So, when therapist Rowena Corner told me she speaks to angels, that’s the image I had in my mind’s eye.

Rowena, who runs the Healing Arts Centre at London Street, is a specialist in a number of therapies - one of which is Angelic Reiki, one of the newest forms of complementary therapies.

But Rowena says she understands those who are sceptical about Angelic Reiki because, when she first came to Derry, she didn’t believe in angels either.

“My mother is from Derry,” she explained. “But I grew up in Bath. I did a lot of my growing up here and, to me, this place just felt like home.

“I originally started off my career as a teacher - but I was always interested in anything mysterious, anything to do with the occult or paranormal had me fascinated. I was also intrigued by essential oils, the smell of them and how they make people feel better.”

It was when she turned 40 that Rowena decided to make a change in her life.

“I wanted to make a statement that life didn’t end at 40,” she said. “My sister suggested I take a course in aromatherapy; from there I went on to learn reiki and Indian head massage. The more I learned, the more I wanted to know.”

It was five years ago that Rowena opened the centre in Derry - hoping she could pass on the skills she had learned to local people. She now has a number of therapists working in the centre offering a range of treatments, massages and even psychic consultations.

I didn’t believe in angels

“When I came to this country I didn’t believe in angels,” said Rowena. “In fact, I wanted nothing to do with them. I had a friend who kept telling me to ask my angels. In order to prove her wrong, I started talking to them. After that, all sorts of strange things began to happen.

“One day I was doing reiki on a man who was depressed. In my mind’s eye I could see what I can only describe as beings. I couldn’t say humans because I wasn’t even sure what i was looking at. I was told they were the angels and they were all there for that one man. The man came out of that depression instantly.

“Afterwards, I didn’t think too much more about angels. However, I found an advertisement for angelic reiki. I still wasn’t that interested but for some reason I kept the advert. A year later I found the ad, told myself there was a reason I had kept it and rang the number. The lady at the end of the phone told me she was leaving that day to live in Luxor.

“Angelic reiki is overseen by archangel Metatrone, his spiritual home in the world is believed to be Luxor. It made me curious that the people believed so much in angels that they would up sticks and go to Egypt.”

Rowena says that the people of Derry have embraced Angelic Reiki.

“The benefits are very personal to the individual,” she said. “Most people feel very relaxed, others fall asleep.