‘Getting to know….’ is a questions and answers style interview with people working, living or connected with County Wicklow in some way.

The first person to be interviewed for this new feature on Wicklow.com news is Erica McKinney..

Erica is a healer and life coach with a business called Pathway to the Soul. Originally from Dublin, Erica now lives in County Wicklow and runs workshops, classes and consultations locally and in Dublin, Kilkenny, Wexford and Westmeath to name but a few.

Prior to moving into the healing and life coach field, Erica worked for 17 years in Irish financial institutions with over 10 years management and leadership experience.

Erica’s contact details are

Web : www.pathwaytothesoul.com

Email : createyourlife@oceanfree.net

Phone : (0402) 36899 (international +353-402-36899)
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Getting to know Erica McKinney, Healer and Life Coach

1. Pathway to the soul seems like a million miles away from your background in the Irish financial services sector. What prompted you to make the change?

I guess I really fell in to my jobs in the Irish Financial Services Sector. I started on a 9 month temporary contract and ended up staying for 17 years. I worked hard, learned loads and had a lot of fun along the way so I don’t regret a day of it but it was never really a planned event – it just seemed to happen.

My passion has always been around understanding what makes people tick. What makes one person successful and another not? What causes a person to be happy in one area of their life and totally unsatisfied in another? These questions and many more have always intrigued me and I’ve searched for understanding and answers in myself and others. When I hit my early thirties I decided that I wanted to combine my passion, with my working life so I started to train as a Healer and Therapist in the Brennan School of Healing and then more recently as a Life Coach.

Once I felt I had enough training under my belt I made the change and Pathway to the Soul was born.

2. If you had to describe Pathway to the Soul in 20 words or less how would describe it?

Personal Development Courses, Life Coaching and Hands on Healing - empowering you to make your dreams a reality

3. Is there anything you miss about your previous job(s)?

I miss having the support of other people around me. I always worked in big companies and was surrounded by support of every type. If my PC broke I could call someone, if I hadn’t a clue how to solve a problem there were always plenty of others around to help out. If I just wanted a laugh there was someone there who’d be on for a laugh too. Now I largely work alone and mostly have to figure out everything myself. It’s made me much more resourceful but sometimes I’d like the easy option of just calling on someone else.

4. What is the most satisfying thing about your job?

I help people get what they want out of life – you can’t get a much better job than that!

5. Does money bring happiness?

No but lack of it makes it very hard to be happy because it overshadows everything

6. Liveline with Joe Duffy on RTE Radio… too much whinging or essential public service?

Essential public service – I am a fan !

7. Not a lot of people know this, but I am very good at ….. Singing

8. My favourite piece of music is…‘You Got The Love’ The Source featuring Candi Staton

9. What’s the best philosophy in life?

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. (Mark Twain)

10. Ireland Inc. – on the right path OR have we lost our way?

I see a lot of positive changes in Ireland. As a country we are becoming more transparent and honest and stripping away a lot of the deceit and pretence around power and authority. It’s a process but I think we are headed in the right direction. Ireland is going through a period of great change with many of the old structures and values being challenged. This can initially leave gaps but I believe that something better and stronger will grow from them.