body-mind-spirit healing

One of the most frequent questions I get from new clients is, “What did you notice during the session?” They seem torn between dread and hope that I’m interpreting information from their energy fields.

Not to worry! I don’t have access to your deepest, darkest secrets. Nor would I want that responsibility. I’m more interested in helping others develop self-awareness and access to inner wisdom rather than perpetuating the concept that we must rely on external “experts” to guide us.

When I’m giving a Reiki treatment, what I feel is a peaceful and healing energy flowing through me. Sometimes it gets more intense in certain places or my hands feel like they’re glued to a specific body part. I recognize that the client is really soaking up the energy when this happens and that this particular area is a potent access point.

All I need to know is that healing is happening and it’s beneficial to linger here.

The “why” is above my pay-grade.

It’s easy to jump to conclusions about the why, but I do my best to resist the ego’s urge to analyze and pretend to know exactly what is happening. I don’t have all the information to make such diagnoses or prognoses.

Fortunately, it’s not necessary. My job is simply to apply Reiki. It’s Reiki’s job to do the healing. Reiki is spiritual guided and emerges from the highest perspective, so it’s best to put it in charge.

I am well aware that other practitioners include reading of the energy field as part of the services they offer. Some claim to be psychic or highly intuitive, and I have no doubt that many are. Hopefully, they also have some training on how to discern the difference between the clients’ issues and their own projections and how to share information in a sensitive way so as to not cause harm.

I’ve had a great number of clients who carry the burden of a message delivered by another practitioner years, even decades, ago. This saddens me. After a Reiki treatment, folks are in an highly impressionable state. Words carry more meaning than perhaps they should. My early training stressed the necessity of approaching each session with unconditional compassion and non-judgment as the foundation of all healing work. Not all practitioners had such wise teachers.

My point being that Reiki practitioners are trained to deliver Reiki. It is a valuable service. If you’re seeking analysis of your energy field, that’s the realm of medical intuitives and psychics. If you want to be saturated in healing, spiritually-guided, innately intelligent life-force energy, you’ll benefit from a Reiki session. If you want information or advice, that’s a whole different treatment, one I don’t offer.

If you have any doubts about what a session entails, it’s a good idea to inquire before scheduling. All the Reiki practitioners I know love to talk about their work and relish a willing audience.

If you’ve received a troubling post-session report in the past, it’s possible that the practitioner was overstepping the scope of their practice. Likely they meant well, but just didn’t know that the implications of their well-meaning words might have been harmful.

I’m certain I’ve said things to clients that landed differently than I intended them to, and this also saddens me. We’re all doing our best with the resources we have in each moment. It is my hope that such shortcomings don’t prevent anyone from receiving the benefits of this amazing modality.

If you’re interested in a prediction/diagnosis/interpretation-free infusion of healing life-force energy, I’d be delighted to provide exactly that. Use the button below to schedule yourself a session. I look forward to it!

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What Do Reiki Practitioners Notice During a Session?

One of the most frequent questions I get from new clients is, “What did you notice…
Here’s the thing about Reiki: it’s an amazing healing technique. I’ve personally experienced incredible transformation simply by applying it consistently over the years and I’ve witnessed the same in countless clients.

But it’s not a magic wand. People don’t experience incredible healing while continuing the behavior that caused their lack of wellness. There’s is no escaping the universal law of cause and effect.

Makes sense, right?

You can’t keep eating poison and expect to get well. Health is about balance. Somehow in our modern society we’ve lost track of that. We’ve been ensorcelled into believing that we can carry on dysfunctional patterns and treat the symptoms with pills, and the side effects of those pills with other pills. The proliferation of pharmaceutical commercials has conditioned us to believe this is a normal approach to healthcare.

It is not.

Strangely, we call this covering up of symptoms “medicine” in our society, but it’s definitely not healing. Healing involves cleaning the mess up that’s been swept under the rug and looking at the hidden motivations for continuing unhealthy behavior so we can stop harming ourselves.

