holistic healing

My friend, you are a complex being. You have history that is still alive in your cells, emotions stored in your chakras, coping mechanisms that were helpful when you were younger but have since become outdated. Any of these are good reasons to get a Reiki session and begin to move forward in the direction you desire.

Simply acknowledging the obstacles you face can be overwhelming. Taking steps to face them is courageous, revolutionary even, in a society that is heavily invested in selling you stuff that you don’t need in order to avoid old wounds. When you show up for your appointment, it’s very possible you’ll be feeling vulnerable, anxious, nervous, excited, hopeful, or skeptical. Maybe even all of that, all at once! And still you show up.

That’s amazing.

You’re amazing.

You might not be at your best. Not your most forthright at communicating your needs. Not the most level-headed or open to trying something new. That is perfectly normal.

And I welcome it all.

You do not need to perform okay-ness in the Reiki room. You can be a hot mess here. It will not offend me. It will not upset me or cause me to think less of you.

And you need not apologize for any of it. In fact, please don’t. Apologizing for being human is not necessary when you come for a session.

I always have a backup box of tissues in my studio because tears often come to the surface when healing work is happening. They might be tears of release; oftentimes though it’s grief. Grief that you were unable to face before for any number of reasons. Grief that senses an opportunity to finally be met and eventually integrated.

That grief is welcome here.

You need not apologize for it or the tears that follow.

You can apologize if you forget your appointment and keep me waiting, or if you step on my foot when you arrive. Once a client head-butted me when turning over on the table. That was an apology that was actually merited. In the 23 years I’ve been practicing, those are the only “sorries” I’ve accepted. And I’ve witnessed all sorts of emotional distress, distracted and unfocused thinking, and frazzled nerves.

You need not show up for your healing appointment as if you are already healed. And you definitely need not apologize for the pain you carry. There is no reason to try to take care of me in this situation; it’s my job and my honor to be there, witnessing all the feelings. I can handle it.

Your hot mess is welcome here.

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Hot Messes Welcome Here

My friend, you are a complex being. You have history that is still alive in your…
I was deeply touched by Jeff Foster’s latest newsletter- so much so that I’ve copied it below. All the words following this sentence are his; I’m just sharing them here for anyone who may need some inspiration.

I want to explore a question that I’ve received in so many forms these last couple of years, and it’s a question I’ve contemplated a lot myself:

“How do we go on living our ordinary, comfortable lives while knowing that terrible suffering is going on every single day for so many people around the world? Can we ever make peace with that suffering?”

Here’s how I’d respond:

I do not think you have to “make peace” with cruelty and violence.
Not today. Maybe never.

(Look. I cannot tell you what to do. But perhaps I can suggest the following…)

Let the suffering of the innocent and the oppressed move you. Let it break your heart. Let it hurt. Deeply. The pain itself means your heart is still working! You are not numb. You are not detached, cold, or indifferent. You are not bypassing your humanity.

You hurt because your brothers and sisters are hurting. You belong to the same river of humanity.

At the same time, you must accept a limit to your hurting, if you can. Remember, you did not directly cause this horror. You cannot carry all of it without being crushed by it yourself, without being destroyed by the weight of the world’s suffering. You can only carry what is truly yours.

So you choose how and when to engage, as much as possible. When to read. When to watch. When to talk about world events. When to listen. You do this consciously, deliberately.

Grief and anger have to be held in presence, not poured endlessly into your nervous system all day long without limits. That is not compassion. It is a fast track to burnout and helplessness.

So you breathe first. You find your ground. You return to your real responsibility each day. How you speak. How you treat the people around you. How you love your child, your partner, your neighbour. How you refuse to pass unconsciousness onwards. How you refuse to fuel numbness, hatred, or violence in your family, your community, your workplace, your town or city.

You do your own inner work. You look honestly at the violence and prejudice in yourself. You attend to your own childhood wounds. You look at the log in your own eye before pointing at the splinter in your neighbour’s. Healing your own trauma is not a distraction from saving the world. I truly believe it is part of how the world is saved.

And yes, of course, you can still protest. But not as permanent outrage. Not as more hatred layered on top of hatred. You act where action is possible. You show up. You speak. You vote. You give generously. You withhold consent.

