Miriam Schafer was born in Brisbane, Queensland, in 1959. Growing up with the dream of pursuing a musical career, she instead fell into secretarial work.

When she was 21 Miriam joined the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and applied for an overseas posting. She was sent to Beijing on her 22nd birthday. Two years later, she was posted to Nepal to help open the new Australian embassy in Kathmandu, and later sent to Vienna – the city of her dreams! It was at this point in her life that Miriam immersed herself in music and art and developed a deep belief in the healing power of beauty and pleasure.

In 1990, Miriam joined the United Nations in Vienna, working with the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees. Within five years she was transferred to the Gaza Strip. During this time, despite the challenges of living with danger and an underlying tension, Miriam came to appreciate the richness of the Arab culture, with its warm hospitality and traditions. On the other side of the ‘barrier’, she spent most weekends enjoying Israel. After 18 months she reached a crossroads in her life and knew that there was something more she needed to be doing. From the Gaza Strip, Miriam moved to New York and enrolled in a four-year course at the Barbara Brennan School of Healing – the world’s premier institute of hands-on energy healing and personal transformation.

In 2002, Miriam came home to Australia and set up her Holistic Life Coaching practice in Noosa Heads. She conducts seminars and workshops in Queensland and interstate, and draws upon nature and design for her inspiration. Her motto in life is Beauty Heals.