Reiki can help with all of that. It helps us get clear about why we’re feeling compelled to do the very thing we’ve promised ourselves we won’t, how to get a handle on the compulsion, and how to face the underlying triggers.

My post about Reiki and bladder issues is one of the most popular articles I’ve ever written. Every month more than one hundred people open it. I’m assuming these are people who suffer ongoing bladder issues that “medicine” has failed to eradicate.

However… zero people have contacted me to schedule an appointment! Seriously, not a single one. I suspect they’re not keen on the idea of looking at the unexpressed anger that I mentioned in that blog as being a prime suspect.

I get it. Nobody enjoys spelunking in the caverns of messy emotions. It’s uncomfortable and inconvenient and might cause a revelation that a relationship or career is just too toxic to be sustainable.

Yet going through this exploratory process, which is temporary (depending on one’s willingness to really face reality and stop feeding the anger) is the solution that will prevent future occurrences of a painful condition.

In holistic healing, we go to the source of the problem to remove the imbalance. That is often chronic stress, unhealed trauma, or suppressed emotions. These factors wreak havoc on our bodies from the inside (via our hormones) until we intervene.

Yes, it’s no fun going there. But neither (I’m guessing) are recurrent UTIs. On the other side of meeting with the anger, or whatever else has been festering deep down, is a sense of freedom that is most delightful.

It’s important to note that you’re not doing this work alone. Reiki is a powerful source of healing energy. It is spiritually guided life-force and it totally works. I have countless texts from clients post-treatment expressing gratitude and sometimes awe about this. Reiki works. But you need to let it in and you need to be willing to meet with the emotions that arise as a result.

You don’t need to do it all at once and it’s rarely necessary to make sweeping lifestyle changes. And for those who are adamantly opposed to addressing emotional factors, consistent Reiki treatment can help manage symptoms. But for true healing, most people need a combination of support from a practitioner and the courage to look within and the willingness to find a safe expression of the pent-up feelings. (I’m a fan of writing expressive letters that I’ll never mail. Then I can ceremoniously burn or shred them. Other people like smashing cheap dishes or hitting pillows.)

About 95% of my clients experience relief after their first session. Shifting the underlying patterns takes some time; usually a series of about seven sessions, depending on the duration and severity of the condition. Often people find the rewards so impactful that they continue on with a monthly-ish maintenance treatment and enjoy watching the benefits spread into all areas of their lives.

Wherever you are in the world, you can receive a remote treatment from the comfort of your own space. If you’re in the Philly area, you can visit me in Mt. Airy.

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Reiki and Bladder Issues, part 2

Here’s the thing about Reiki: it’s an amazing healing technique. I’ve personally experienced incredible transformation simply…
Whoop whoop!

I’ve scheduled a Reiki 2 class for my Philly area friends. Anyone who has previously taken a level 1 certification training, with me or another teacher, is invited to attend.

Many students who join this training are eager to do remote treatments so they can send healing energy to friends and family from afar. It’s pretty amazing and we have a lot of fun with this.

But that’s not the only benefit of this training.

The distance symbol can also be used to send healing back to traumatic moments, mitigating the present day effects of previous woundings. We can give ourselves the acceptance, understanding, love and attention that we wish we had had in the past.

It can also be used to deposit Reiki in the future to optimize each day or smooth the way through upcoming challenges. And to secure parking spaces and restaurant seating in advance. 🙂

I use the power symbol each time I get in the car to build a protective force field around me. It also amplifies traditional healing and space clearing endeavors. And so much more!

And the mental/emotional symbol is quite useful for treating anxiety and depression, while simultaneously cultivating focus, clarity, and memory. Because it looks like a creature with an open mouth, I imagine it munching up limiting beliefs and cultural conditioning just like PacMan.

Of course, this is just the teaser! We spend quite a bit of time getting to know each symbol and how we can use them in a variety of ways.

Intrigued? We’d love to have you.

