REAL LIFEPaul

I was born in Belfast at the end of the 80s into a young working class couple who were skinheads at the time; my mum being from Creggan in Derry City and my dad from the Falls Road in West Belfast. My mum’s dad, my grandfather, was from Famagusta, Cyprus which is on the border of the Turkish Territory in Cyprus. My dad’s father was murdered in his home on 26th August 1986 during the troubles; there has still been no justice or answers for his murder. I was born on my grandfather’s anniversary, three years later in 1989. I will discuss the importance of this information further on.

As a family we moved around quite a bit. I lived in Derry, London and Belfast up till the age of seven, when we moved from Belfast to Eglinton, Co. Derry. When living in London at 10 months old I had quite a serious accident in which I pulled a kettle filled with boiling water over myself in the baby walker- causing serious burns all down my back and down both my legs. I was considered to be very lucky to be alive and not to have my genitals scalded; however, I do have scarring down both my legs. Again the relevance of this will be discussed later. From an early age I was always fascinated with the human body and its intricate workings. During school years I had a thirst for knowledge and learning but this took a bit of an unexpected turn when my parents separated when I was 13 years old and I had to move from Eglinton to West Belfast. We lived with my Grandmother for two years as my dad had never looked after four children on his own. I went to three different secondary schools due to the move, finally settling in Rathmore Grammar School. I always loved school and wanted to go on and study Medicine at university but after my GCSEs I lost interest; not knowing why at the time but on reflection now it was down to the separation of my parents. My parent’s divorce was extremely volatile for years-even up to this very day there are comments and remarks made about their partnership. However, as a teenager I kept saying to myself “it’s normal for peoples” parents to break-up’ and putting on a brave face and doing my best to not get involved in the chaos among my family.

Upon my departure from school in 2008, it took me three years to firmly establish the path I wished to follow. Eventually, in 2015, I committed to and successfully completed a Master’s program in Pharmacy at the University of Hertfordshire. Subsequently, I launched into a rewarding career as a pharmacist, gaining experience across diverse clinical and community settings in Dublin. I realised a long-held aspiration by becoming the head pharmacist at Ireland’s largest drug addiction centre, as I felt a strong urge to work with people suffering from mental health and addiction.

Nonetheless, during weekends, I continued to grapple with my own personal struggles with addiction. I never realised till in my late 20s the impact this had on me as alcohol and drugs slipped in at the weekends; not realising I was numbing myself and neglecting my wellbeing. On the weekends I was always out clubbing at raves, after parties and attending chemsex parties, which left me carrying a lot of sexual guilt and shame.

At some point, my awareness underwent a significant transformation, and I came to the realisation that I would not be particularly beneficial to anyone, particularly in a role centred on mental health and addiction. Fortunately, I possessed enough self-awareness to recognise my profound dissatisfaction and the necessity for change. I explored alternative approaches to healing, understanding that I needed to address the underlying causes of my problems rather than merely covering them up with alcohol and drugs.

This led me to dive head first into a deeply transformative journey with plant medicines; including strongly connecting with the frog medicine Kambo. Embarking on this journey brought up so much of my shadow that I had been using drugs and alcohol to escape from; abandonment, rejection, transgenerational and ancestral trauma (being connected to two countries affected by war), physical trauma to my body, internal homophobia, deep and painful suffering that thrown me into the Dark Night of the Ego (I personally prefer this than Dark Night of the Soul).

I was suicidal for months after my first plant medicine retreat. I questioned my whole existence that left me extremely confused. The pain and suffering that I had been unconsciously holding onto. I was so comfortable within this suffering, I knew no different and I showed very little compassion to myself and my body.

So far on my journey I have worked with multiple modalities; breath work, energy healing, tantra, shamanic journeying, compassionate inquiry, counselling and family constellations. I have come to learn that I need to show forgiveness, love and compassion to every single part of me, even my shadow aspects, which is an ongoing process. I now know that I was born on my Grandfather’s anniversary to heal the pain for not just my family but for all individuals affected by the troubles. The accident with the kettle also inflicted so much trauma to my pelvic area, causing it to contract which has affected my sex life- all I craved was human connection and love and there was no need to hold onto any shame or guilt from chemsex parties. The abandonment and rejection from my mum leaving has been the toughest part to accept as all I have wanted from 13 years old was my mum to love me and be there for me during the difficult times. I love and forgive my mum and respect her decision as this was part of her life’s journey and she could only manage with the tools and love she had received in her life.

The shame and guilt also had a huge impact on me accepting my sexuality up until around the age of 31. I have been openly gay since I was 17 years old but I could not the human part of us that requires labels for everything. I have come to accept that I am a genderless soul in a male body and I am grateful for this experience. accept this internally. Through compassion and love I came to accept this part of me and now strongly believe that each soul is genderless. We only present here on Earth in this meaty vessel-which may have male or female genitals. When we tap into our True Soul’s desire we are neither male or female, we are a blend of feminine and masculine energies that are given these traits as it is

When it came to my role as a pharmacist my journey left me questioning the limitations of conventional medicine, especially within the addiction and mental health sector. I observed that many patients were desperate for solutions that addressed the root causes of their health issues, rather than merely managing symptoms with prescribed medication. The realisation marked the beginning of a profound transformation in my approach to being a healthcare professional.

