About Derek McGillivray – A Happy Medium

Author, Life Coach, Psychic Medium, Celebrant and Spiritual Teacher

My name is Derek McGillivray, although many people know me as A Happy Medium.

The nickname first came about during my years living in Fort William. Friends and locals often commented that I always seemed to find the “happy medium” in life. Whether dealing with challenges, helping others through difficult situations, coaching people towards their goals, or offering spiritual guidance, I had a habit of looking for balance, hope, and practical solutions.

As my spiritual work developed, people began to realise there was another meaning to the name. I was also becoming a medium. Before long, the nickname stuck and eventually became the name of my business.

Today, I am proud to be known as A Happy Medium, but the journey to get here was shaped by some of the most difficult experiences, greatest lessons, and most remarkable opportunities of my life.

The Offshore Years

Before becoming a coach, healer, author, and psychic medium, I worked offshore in the North Sea oil industry.

Those years had a profound impact on me. Offshore life created a bond between people that is difficult to explain unless you’ve experienced it yourself. You lived together, worked together, laughed together, and looked out for one another. Your workmates often became like family.

It was during those years that I learned the importance of conversation, humour, and supporting each other through life’s challenges. Offshore workers had a saying that was heard every day:

“What’s the craic?”

It wasn’t just a question. It was a way of checking in with people. It meant, How are you? What’s happening? Are you okay? Tell me your story.

Many years later, those memories inspired me to create my What’s the Craic? Scottish Oracle Cards, a unique card deck that combines Scottish humour, wisdom, encouragement, and everyday life lessons. The cards reflect the spirit of the people I worked alongside and the belief that sometimes a simple conversation can change someone’s day.

Loss, Resilience and Finding Purpose

The offshore industry also exposed me to tragedy.

I experienced the devastating impact of helicopter crashes, industrial accidents, and the loss of many friends and colleagues. The Chinook helicopter disaster and the Brent Spar helicopter crash left lasting memories and reinforced the importance of looking after one another.

My trade union involvement grew from a desire to improve offshore safety and working conditions. I became a shop steward and later Branch Secretary for the TGWU Offshore Branch, speaking at national conferences, appearing in the media, and campaigning on behalf of workers. In recognition of this work, I was honoured to be awarded Aberdeen Young Trade Unionist of the Year in 1991.

Perhaps the greatest loss of all was my brother Graham.

Following years of struggles and challenges of his own, Graham sadly took his own life at the age of 26. His loss changed me forever and made me question many things about life, death, grief, and what happens beyond this world.

These experiences could easily have left me bitter, angry, or defeated.

Instead, they became the foundation for a lifelong search for understanding, healing, and meaning.

An Experience I Could Never Explain

One event from my trade union days stayed with me for many years, although I rarely spoke about it at the time. In 1991, while serving as Branch Secretary for the TGWU Offshore Branch, I delivered a speech at the Scottish Trades Union Congress Conference in Dundee. The speech focused on offshore safety and the human cost of the tragedies that had affected so many of us in the North Sea oil industry.

The memories were still raw. Piper Alpha, the Chinook helicopter disaster, and the Brent Spar helicopter crash had all left a deep emotional impact on me and countless offshore families. Many of the people we had lost were not just workmates but friends.

As I stood speaking, something unusual happened.

The best way I can describe it is that I briefly became aware of myself from outside my own body. It felt as though I was observing the speech rather than delivering it. The words flowed effortlessly, and there was a powerful sense that I was connected to something greater than myself.

At the time, I kept the experience largely to myself. I had no real understanding of what had happened and, to be honest, I wasn’t sure what to make of it.

Looking back now, I see that moment as one of the earliest signs of the spiritual path that would later unfold in my life. It would take many years, and many more experiences, before I began to understand the deeper significance of what had happened that day.

A Spiritual Awakening

In 2003, after suffering a serious back injury and facing significant challenges in my personal life, I experienced what I can only describe as a spiritual awakening. What began as unusual experiences, vivid dreams, intuition, and a strong sense of guidance eventually led me to study mediumship, healing, personal development, and coaching.

Over the following years I immersed myself in spiritual development, attending churches, circles, workshops, and training programmes across the UK. I discovered that many of the experiences I had been having throughout my life were shared by others who were exploring their own spiritual path.

Since then, I have trained extensively in Psychic Mediumship, Spiritual Healing, Angelic Reiki, Life Coaching, Mentoring, Hypnotherapy, Past Life Regression, Counselling Skills, CBT techniques, Mindfulness, and Personal Development.

