About Heather Ray

I was a bit of a troublemaker in school, and my teachers either loved me or hated me, a bit like Marmite. (Not Vegemite.. Urgh gross 😉) It wasn't until later that I was diagnosed with dyslexia and ADHD that I understood, retrospectively, my behaviour and lack of attention. I was lucky enough to have two teachers in my formative years (11-13) who "got me", quite incredible humans, and in tandem with one another, their influence has always shone in my heart.

Mr Spedding was my year 6 teacher. We were both new to the school, and I remember him walking into our classroom with hiking boots, a hiking shirt, and a sense of adventure that spread from his energy into our classroom about learning. He was involved with Harvard University Project Zero and taught us through exploration and innovation. We learned all the different ways we were smart and how to honour our strengths and embrace our unique qualities.

Then came Matt Lynch when I was starting year 7. It was his first year as a teacher in our school, fresh-faced and inspired to inspire, and boy, did he do that. He was my theatre teacher. I still remember our first class when he got us to stand on stage in silence to challenge our idea of what theatre was. Matt deep-dived us into philosophy through the lens of theatre, in a way that set a fire inside my sprit and opened up an unquenchable thirst for self-exploration.

I was blessed to have these mentors in my life from such a young age and when things in my life derailed, as of course they will, I had the foundations set for navigating through the chaos.

Those two contrasting experiences created a burning inside of me to understand who I was and, simultaneously, a deep-rooted fear that lasted well into my adult years that I would "catch" or "inherit" this mental illness.

My decision to study applied theatre and education came from some deep soul searching, more loss and a desire to offer the best of what I could to communities that could benefit. I worked in London with some fantastic organisations, Cardboard Citizens, to name one, a charity that used theatre and storytelling to empower homeless young adults, and when I was offered a job teaching drama in a school in Hong Kong, I jumped onto the opportunity for a new adventure.

There, I found my footing in the pursuit of Chinese kung fu. I was very fortunate to have been introduced to the late Grandmaster Chu Shong Tin, and spent the best part of seven years training with him and his students, teaching and running a business that taught martial arts, mental health and mediation.

I moved to Cyprus in 2013 to study with the daughter of a renowned mystic and healer and began a 5 year deep dive into energy healing and psychotherapy.

In the meantime, I began feeling a strong calling to write and share what I had been teaching and learning all these years. I quickly discovered how much I loved writing for children and finding simple ways to convey complex messages visually, which, ironically, many adults resonate with.

I've been extremely fortunate in the last few years to have developed some strong relationships in the field of education. Liverpool John Moores University has been an absolute champion of my work, and I feel so grateful to have their support and academic lens, keeping my fingers on the pulse of new, innovative ways to develop programs for children with their voice at the centre, as the experts of their own worlds. I'm passionate about continuing to explore pathways for genuine exploration and inspire a love of learning and self-development just like Mr Spedding and Matt helped me all these years ago when I was at my most impressionable.

I look forward to developing more meaningful partnerships and meeting more incredible therapists, teachers, parents and, of course, children who resonate with my books and well-being programs. I'm excited every day by what I do, and I take so much pleasure in witnessing the unfolding of the journey.

Peace and love

Heather