In 2021 I left my role as the lead pharmacist of the drug addiction centre and trained to become a certified Kambo practitioner; which became a driving force in me setting up Aho Wellness, meaning “Yes, I agree” or “I understand” . My belief systems, social circles, interests and general understanding of what life is all about completely shifted. My thirst and desire to learn and expand my knowledge returned and over the following years I continued to delve into further trainings; where I have trained in: Master/Teacher Reiki Practitioner,

SPIRITUS Breath-work & Somatic Facilitator, Neuro Linguistic Programming, Hypnosis, Time-Line Therapy, Mindfulness & Meditation and Level 1 & 2 Tantric Massage Practitioner.

I have since further trained to become an Advanced Kambo Practitioner, delving further into Shamanic Practices and mysticism. I have also assisted on several Kambo Practitioners’ Training courses and facilitated at multiple wellness and plant medicine retreats across the country. Exploring tantra for my own sexual healing has allowed me to see through the illusion that sex is taboo and that it is in fact very sacred. We need to embody and love every part of ourselves through enhanced sensuality, emotional healing, self-acceptance and liberation.

I recently launched a new service; Soul Script: Your Prescription for Antidepressant Freedom. This service combines a combination of the modalities which I have been practising along with my pharmacy background to offer a slow and gentle approach to helping individuals to taper off their antidepressant medication over a prolonged period.

These skills have allowed me to look beyond the prescription slip and offer clients a holistic approach to healing. I believe in treating the whole person – mind, body and spirit; combining my extensive pharmaceutical expertise with holistic principles to provide a unique experience for each individual’s needs at that moment in time.

I advocate and educate on raising awareness about mindfulness and wellbeing within my community and beyond; frequently conducting workshops for men, LGBTQIA+, teenage youth groups and at wellbeing festivals.

My dream would be to work more with the Queer community; collaborating with like minded people, connecting, building a community that loves and accepts each individual as they are.

I would be completely lying if I said this journey was easy. I have encountered a lot of difficulties and obstacles over the past several years. Implementing healthy boundaries, removing people pleasing and saying NO has been very tough when I did not know how to practise this.

A few very important things to highlight to people is that it is vital to have some form of psychotherapy during her healing journey. Plant medicines are for everyone but not everyone is for plant medicines, I now only offer plant medicines and Kambo to individuals who have done some ground work with myself; allows me to know where they are on their journey and if they are able to integrate and self-regulate. Screen any space holder for any event you have attended-what work have they done on themself and are they able to hold you through what you are going through.

On a more personal note I am a lover of nature, sea, mountains, music, festivals, concerts, consciousness and my family. We live in a hectic society filled with busyness and the urgency to have the goal/ result instantly. In essence, by guiding and empowering people to connect back to their True Self through; slowing down, creating safety and trust in the body is how people ignite this inner harmony and follow the path to wholeness once again. Emotional and mental healing often require introspection, self-care, and processing difficult experiences. Slowing down allows you to take the time needed to address your emotions, explore your thoughts, and work through any trauma or distress, allowing you to move beyond the superficial and tap into the profound and transformative aspects of your spiritual journey.

Challenges are an inevitable part of life, but once we begin to perceive these experiences as valuable learning opportunities and discern the omnipresent force of LOVE in everything, life becomes significantly more manageable & enjoyable.

My rollercoaster of a journey from pharmacist to *I don’t know what because I hate labels* reflects my unwavering commitment to helping individuals achieve all round well-being. My unique blend of pharmaceutical expertise, deep awareness, honesty and integrity make me a trusted guide on the path to empower YOU to transcend limitations and boundaries and embrace your authentic self.

We are all interconnected, beautiful souls, and our capacity to receive love surpasses our wildest imagination.

If you would like to enquire more or interested in collaborating please contact me on: IG: @aho_wellness

FB: Aho Wellness

Email: wellness.aho@gmail.com

Gnostic is born in the newest development of Belfast City. Resting on the edge of the River Lagan, the desirable Belfast City Quays location offers visitors beautiful views and walkways with a deep heritage and history of the City. Gnostic (which faces the Harbour Commissioners Office) offers its customers a cozy and intimate environment, it’s a place to meet & mingle with friends and colleagues or to taste and tipple with excellent food and drinks options.

Gnostic is a Public House offering both Lunch and Dinner. With a variety of small tasting plates to share, main courses or platters of your favourite cheese and charcuterie boards. It has something for everyone. It holds a large selection of premium wines and offers an extensive cocktail list.

We know a thing or 3 about cocktails, we have a great selection of premium house cocktails. Crafted using the freshest local ingredients with high-end spirits, our drinks are what sets us apart. At Gnostic it’s always time to tipple.

Those familiar with Belfast will easily find Gnostic on Corporation Street, perfectly positioned a few hundred meters from the Lagan, though if like me you get confused with street names your favourite “maps app” will bring you right to the door.

There is free parking after 6pm on the street though also a large car park just round the corner with hundreds of spaces - this is a massive tick as parking can often be a nightmare.