Community & Business
7 October, 2022
Rhyl Bell: A wonderful life of unconditional love
Well known Clifton resident, Rhyl Bell has been presented by the Australian Kinesiology Association with an award in honour of her 32 years as a Kinesiologist but Rhyl’s life is more than service as a therapeutic practitioner as she followed adventure, achievement and love.
Rhyl first studied as a Naturopath before six years studying to become a Herbalist but then became interested in Kinesiology when she met Catholic priest Dominic Burke.
Father Burke had recently brought the concept of Kinesiology to Australia from America and Rhyl was fascinated by the potential it held as a useful tool for emotional problems.
She also believed it helped with learning difficulties in young children and for diagnosing people’s nutritional needs.
Settling in Clifton, she established her Therapeutic Clinic in Queen Street where she put into practice the theories of Kinesiology.
Born in Emerald Queensland she was the daughter of a minister of religion whose position required constant movement around the state.
Rhyl spent her childhood years in several country towns including, Gin Gin Harrisville and Gympie during World War II before moving to the Brisbane suburbs of Coorparoo, Shorncliffe and Ipswich.
This constant travel around Queensland seemed to ignite an interest to travel further abroad and so began an adventure-filled period travelling to many exotic locations.
One harrowing experience Rhyl can now laugh about, was while travelling through the former Soviet Union.
She was unfortunate to be on an Aeroflot flight that worryingly ran short of fuel and was forced to land at a remote Soviet military base.
Passengers were ordered not to look out the plane’s window while forced to remain in their seats as the plane refuelled.
Rhyl’s love of adventure took her to some of the most remote regions of the Soviet Union such as Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Mongolia but the city of St Petersburg was also enjoyed and explored in 1991, six weeks before the Berlin Wall came down and the Soviet Union began a stage of disintegration.
Rhyl married Joffre Bell and they had three children Graham, Rhys and Kirsten, who were all educated at Clifton State High School.
As so often happens with families their children are now scattered around the state and her current health issues prohibit travel to visit.
Joffre, having now past the milestone of a century of lived experiences has been forced by health issues into the Nirvana aged care facility but like Rhyl maintains a positive view of life.
While being interviewed for this article Rhyl was able to laugh and reflect on her lifetime of achievements and adventure.
She declared the most important theme for life was to love but the love needed to be unconditional.
