MONICA WALSH is a natural healer whose gifts manifested spontaneously and unsolicited in 1990 when, chronically exhausted from 10 years' debilitating illness, she had just given up a hectic job in TV programme-making to create the time to heal herself. A translator by profession (she holds the UK Institute of Linguists' post-graduate level Diploma in Translation), she had decided to freelance in her two areas of expertise. The last thing she expected was to find herself, within months, with a healing practice building by word of mouth. By 1993 she was a full-time healer and by 1995 her work had been featured on 5 TV programmes, including the "Gift Healers Experiment" organised by "Kenny Live" (Ireland's prime time talk show), in which she was pronounced "100 percent successful in the experiment". Extremely rare aspects of her gift are "laser" and "dynamic" healing: she is believed to be the only such healer in Ireland

12 years of bilingual posts with international organisations in Paris & Rome, including UN assignments in several African countries, gave her extensive experience in technical translation and interpreting, as well as international conference organisation, before returning to RTE Television in Dublin where she worked on some of Ireland's best-loved TV programmes, including features, current affairs, documentaries, arts and drama. She also writes, has had articles, stories and poetry published, and is working on a book.

By 1990, major health problems and the impossibility of recovery without rest compelled her to give up her job, and to do so she also had to sell her home. Within a few months of this traumatic upheaval the healing gift manifested, through direct touch. The mystical experiences which preceded this moment were shared with no-one: it took her a year to accept them herself. Not till she was a full-time healer 3 years later did she begin to speak of how she came to know that the source of the healing energies for which she is a channel is divine. For one who formerly had no belief in a higher power, the revelations were transformational and gave her the faith that sustained her from that day forward. But note, she is not a faith healer: clients do not need to share her belief system, nor does she speak of it unless invited.

The years that followed brought relentless challenge and change as she accepted her spiritual path and the material foundations of her world fell apart. From 1991 a healing practice was growing by word of mouth referral while by day she was a freelance translator & interpreter, but by 1993 she was at a crossroads. A 3-year freelance translator contract offer with the European Commission & Parliament Headquarters arrived. It had become impossible to do both: her choice was made.

Monica has now been using her healing gifts for 15 years, working with a vast range of problems - physical, mental and emotional. Testimonies to her speciality with the musculo-skeletal system (especially damaged discs, trapped nerves & torn ligaments) were given on all TV programmes. She has also given a number of seminars on spiritual healing for healers and therapists, as well as spiritual awareness and spiritual self-healing courses.

A registered Healer Member of the NFSH (National Federation of Spiritual Healers) UK, she is also a member of the UK Doctor-Healer Network.

Monica is interested in collaborating with serious medico-scientific research into healing and would particularly welcome approaches from specialists in orthopaedic or neuro-surgery.