5 Thursday evenings from 6-8pm September 14, 21, & 28, October 5 & 19 (no class on October 12)

I’m offering a $25 early bird discount off the regular fee of $275 through August 24. We meet in my Mt. Airy office, near the intersection of Germantown & Mt. Pleasant Aves. I support your comfort to provide the best learning opportunity, so whatever you may need to make that happen is welcome. Let’s chat if you’re unsure if this is a match for you.

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Announcing In-person Reiki 2 Certification

Whoop whoop! I’ve scheduled a Reiki 2 class for my Philly area friends. Anyone who has…
Fatigue is one of the more common ailments that brings clients to me for treatment. Very often people have been through a barrage of testing and are told there is nothing wrong. Gah! This is so frustrating. Just because the medical system can’t find a cause doesn’t mean there isn’t one. I think we can all agree that when someone is so exhausted they can barely function despite getting adequate sleep and nutrition, there is indeed something wrong.

If we look through a holistic lens, we’re more likely to notice dysfunction or imbalance that exists in the mental, emotional, spiritual, energetic, relational, and lifestyle areas. Correcting any of these conditions can have a profound effect on physical health and overall wellness. Reiki is a very useful tool for doing that.

First and foremost, it’s a gentle infusion of pure life-force energy which can begin to shift chronic energy depletion.

Second, it releases stress and tension, which are gigantic drains on our systems. Chronic stress is the equivalent of having a gaping hole in your fuel tank. No matter how often you fill up, gas is just sloshing out all over the place.

Third, it can help dissipate blockages, allowing for a more healthy flow of energy. Common blockages include unprocessed trauma and suppressed emotions. These form a sort of coagulation of life-force which can impede the flow.

Fourth, Reiki can help balance hormones, which have a tremendous effect on our energy levels.

Fifth, it fosters better quality sleep. ‘Nuff said.

Sixth, it can activate clarity and enable access to intuition, helping us to see where and how our energy is being wasted or siphoned in our daily lives. Very often there are some uncomfortable conversations around boundaries that can help protect our energy levels. Saying yes when we really mean NO! is a tremendous drain of energy. Persistent over-giving when our tanks are empty takes a toll on our bodies. We need to rebel against the BS cultural conditioning that it’s better to give than receive and prioritize our own well-being.

I could probably keep going, but I imagine you get my point. It addresses the inflow and outflow of energy and supports a healthy balance so that we can thrive rather than merely surviving.

Perhaps the best thing about using Reiki as a treatment for fatigue is that it can be administered remotely. Yup. You can stay at home if you’re unable or just uninterested in venturing out into the world and receive a session from the comfort of your own space. Just like a automatic deposit to your bank account, there’s nothing that you need to do!

I’ve found that when somebody has been chronically fatigued, it can take three or four sessions for a shift to be noticed. Then gradual improvements are reported. When the client is able to remove some of the worst energetic vampires and willing to meet with the stored emotions that arise, a more balanced flow becomes the new normal.

True, it takes some time and consistent application and often some lifestyle upgrades for lasting results to take root. Just as it’s harder to get out of debt without curbing spending, it’s harder to heal fatigue when dysfunctional relationships or circumstances are not addressed. So it goes with holistic healing- we look at all imbalances from the biochemistry to the psycho spiritual factors. There’s only so much I can do for folks who are committed to unhealthy habits. Those who are serious about getting well realize that if they want things to change, they have to make some changes.

If you’re ready to get started on this journey, I invite you to book a remote Reiki session. You could also come for an in-person session if you’re in the Philly area and need a change of scenery. Once you start feeling better, you might like to learn how to give yourself Reiki. It’s easy to do and no special psychic or mystical powers are necessary.

Reiki has helped me more than any other technique with chronic pain, autoimmune issues, anxiety, and fatigue. And it can help you too!

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Reiki for Fatigue

Fatigue is one of the more common ailments that brings clients to me for treatment. Very…
Summer holidays are not my thing. Particularly July 4th. Why do fireworks need to be so darn loud? What about the poor animals? Where does all that debris go?