And you do not let protest make you cruel! If your protest costs you your capacity to love, the damage has already spread.

And you rest too. You rest when you can. Rest is not a luxury. It is fuel. It is the source of all things.

And you allow joy, without apology and without guilt! Joy is not a betrayal of the cause. Joy is how you stop the violence from taking your soul too.

You shine your light, even when it feels impossibly dark.

And remember, there is no clean or easy way to live with all this. Anyone who says there is is being glib, or trying to sell you comfort way too cheaply. Being deeply affected by the world does not resolve neatly. It does not offer easy closure.

You may never be at peace with all the suffering in the world, but maybe you can make peace with THAT.

Finally, I’d say that it really is damn brave to choose to stay awake, tender, open-hearted and curious in a world that keeps asking you to shut down.

Staying Tender in a Hurting World, by Jeff Foster

Jeff Foster’s newsletter on staying open
Today’s post was inspired by a country song.

That’s not a sentence I ever expected to type! I’m not a country music fan, but I sometimes find the lyrics to be creative, colorful, and utterly relatable.

This song was about attempting to drown sorrows, but failing as they (the sorrows) had learned to swim.

We can safely assume that “drowning sorrows” in this context involves a large amount of whiskey.

But that doesn’t really work, does it? It can help you avoid a problem for a short amount of time, but often stirs up entirely new problems, such as a hangover or the consequences of decisions made while inebriated.

Believe me, I fully understand the impulse to escape the uncomfortable feelings. I’m well versed in a wide variety of strategies for doing exactly that. The reason I have so much experience is because it never works, so you have to keep the distractions coming, like a never-ending parade.

I wonder how many sorrows I’ve caused for myself in the pursuit of escaping sorrows. How many layers of suffering did I create for myself in these misguided attempts to avoid pain? I think it’s safe to assume that I’ve more than doubled my struggles in the name of “feeling better”. But it wasn’t better that I was feeling- it was just a temporary numbing.

Let’s just assume that all sorrows can swim. There is no drowning them. Not with whiskey or wine, shopping or scrolling, cookies or ice cream.

Rather than wasting precious life-force to avoid experiencing the full spectrum of emotions, what if we turned to face them?

It requires some courage and moxie to do so. Having some support such as a kind friend, spiritual advisor, or practical tool to help you stay present and grounded can make all the difference.

Reiki is one such tool. Not the only one, just the one I’m most familiar with as I’ve used it daily for the past 23 years. It helps with emotional and nervous system regulation by fostering a sense of peace and calm within. It neutralizes my urge to run away when things get tough and allows me to stay connected with my higher self. It builds harmony, clarity and balance so that I’m better able to meet the sorrows when they appear, but don’t get stuck wallowing in them.

Reiki helps me to be with grief, anger, upset and disappointment as well as joy and peace (which can be equally as uncomfortable if they’re unfamiliar).

These days I experience emotions like clouds in the sky. They come and go, but do not define me. Some days are stormy, some cloudy, some sunny. If I don’t like the weather, I can just wait a few minutes and it will change naturally.

Wherever you are in the world and on your healing journey, I’m willing to bet that Reiki can help you face your sorrows if you’re ready to try something new.

This is a judgment-free zone. I work with people with all sorts of issues, big and small, mystical and mundane, common and bizarre. I’ve yet to meet an emotion that Reiki couldn’t help metabolize when the recipient was truly willing to meet it.

Today is a great day to take a step towards wholeness by reclaiming all the life-force that has been invested in avoiding feelings. Get yourself some Reiki or join a training so you can learn to give yourself daily treatments.

There’s no need to drown sorrows when you can instead become adept at sitting with them and watching as they gradually lose intensity.

The side effects of Reiki treatment are feeling relaxed, at ease, at one with self and purpose, patient, compassionate, and joy-full. You already know the side-effects of several escapism strategies that are doomed to fail.

Those sorrows are not going to drown, no matter how much alcohol you use. Let’s stop this madness and try a holistic approach that cultivates wellness instead of headaches and regrets.

