University) 2015
B.A. Major in Religious Studies (UQ) 2012-2013
B.A. (U.Canterbury N.Z.) 1979
Dip T. (N.Z.) 1979
L.T.C.L. Violin Performance1981
B.A. Majors in Music, English, History (U.Canterbury N.Z.) 1979

Trainings:

Priestess Training Fellowship of Isis- Rev. Dr. Normandi Ellis 2023-2025
Shamanic Training with Dr. Hank Wesselman, Nicki Scully, 2017-2021,
DrLewisMehl-Madrona 2018-2023
Active Dream Training Robert Moss 2017-2022
Reiki Levels 1&2 USA 2015 with Vice-President USA Reiki Assoc.
Jungian 1Yr Cert. Introduction to GAP with Marie Makinson 2014
Spiritual Care of the Dying Level 1&2 with Chodron, Karuna Hospice 2013, 2014.

Presentations:

Portal to Ascension, Glastonbury (Eng.) 2024 Shamanic Drumming Opening Ceremony, Presentation and Shamanic Tour Avebury with Pete and Sue Knight
International Association for the Study of Dreams (IASD) 2021 Annual Conference: “The Power of Dreams: Death and Rebirth as The Wounded-Healer and Dream-Shaman”. My personal dream-guided healing journey.
Interview: 2021 RadioFM88 Australia/Youtube/Spotify/Google with Jeff Shaw and Julia: Dream the New Dream

Workshops: Dream and Shamanic - 2017 onwards

Brisbane Australia, Canada, USA, Ireland, England

Publications:

Essays in books

"Ascension" Sacred Stories Pub 2022.
"Shamanism" Sacred Stories Pub 2023.
"Lifetimes" Sacred Stories Pub 2025
Growlife Medical Essay Competition Winner 2021.

Early Life and Family

Education and Early Career

Move to Australia and Musical Pursuits

Health Challenges and Transformation

Personal Growth and Advocacy

Advanced University Studies and Healing Work

Master of Counselling Clinical Training, Research and Healing

Continued Education in Suicidology

Travels, Spiritual Exploration, and Trainings in DreamWork and Shamanism

Published Stories

Sound Healing, and Advanced Shamanic and Dreamwork Training

Sacred Travel and Mystical Experiences

The Divine Feminine and Priestess Path

Ritual, Community, and Dreamwork

Dreams, Visions, and Intuitive Guidance

Integrative Practice and Healing Modalities

Embodied Spirituality and Ongoing Learning

Intuition, Trauma, and Safety

The Process of Healing and Transformation

Support, Guidance, and Inspiration

I was born in New Zealand, where my father’s work and studies took our family to many major cities. Growing up surrounded by nature—on farms, orchards, and agricultural research stations—instilled in me a deep love for the natural world. This connection, along with mystical experiences and a rich dream life, became my guide and support during years of illness and isolation.

My father earned a PhD in Botany, and my mother, a Fine Arts graduate, became a widely recognized artist in New Zealand. Our family encouraged a passion for both science and the arts. Although I had two younger siblings, I often led a solitary life, spending time reading, journaling, and taking music lessons in piano and later violin.

At eighteen, I returned to Christchurch to study at the University of Canterbury, initially pursuing a Diploma in Violin Performance. After two years, I changed direction and completed a B.A. in Music, English, and History, along with a Teacher’s College Diploma.

After marrying, we moved to Invercargill, where I taught high school English and Music, conducted the school orchestra, and completed my LTCL (Licentiate of Trinity College London) in Violin Performance with additional lessons through Otago University.

In 1982, we relocated to Brisbane, Australia. I specialized in teaching strings in primary and high schools and conducted youth orchestras until 2005. I continued my violin studies and performed with local professional and community orchestras.

In 2005, I began experiencing unexplained fatigue and muscle cramps, leading to a diagnosis of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia. By 2008, I retired due to Total and Permanent Disability.

My condition worsened in 2009, requiring wheelchairs for mobility and resulting in the loss of most capacities to read, write, or socialize, except for supporting my three artistic children and husband.

That year, I was re-diagnosed with life-threatening Primary Immune Deficiency (CVID), necessitating monthly hospital infusions of immunoglobulins (IVIG) for the rest of my life. In 2010, I was also diagnosed with critical hypertension.

After separating from my husband in 2010, I supported my three sons until 2012.

During this period, I participated in PFLAGQA+ and Al-Anon for support and community connection.

For a year (2010-2011), I underwent weekly hospital outpatient physiotherapy to improve my mobility, proprioception, coordination, and cognitive skills.

In 2012-2013, I returned to Queensland University on disability support, continuing studies in Phenomenology of Religion, Buddhism, Hinduism, Jung, Psychology of Religion, History of Science, Religion and Magic, and Spirituality in Everyday Life, completing a major.

As my cognitive abilities healed, I was accepted into a Master of Counselling at UQ in 2013, specializing in neuro-psychotherapy and the Biopsychosocial-Spiritual Model of Healing.

From 2013-2014, I trained in Spiritual Care of the Dying with Chodron, a Buddhist nun and social worker with Karuna Hospice.

In 2014, I joined the Jung Society and completed a year of Introductory Study with GAP (Guild of Analytical Psychology, London) with my Jungian psychotherapist Marie Makinson.

