self-care

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.

Reiki Training

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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…
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

Contact Pamela

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…
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…
I haven’t been posting very much this winter. At first, I felt the inward draw of the shorter days around the solstice. I didn’t have much to say and leaned deeply into introspection.

As the days began to lengthen in January, I still was quiet. Incubating something, but still, not much to say about it.

Then, this happened:

Nine inches of heavy, wet snow. We’re still dealing with the aftermath two weeks later; heaps of plowed snow at every intersection and covering many parking spots.

It’s been disruptive to say the least. We’ve had a few warmer afternoons when the piles softened and then refroze overnight, now icy and slippery instead of lumpy and surmountable.

Even Phil, the oracle groundhog has acknowledged that we have a long way to go until spring arrives.

And now, we have yet another string of days that are brutally cold.

I’ve met my match. While I might feel invigorated walking in twenty degree weather, I’ve learned that my line is drawn when we dip into the single digits. And certainly negative 13 (cuz the crazy wind) is not conducive to a healthful stroll around the block.

A good part of my “therapy”, both physical and mental/emotional, relies on daily walks outside, preferably amongst the trees instead of cars. But this is just simply not available to me currently.

It’s a bummer, but I can pivot. Part of the reason I invest so heavily in my daily therapy is so that I have reserves for when I need it. Also, so I can access my intuition about when I need to pivot.

This weather is a good reminder that I can’t control everything. Actually, I can’t control most things! All I can do is the best I can with what I’ve got to work with. And today, that’s going to be indoors despite a desire to get some fresh air and sunshine.

This was a long way of saying, if you’ve been dealt less than ideal circumstances, you can fight against it, give up entirely and go back to bed, or roll with it. Take a moment to truly assess your resources and challenges before falling into default patterns. Learning to roll with it can yield amazing, unforeseen results.

If a door is closed to you, you can try to ram it down. But I’ve learned (the hard way!) that exploring options and seeking an open window often leads to fortuitous events.

When I let go of the plan my mind has made and choose to go with the flow, that’s when miracles happen.

And I am most ready for a miracle today!

I bet you are too.

So that’s what -13 degrees F “feels like”!

I haven’t been posting very much this winter. At first, I felt the inward draw of…
It’s a particularly tough winter here in Philly. We’re hobbled by mounds of now-filthy snow and bitter cold temperatures.

And… have you noticed how the days are getting longer, bit by bit? That it’s not dark at 5pm anymore?

Winter isn’t over yet, but we’re at the halfway point between the solstice and the equinox.

Today we mark the ancient Celtic holiday Imbolc. It’s a time to begin preparation for the spring. It isn’t here yet, but it’s coming.

Our modern day, commercialized equivalent? Groundhog Day.

I have a suspicion that Punxsutawney Phil, the famous rodent, will foresee six more weeks of winter. Yes, it’s just silly pageantry, but underneath we can find pagan roots celebrating the turning of the wheel of the year.

However long the fierce cold and frozen slush endures, we can celebrate the return of the light and trust that this too shall pass. And while we wait, it’s a good time to start dreaming of the seeds we wish to plant when the thaw eventually arrives.

Spring is coming.

P.S. The groundhog’s shadow has been seen, confirming my prediction. Don’t put away your winter gear just yet!

Halfway to Spring

It’s a particularly tough winter here in Philly. We’re hobbled by mounds of now-filthy snow and…
I write a lot about this because it’s so crucial to health. When we live in a state or chronic dysregulation, ongoing stress, and consistent unease, all of our bodily systems are compromised. Learning to embody calm and a sense of safety is essential to reclaim optimal health.

I also talk a lot about Reiki, partly because I find it the most useful tool for regulating my nervous system. It does other wonderful things too, but for the sake of writing an article and not an encyclopedia, I’ll try to stay on topic.

We start with knowing that it’s important to do, necessary even, if we’d like to optimize health, happiness, and creativity. For me, that means making it a priority.

So I’ve made a commitment to do the work. Yes, it is work. Not hard work, but it takes consistent time and attention. I can assure you that it is a worthy investment.

Next, I want to acknowledge that this is DOABLE. It’s simple, accessible, and practical. You might not know how, might never have even known it was possible, but you can learn.

I’ll add here that learning new things can be activating for the nervous system because it likes to keep us in the familiar zone. It confuses unsafe with unfamiliar, so you’ll probably need to use these tools while you’re in the process of learning to use these tools.

Welcome to the complex and spiral nature of healing!

I’ll assume that if you continue to read, you recognize that you want to do this, can do this, and are rolling up your metaphorical sleeves at this moment.

In short, you are ready, willing, and able. Right?

The first step is recognizing a sense of unease in the body. If this is your home base, not to worry, this is a pattern that can be reprogrammed. It will help to add a 5-10 minute awareness practice to your day (morning is especially effective) to sort through the feelings, sensations, and thoughts to reestablish a new baseline.