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The Problem with Drowning Your Sorrows

Today’s post was inspired by a country song. That’s not a sentence I ever expected to…
As a Reiki practitioner, I’m in the business of promoting holistic health and healing. I’m here to share what holistic wellness means to me, someone who swims daily in these waters, knowing that my take is different than many others’.

I will start by saying that it’s complicated. But even that is an understatement.

“Holistic healing” means cultivating harmony and balance in all aspects of your being.

ALL of you.

Nothing is excluded, not even parts you may have rejected that remain lurking in the shadows.

Thoughts, emotions, sensations, impulses, instincts, biochemical reactions, energy patterns, and more.

It is a completely different paradigm from the conventional sick-care model where people with an ailment go to a professional with a stethoscope and receive 9 minutes of divided attention and a prescription to suppress symptoms.

In the holistic model, it’s not simply a matter of swapping out “natural remedies” for the pharmaceutical variety. We are not interested in squashing the body’s messages when something is out of balance. Instead, we are interested in diving down that rabbit hole and exploring the sources of those imbalances.

Generally it involves a shift in one’s perspective, belief system, coping mechanisms, environment, relationships, and/or habits. Meaning that it’s essential to remove that which is interfering with wellness.

Very rarely is it as simple as a 9 minute conversation and a pill.

Imagine finding black mold in your basement. You could slap some wallpaper over it and pretend it isn’t there or lock the door and avoid the area altogether. You’d still be breathing spores, though, wouldn’t you? To actually treat the the mold, it would need to be carefully and methodically removed. Likewise, the origin of the dampness would need to be resolved to prevent future infestation.

That’s the kind of work we do with Reiki. (And you could learn how in a Reiki 1 class!)

Once you wrap your head around the concept that wellness is something we can choose to neglect or to foster, it gets easier to understand why it takes time. And effort. And probably some out-of-pocket spending since the insurance-to-pharmaceutical pipeline is not going to be very helpful in this regard.

While health isn’t always something that we can perfect, it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t take steps in that direction. Every action has consequences, and progress matters more than achieving some mythical goal of perfection.

What I’ve observed over the two decades + that I’ve spent immersed in this work is that the some of the largest obstacles to wellness are internal forces. Things like outdated survival strategies that keep us stuck in unhealthy patterns, limiting beliefs about who we are and what roles we must play, inherited beliefs about what is possible and how we need to behave to be safe and belong.

(Yes, there are massive systemic failures that need to be repaired. Without a doubt the entire medical industrial complex needs a makeover as well as the ridiculous demands of modern day living. These things, however, are outside my capacity to influence in a timely manner.)

These internal factors are all malleable with consistent attention. I can help with the process, but I cannot do the work for anyone. Nor can any other practitioner, therapist, pill, or optimized morning routine. No cold plunge, red light therapy, or herbal supplement can zap away a lifetime of neglected and festering wounds. They might be useful tools on the journey, but they are not the journey itself.

Your compassionate attention is required.

There are lots of reasons you may find this to be challenging. My work is designed to help you meet and dismantle these challenges. Can you do this work on your own? Absolutely. But you don’t have to.

A good starting point is to simply notice how you’re feeling. You could begin right now. I find it helps to place a hand on my heart and inquire within: How am I feeling right now? Allow the answer to bubble up without needing to justify why you feel that way or if you should or should not be having whatever feelings you are or are not having. Just acknowledge what is true for you in this moment.

If you’re feeling especially brave, you could explore this feeling through sound, movement, journaling, or artwork.

How would this feeling like me to move? What sound would it make? What words would it use? What colors or shapes or patterns does it want to express?

A simple practice including the compassionate witnessing of our own feelings is incredibly therapeutic. It’s somewhat of a secret though, as there is no way to commodify this practice and if we all began engaging in such behavior, it would likely disrupt the so-called wellness industry’s profit margin.

Like I said earlier, holistic healing is complicated. There’s more to it than just noticing feelings, but this can activate a shift in your life’s trajectory that can have huge implications over time. It can open up the flow of life-force, allowing all your systems to receive a boost in healing energy and enhancing your immune system.