I have been fortunate to receive recognition and awards for my coaching, healing, and wellbeing work. However, the greatest reward has always been seeing someone regain confidence, overcome obstacles, improve their wellbeing, or find hope during difficult times.

Helping People Through Life’s Challenges

For more than twenty years I have helped people navigate some of life’s most challenging experiences.

As a life coach, mentor, healer, hypnotherapist, psychic medium, trainer, and family support worker, I have worked with people from all walks of life. My role is not to tell people what to do but to help them discover their own answers, strengths, and possibilities.

My approach combines practical life experience, professional training, spiritual understanding, humour, compassion, and a genuine desire to help others move forward.

I continue to study and develop today because I believe learning never stops. Whether exploring consciousness, intuition, healing, psychology, spirituality, or emerging ideas around science and quantum physics, I remain fascinated by the connection between mind, body, spirit, and human potential.

Author of A Happy Medium – Awakening Through Life’s Challenges

In 2026, I achieved something I never imagined possible and became a published author.

My book, A Happy Medium – Awakening Through Life’s Challenges, tells the story of my journey from the offshore oil industry and trade union movement to becoming a psychic medium, healer, coach, celebrant, and speaker.

The book explores themes of resilience, grief, fatherhood, spirituality, personal growth, healing, and finding purpose through adversity. It is an honest account of the challenges I have faced and the lessons I have learned along the way.

As someone who has lived with dyslexia throughout my life, writing and publishing a book was a particularly proud achievement and proof that our limitations do not have to define our future.

Television, Events and Public Speaking

My work has taken me far beyond the Highlands of Scotland.

Over the years I have appeared on television, featured in national newspapers and magazines, delivered talks and workshops, and demonstrated mediumship and spiritual development throughout the UK and overseas.

I regularly work at spiritual events, wellbeing festivals, churches, development groups, corporate events, and community organisations, sharing both practical and spiritual tools that help people move forward in life.

Yet despite these opportunities, I still enjoy the simple pleasure of sitting with someone over a cup of tea, sharing a card reading, having a laugh, and helping them see a situation from a different perspective.

I believe spirituality should be accessible, down-to-earth, and enjoyable.

Life, Love and Spiritual Partnership

One of the greatest blessings in my life has been meeting my wife, Angela McGillivray.

Angela is an experienced holistic therapist, healer, teacher, and wellbeing practitioner, and together we share a passion for helping people heal, grow, and reconnect with themselves.

Many people are fascinated by our shared interest in spirituality, healing, and past life regression, and by the experiences that brought us together. Together we have explored many aspects of spiritual development and continue to support one another’s growth and learning.

Today we work side by side in Elgin, combining our skills and experience to offer a wide range of services designed to support people’s wellbeing, personal growth, and spiritual development.

Celebrating and Honouring Life

Through my work as a medium, coach, and healer, I often found myself supporting people through some of the most important moments of their lives.

Many clients who first came to me for a reading or coaching session later asked if I would conduct their wedding, handfasting, vow renewal, or even help their family through a funeral ceremony.

This naturally led me to become a fully trained Civil Celebrant.

Today I conduct weddings, handfastings, vow renewals, naming ceremonies, and funerals. It is a privilege to help families celebrate love, honour memories, and create meaningful ceremonies that reflect the unique lives and stories of the people involved.

Whether celebrating a new beginning or saying goodbye to a loved one, I consider it an honour to be entrusted with such important moments.

Today

Today I live and work in Elgin, Moray, where I continue to offer mediumship, life coaching, healing, hypnotherapy, mentoring, celebrancy services, workshops, teaching, spiritual development, and corporate wellbeing support.

Alongside my private practice, I also work within family support services, helping individuals and families affected by addiction, trauma, and life’s challenges.

I remain as passionate about helping people today as I was when I first began this journey. Whether through a reading, a coaching session, a healing treatment, a ceremony, a workshop, a talk, a book, or even a simple conversation, my aim is always the same:

To help people find hope, clarity, confidence, and a way forward.

My Beliefs

I am not tied to any particular religion or denomination.

I was raised within the Church of Scotland and continue to respect many faith traditions. I believe spirituality is less about labels and more about compassion, personal growth, service to others, and understanding that life continues beyond physical death.

A Final Thought

Success is not measured solely by money or possessions.

To me, success is knowing that something you did today made a positive difference to someone else’s tomorrow.

If my story proves anything, it is this:

No matter where you are in life right now, positive change is always possible.

Sometimes all we need is someone to listen, someone to believe in us, and the courage to take the next step.

And sometimes, finding the right path is simply about finding your own happy medium.