Meet the Kick Ash Firewalks team
Experts in Empowerment, Safety, and Transformational Experience
At Kick Ash Firewalks, our team is united by a single mission: to help people realise their full potential through powerful, life-changing experiences. With deep roots in personal development, experiential learning, and transformational coaching, we bring unmatched expertise to every event we deliver.
Led by Certifying Master Firewalk Trainer Barry Collins, alongside his wife, a Clinical Hypnotherapist and NLP Practitioner as well as a Firewalk Instructor, Marina Collins, the team is committed to guiding individuals and groups through breakthrough moments that shift mindsets and build lasting confidence. Barry and Marina’s combined decades of experience in leadership, coaching, and high-impact personal development form the backbone of our unique approach.
Joining the leadership team is their daughter, Kerrie Gourlay, a key member of the Kick Ash crew whose focus on event coordination and safety ensures each firewalk is delivered to the highest professional standards. Kerrie’s calm, grounded presence is invaluable behind the scenes, creating the supportive environment essential for personal transformation.
Together, we create safe, high-impact events that foster courage, connection, and change. Whether you’re a charity leader looking to ignite support, a corporate team ready to break through limiting beliefs, or an individual on a journey of self-discovery, the Kick Ash Firewalks team is here to support you every step of the way.
Empowerment is not just an idea – it’s an experience.
Let us show you what you’re truly capable of.
Barry Collins
Barry is a highly respected leader in the field of personal empowerment and breakthrough experiences. As the founder of Kick Ash Firewalks and a Certifying Master Firewalk Trainer, Barry has guided thousands of individuals to step beyond fear and into their full potential.
Before stepping into the personal development world in 2008, Barry spent nearly 25 years in retail and sales management, playing a key role in the explosive growth of mobile communications and evolving technologies. Recognised for his exceptional leadership and sales performance, Barry ranked among the top 10 performers in a network of over 300 national branches and later trained high-performing teams across Scotland. His passion for human behaviour and high-performance psychology led him to develop national training initiatives for more than 1,500 employees.
Barry’s journey of transformation was sparked by a charity firewalk, which ignited his deep belief in the power of embodied experience. That moment was life-changing, and led to him training under firewalking pioneer Tolly Burkan to become a Certifying Master Firewalk Trainer. Today, Barry is a former board member and current advisory board member of the Global Firewalking Alliance and leads Kick Ash Firewalks as the official host of the 2025 International Firewalk Gathering.
A certified Master Practitioner of NLP and Hypnotherapy (trained under Dr. Richard Bandler and supported by John LaValle and Paul McKenna), Barry blends powerful mindset tools with experiential learning to create unforgettable breakthroughs.
He’s proud to have facilitated firewalks for individuals and organisations across the UK, including Maggie’s, Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland, and public figures such as Fleur East and Keshia East. Whether it’s corporate teams, charity groups, or transformational retreats, Barry brings heart, humour, and depth to everything he does.
Above all, Barry loves the moment the lights come on for people – when they realise their potential is far greater than they ever imagined.
Barry is available to book as a keynote speaker, event facilitator, or guest contributor.
Marina Collins
Marina Collins is an award-winning Clinical Hypnotherapist and Anxiety Specialist based in Fife, Scotland. With over a decade of experience, she is dedicated to helping individuals break free from anxiety, trauma, and emotional overwhelm, enabling them to reconnect with their true selves and live more confidently.
Marina’s journey into personal development began after a successful career in sales management and team development within fast-growing technology companies. Seeking deeper fulfillment, she transitioned from the corporate world to work with children, and eventually embarked on a path of self-development. A transformative weekend event with renowned experts Dr. Richard Bandler, Michael Neill, and Paul McKenna ignited her passion for personal growth.
Recognizing the profound impact of the teachings she encountered, Marina pursued training in clinical hypnotherapy and became a skilled practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP). She has since expanded her expertise to include Silent Counselling, Havening Techniques, Kinetic Shift, and Bio Energy Healing.
Marina’s approach is holistic and client-centered, combining various therapeutic modalities to address the unique needs of each individual. Her sessions are solution-focused and tailored to help clients shift unhelpful thoughts and beliefs, reprogram emotional responses, and let go of what no longer serves them. Whether it’s anxiety, stress, phobias, or trauma, Marina is committed to helping clients feel safe, calm, and connected again.
A significant turning point in Marina’s journey was attending a charity firewalk, which sparked a deep transformation within her. Inspired by the experience, she became a certified Firewalk Instructor and joined her husband Barry, and the Kick Ash Firewalks team, in addition to delivering her own firewalk events, where she continues to empower others to discover their inner strength and achieve their potential.
Marina offers both in-person sessions in Glenrothes, Fife, and online sessions, making her services accessible to a wider audience. Her dedication to personal development and her clients’ well-being has made her a trusted and respected figure in the field of anxiety and trauma therapy.
Kerrie Gourlay
Kerrie is the daughter of Barry and Marina, has embraced the family legacy in a remarkable way. Following in their footsteps, she became a certified Firewalking Instructor in 2017. Kerrie now plays a crucial role as the Senior Fire Tender for Kick Ash Firewalks, ensuring each event runs smoothly and safely.
In addition to her work with the Kick Ash Firewalks team, Kerrie manages her own thriving business. The proud owner of Crumbdidilyumptious, Kerrie creates exquisite, bespoke wedding cakes. Her talent as an award-winning cake designer has earned her recognition and clients across the country.
Kerrie’s dual passions for firewalking and cake design highlight her diverse skills and dedication. She continues to inspire others through her work and bring joy to countless couples with her beautiful cakes.