For those with unprocessed acute trauma, it can also trigger some heavy, upsetting emotions. In this case, it’s wise to have some support on standby and to go slowly. Maybe you start with just three breaths and then turn your attention to something more comfortable.

Somewhere in between suppressing your feelings and trying to do everything all at once is a middle ground. Choose something easy or the one thing that you know will yield a cascade of beneficial results. Take one step in that direction. And keep going.

If you want the support of spiritually-guided life-force, AKA Reiki, consider scheduling session or joining a class. It would be my great honor to hold space and provide healing energy for your journey.

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Holistic Wellness. What does that even mean?

As a Reiki practitioner, I’m in the business of promoting holistic health and healing. I’m here…
My morning did not go as planned. There were a series of annoying disruptions after a night of poor sleep. My rhythm was off and it took longer than usual to get myself out the door.

For starters, I received an email that a delivery I expected today was cancelled. Not postponed. Cancelled. That sent me scrambling through several websites as this was an item I was particularly keen to hold ASAP.

Plus the weather is unseasonably warm and I realized I was altogether overdressed. And that made me cranky. I’m not a fan of hot and humid, especially not in April!

When I got to the trailhead, the parking lot was closed. By the time I had parked on the busy street, a ranger had swung by to open the gate and I had a nudge to move into the lot. Remembering my friend’s nudge to move her car and the dire consequences when she didn’t, I complied.

After hiking down to a creek, I found a lady sitting on my bench. How dare she?! 😂

These are just a few of all the unplanned events, delays, and annoyances that had me in a certain spot at a certain time that differed wildly from my plan.

And in that spot at that time, facing towards a less favorable bench, I noticed a HUGE bird soaring overhead. With white tail feathers. And a white head.

A bald eagle.

A magnificent creature, here in the heart of Philadelphia, one of the ten largest cities in the US. Just in case you live in a less urban area and wonder what the big deal is, let me assure you, this was A Very Big Deal.

I stopped in awe to watch it land nearby. I was able to point it out to several delighted passersby, spreading the joy to those who slowed down long enough to see.

If my morning had gone the way I wanted it to, I never would have experienced this amazing treat.

The delays were all very minor and relatively painless, which probably made it easier to recognize that they were beneficial. It was a good reminder that my soul’s plan is often different from my ego’s plan and only one of them has my highest good factored in and the support of cosmic interventions.

So now I’m wondering about all my other so-called problems. Might they too be a strategy for getting me into the right place at the right time, looking in the right direction?

I’d love to hear your stories about plans gone awry leading to rewards that you could have never predicted. The more we share stories like these, the easier it is to remember to soften in the midst of the discomfort and trust that there might be reason for the interference.

When did you last fail to get what you wanted but rather got what you needed? Did you notice in the moment or with hindsight? Did it change how you approach obstacles?

Do tell!

Favorable Delays

My morning did not go as planned. There were a series of annoying disruptions after a…
We’re gearing up over here for the next level 1 training. YAY!

Reiki 1 is the beginning point for anyone, yes I do mean anyone, who wants to gain access to the healing energies of Reiki.

There are no special skills required, no magical powers, no experience in the healing or mystical arts.

Reiki is a natural energy and a Master Teacher performs an attunement ritual that opens a student’s capacity to connect to this energy.

It’s as simple as that. Reiki itself does the work of opening energy channels. Never has it failed. Anyone can do Reiki once attuned.

It’s perhaps my all-time favorite thing, watching folks go from ordinary person to Reiki practitioner in the course of an evening. We spend the rest of the classes discussing the foundational topics such as where it comes from, what can and cannot be treated, and how to use it. But it’s the attunement that initiates.

Reiki, when applied consistently and intentionally, can shift even the most stuck issues. It’s an amazing remedy for stress and pain relief, anxiety, overwhelm, fatigue, and digestive issues. It can be used to support personal growth and spiritual connection, healthy relationships and free-flowing abundance, address old wounds and outdated coping mechanisms.

If you’re interested in learning how to connect with this spiritually-guided life-force energy, or if you want a jumpstart for your lapsed practice, we begin on May 7.

Details can be found here.