In 2015, I travelled to the USA and Montreal for conferences and Reiki training, attending The AfterLife Conference, The IASD (Dream) Conference, and The World Congress on Suicide (IASP) in Montreal.

In 2016, I travelled to India and Nepal for clinical counselling practicum and worked with a Brisbane organization supporting disabled and mentally ill clients.

My Master of Counselling research focused on Auto-Ethnography and the Role of the Wounded-Healer, exploring how shared wounds can heal both healer and client. Remarkably, my body began to remake immunoglobulins, leading to reduced IVIG treatments. Twice during 2016, this provided biological proof of healing within the Biopsychosocial-spiritual Model I was counselling with.

My healing continued with eventual discharge from hospital care in 2018. By 2019, antibody tests showed normal and healthy functioning, and I was discharged from Renal Physician oversight, having reduced my critical BP to acceptable levels and minimum medications.

Between 2015-2017, I completed a Post-Grad Certificate in Suicide Prevention and most of a Masters of Suicidology at Griffith University.

In 2017, I travelled to South America for Ayahuasca ceremonies, spending two months in Peru.

I then travelled to the USA to study Dreamwork with Robert Moss, and Shamanic Training with Dr Hank Wesselman. These trainings deepened my ongoing online studies with them, Sandra Ingerman, and Dr Lewis Mehl-Madrona from 2017-2022.

My essays “My Shamanic Healing” with Hank Wesselman, and “Compassion and Healing of Christ” about my mystical connections with Mary and Christ in Santiago Cathedral, Chile, have been published by Sacred Stories Publishing.
I returned to the USA in 2019 to study Egyptian Shamanism with Nicki Scully and again with Hank Wesselman on “The Path of The Mystic.”
In 2019, I added further Egyptian Shamanic trainings and Alchemical Healing in person and online with Dr. Normandi Ellis and Zahra Indigo Ronlov.

As a musician, I found drumming to be a powerful medium for healing and energy work. I trained in Sound Healing during 2018-2019 and included it in my counselling and healing work.

I continued advanced shamanic and Dreamwork teaching in Canada (2017-2018 and 2022-2023), including drumming in the Rockies.

In 2022, I completed Master Teacher in DreamWork and Psychopomp training with Robert Moss in the USA and presented a Masterclass on “Working with the Sidhe.” I have worked with the Sidhe (Celtic Third Dimensional Beings) since 2017, when they connected with me in the USA.

In November 2023 and again in February 2025, I travelled to Egypt with my teacher Normandi Ellis and Auset Rohn, experiencing meaningful dreams and mystical connections, including a profound relationship with Mother Mary in the Coptic Church in Cairo. My experiences have been published in the book “Lifetimes” with Sacred Stories Publishing.

The Divine Feminine and Priestess Path
The Divine Feminine and Goddess traditions have become central to my healing and spiritual growth. I have deepened my studies with Dr Normandi Ellis, formally undertaking the Priestess Path through her Per Ank Het Seshet (PAHS) training, which I began in 2023 and am set to complete in Egypt in 2026.

In 2024, I toured Ireland, drumming at sacred sites and attending workshops at Lorna Byrne’s Angel Sanctuary. I visited the Fellowship of Isis home in Clonegal and participated in the Portal to Ascension Conference in Glastonbury, drumming with English shamans during the conference and at Avebury sacred stone circles.

Since childhood, I have experienced prophetic dreams, mystical visions, and intuitive guidance. These have shaped my journey, guiding me through personal transformation and healing.
I presented my Hero’s Journey at the International Association for the Study of Dreams Conference in 2021, titled “The Healing Power of Dreams: From Death to Rebirth as The Wounded-Healer and Dream-Shaman.” It is included on this website.

Since 2017, I have practiced as a Counsellor, developing a synthesis of counselling psychotherapy, journal writing, dreamwork, shamanic work, and sound healing. My Reiki and Alchemical Healing trainings add intuitive and energetic layers to my practice. I prefer longer, workshop-style sessions to allow for deeper transformation and integration.

I use a combination of theoretical and embodied spiritual modalities to help clients access their mental, emotional, physical, and etheric bodies, as well as the soul and subconscious. My ongoing journey of self-healing informs my compassionate, patient, and joyful approach to deep, transformative work.

Recognizing intuition and understanding how our bodies hold memories and warnings has been crucial to my healing. Early trauma can shut down these signals and emotional awareness.

Restoring safety, trust, care, respect, empathy, and compassion is essential to reclaiming one’s body wisdom, authentic truth, sovereignty, and re-empowerment.

Healing is a gradual process, punctuated by breakthroughs and insights. Self-compassion and courage are gifts we give ourselves, and as we heal, we help heal others and the world. Every small transformation ripples outward, healing our world.

I know the challenges of healing and transformation. My role is to provide support, companionship, guidance, and empowerment, drawing from my training and personal experiences. If my writings, dreams, visions, and healings inspire you, I am happy. I do not promise miracles, though magic does happen. What I do promise is a rich journey of self-discovery.

“Pain stays trapped in our bodies waiting to be released through choice, through love, and through self-compassion.”
— Debbie Irvine, from “Death and Rebirth in Cairo.”

As Hank Wesselman, my shamanic teacher, always reminded us:

“Life is a Mystery to be lived with Reverence, Humility, and Gratitude.”