But today I’m talking about how to interrupt an acute experience of distress.

My goal for today is focused on self-care. It’s a day off and I have planned to have a restful afternoon with a few enjoyable activities scattered throughout. In reality, I had too many to-do items for the day to be relaxing and I started to feel anxious.

Enter Reiki. For me, it helps to prevent a snowball effect and gives me enough space and clarity to recognize what’s really going on.

OK, too many activities means I need to let go of one of them or decide that it’s more important than the ease and rest I am really craving. There’s dissonance between my schedule and my desire and it’s a no brainer to skip the webinar on myofascial release. Maybe I’ll catch the replay. Maybe not.

Great, so now I’m back in harmony on one level, but I’m still feeling anxious. That’s the thing- you can’t reason your way into a regulated state. This is a physiological condition and needs a physiological repair.

Fine. So what is it exactly that I’m feeling? I call it anxiety, but what are the sensations? There’s a buzzing in my upper abdomen. I call it hornets in my gut. Most unpleasant! And my quads are contracted as if I’m prepared to flee.

What does my body need? To know that I am safe. It’s a maladaptive response to confuse a full schedule with danger, but them’s the breaks. That’s how we are wired and better to know this and learn to work with it than to ignore it.

I can use my senses to log data in my environment and send a signal to my brain that there is literally noting to be afraid of at this time. I look around the room, notice there is no fire, no tiger, no mean girls, and my shoulders drop away from my ears.

What else?

An outlet for this energy. I know from previous experience that focusing on my breath, particularly extending exhales and adding an audible sigh can work miracles.

Now my mind jumps in suggesting that this is too simple, too easy to work against such a major activation. That everyone is always talking about the breath as a form of embodiment practice, but really what do those experts of ancient healing systems really know? Yeah, sometimes my mind is an arrogant jerk.

I override this little ego trip and spend a mere three minutes sighing heavily over a cup of herbal tea. I wonder what the neighbors think, then remember that one of them played Dancing Queen loudly, twice this morning before 7:00 and decide I don’t care.

Three minutes and the hornets are subdued. Like 90%. They might actually be butterflies now. It’s that transformational.

The energy is still alive in my legs and I know from previous experimentation that I need to move. I love the rebounder (it’s a mini trampoline that fits easily in my apartment) for shaking out angst, but many forms of movement are also effective.

Now that I feel like I’m no longer going to crawl out of my own skin, I can sit and give myself a Reiki treatment to reach complete resolution. I can also have a look at my calendar from my now-calm state of being and make sure my daily activities are aligned with my priority of maintaining this regulation.

I can also acknowledge that living fully means ups and downs and that there is very likely to be upset in my future. Knowing this, I can refine my plan for meeting whatever comes my way. Generally, I want to be compassionate and aware, tuned in to my body, and well resourced so that I can respond accordingly.

Healing does not mean ubiquitous calm. How dull would that be?! It does, however, mean that I want to address energy leaks and unnecessary upset, bounce back from minor upsets with ease, and be in touch with my needs and how to meet them.

If you already have Reiki, you can apply it towards your intention to regulate and repair your nervous system.

If you’d like to learn how to do this, know that anyone, even the most stressed of us, can learn how to do Reiki for ourselves and share it with our loved ones. I have a beginners level training coming up soon if you’re in the Philly area.

Booking a session can also provide a wonderful reset, giving you a sense of calm and access to your inner wisdom and intuition.

I spent much of my life with the hornets in my gut, never really at ease, slightly on edge, waiting for the other shoe to drop even when there was zero reason to be unsettled. Learning how to calm my nerves has been utterly invaluable to my wellbeing and creativity. I have faith that if you’re in that same boat, there is hope for you too.

Nervous System Basics

I write a lot about this because it’s so crucial to health. When we live in…
12 Reasons to Learn Reiki

Reblogging this gem about some of the more popular reasons for learning how to connect to spiritually guided life-force energy, AKA Reiki.

The next certification training begins in December. If you’re in the Philly area, we’d love to have you join us!!

Reiki 1 Class Begins Soon

Reblogging this gem about some of the more popular reasons for learning how to connect to…
… and let go of everything that is ready to go.

Autumn is the time of year when Nature urges us to release our hold on that which no longer serves us. Clinging to the old uses a lot of life-force energy and often prevents us from moving forward.

See how the trees simply drop the leaves after they have completed their time together?

Winter is coming and that is a time for rest and restoration. That can be more easily done when we aren’t dragging a bunch of decaying matter with us, be it beliefs, emotions, habits, or relationships.

What’s one thing you can release in order to make more space for your true self to emerge?

Me? I’m doing a closet clean out AND committing to taking the bag(s) of culled items to a donation center by the end of the month.

It doesn’t need to be complicated or arduous. Maybe start with that pile of paperwork cluttering your desk or the ubiquitous kitchen junk drawer. Your future self with thank you.

Be Like a Tree

… and let go of everything that is ready to go. Autumn is the time of…