Reiki 1 Certification

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That’s me with messy hair and a crooked smile. I’m just a regular person who has devoted her life to being a transmission of healing energy. You could too!

Reiki 1 Certification begins May 7, 2026

We’re gearing up over here for the next level 1 training. YAY! Reiki 1 is the…
Mesmerizing jellyfish to soothe your eyes. This is especially endearing for me as I used to live right up the hill from the MBA and enjoyed many an afternoon there. Even without the nostalgia factor, I think you’ll find it enjoyable.

Without further ado, I present the “Jelly Cam”. 🤩 👇

Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Jellyfish Cam

Mesmerizing jellyfish to soothe your eyes. This is especially endearing for me as I used to…
When folks are in the early stages of learning to receive and interpret intuitive messages, it’s only natural to want to tell the world. Alas, they often feel confused or hurt when sharing an “inner knowing” is met with skepticism, or worse yet, mockery.

It’s a sad truth that we live in a world that often doubts and disrespects the metaphysical. Many people refuse to believe what they cannot sense with their own eyes. Being a purveyor of spiritually guided life-force energy, I’ve mostly become immune to the glazed-over expressions, raised eyebrows, and abrupt conversation changes, but it took some time to get there.

These experiences can be incredibly discouraging to those just trying out their new skills. It’s my suggestion that until you get your footing firmly established, you keep your newly discovered magic to yourself or within a supportive inner circle.

Recently a friend told me that she had a nudge to move her car from the street into the driveway. When she told her husband, he said it was fine where it was. Several hours later, they were abruptly awakened after a someone had crashed into the car, causing extensive damage. While she now has proof of the I-told-you-so variety, it’s little consolation for the expense and inconvenience. Next time she’ll just move the car, or whatever the nudge suggests.

Until you gain confidence in your ability to access inner knowing, you might find it beneficial to keep your exploration on the down low.

If you need some support, perhaps you can find an online community or even a local Meetup group with like-minded folks. (Or book an appointment with me. I love cultivating this stuff!) Just as you wouldn’t throw a first-time swimmer into shark infested waters, be kind to yourself by sharing selectively. There’s no sense in subjecting yourself to disparaging skeptics.

Once you have developed some trust in your abilities, you can share your insights more widely. By then, you won’t be as vulnerable to the naysayers and might even have some fun playing with their resistance. Or you’ll quickly figure out that some people are just contrary for the sake of being contrary and simply ignore them.

You can also ask for guidance about setting (and enforcing!) boundaries to protect yourself from insensitive… folks.

Some of us know things without knowing how we know them or being able to justify their validity. We happen to live in a culture that overly reveres the material world and dismisses the gifts of the intuitive. Don’t let that stop you from connecting with your guidance from the spiritual realm.

This is part of a series I’ve written over the years, and I’ve compiled all the Intuition Chronicles below for your convenience. I’d suggest letting your inner compass guide you to the article that is most aligned with your current needs if you want to explore further. Or just pick one at random. 😉

Listen

Start Small

Heron, Duck, Turtle

Awaken Inner Guidance

A Dream Directive

The Basic Skills

Using Reiki to Connect

Start with the Basics

The Cell Phone Edition

Reiki Can Help

The Rearview Mirror

Following Through

It’s Not Always About Me

The Hot Water Episode

Intuition Chronicles: Ignore the Skeptics

When folks are in the early stages of learning to receive and interpret intuitive messages, it’s…
If you’re reading this, chances are you are actively involved in co-creating more wellness in your life.

The more you learn, the more complicated it seems.

It’s not just what you eat, but where it came from and how it was stored and prepared. Not just that you exercise, but when and where.

My neighbor and I were joking the other day that if you do all the things, when are you supposed to work?

It’s a lot to hold in your awareness, let alone to follow through.

I’m leaning into doing less and the tools that are helpful but don’t require another item on my calendar, shopping list, or the creation of a to-do spreadsheet.

Such as music. Not all music, obviously, but some varieties can be soothing or uplifting, calming or energizing.

And all you have to do is press play and maybe pop on some headphones.

Here’s to doing less and receiving more.

No More To-do’s, Please

If you’re reading this, chances are you are actively involved in co-creating more wellness in your…