And…

I get cranky when it’s hot and humid.

Mosquitos love me.

I am uncomfortable in crowds.

This makes the holiday a nightmare for me.

This year I decided to work and invited several of my clients who have difficulty finding time to come during my normal hours.

I was tired at the end of the day plus all of that other stuff I already mentioned. Heat, insects, crowds, and loud noises. UGH!

And…

It’s been over a decade since I’ve seen a fireworks show. I wanted to have some kind of Independence Day experience.

I sought out some sparklers and took them to my front porch. Instead of feeling like I was depriving myself of the typical experience, I created a miniature magical version that delighted my inner child.

Isn’t it amazing what a shift in perspective can do? Sometimes during the healing process nothing much changes on the external level, but how we relate to whatever is happening can change and all of a sudden our experience is completely altered.

If you want some help finding a new perspective that will be more supportive for your overall wellness, consider booking a Reiki session. That’s the tool that’s helped me the most over the past 20 years. It’s gentle, but powerful, and can help us get to the next level of clarity and comprehension.

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Perspective

Summer holidays are not my thing. Particularly July 4th. Why do fireworks need to be so…
Last week a potential client asked me what my success rate was.

Ummmm…

I really had to give that some thought! I am 100% successful at delivering Reiki and/or massage to the clients who request it.

But that obviously wasn’t what she was looking for. She wanted to know how many of my clients were relieved of their symptoms, but that’s not a question I can accurately answer. I’d estimate that 95% of the time, people feel better when they leave my office. What happens after that is generally out of my hands.

Imagine you were seeking treatment for insomnia. Reiki and massage are both fabulous at calming the nervous system so people can fall asleep more easily and stay asleep. I can do my very best work, you’d feel calm and rested when we parted, but you could go home and drink a pot of coffee before bedtime. You probably won’t sleep very well, but you still received many of the wellness benefits anyway.

Holistic healing is a lot like not drinking a pot of coffee before bed. Or getting out of debt by curtailing spending and taking up a side job. All of our choices are affecting our progress.

My clients who switch to decaf after lunch experience tremendous results. Those who rely solely on me while continuing to drink coffee at bedtime get temporary relief.

There’s no judgment here. Anybody can get a session and feel better. Those who want to continue feeling better work with me. We become a detective team, exploring the options that they face every day to pursue or decline wellness.

Success rate? Here’s a more accurate question, one I wasn’t quick enough to express on that phone call. Are you willing to adapt your behavior and make healthier choices that support your goals? Your response is directly correlated to the success rate you can expect. And my services will mostly definitely support you in the process.

Whether or not you’re wanting to participate in your wellness pursuit, gentle massage and Reiki treatments can promote vitality, peace, calm, creativity, and health. Schedule a session without any guilt or shame about your habits. We don’t have to discuss anything you don’t want to!

Your Healing Session

Success Rate of Healing Treatments?

Last week a potential client asked me what my success rate was. Ummmm… I really had…
I have a lot of fun getting creative with my Reiki practice.

Most people think of Reiki as a treatment- something that happens on a massage table in a spa-like environment.

But that’s only one of it’s expressions. Reiki is spiritually-guided life-force energy. It can be applied anywhere and everywhere to support our goals and desires.

Recently I activated Reiki to open myself to my inner wisdom and connect with a sacred symbol. A downward facing triangle emerged. A few days later I was inspired to make a crystal grid for prosperity and while wondering how to set it up, I was nudged towards the triangle I had downloaded.

It’s not the typical grid format and while pondering the solution, I was guided to create a ring around the edges with a necklace. And finally to use these green citrine crystals I bought ages ago in a Reiki class.

I charged all the stones with the intention of receiving prosperity and fit them into the triangle shape intuitively. I placed the necklace around the triangle and voila! A unique crystal grid, perfect for my needs.

I followed all of this up with a Reiki Healing Attunement, which my teacher, Laura Bruno calls one of the most powerful ways to create change. It was already pretty potent, but what the heck? I tend to use all the tools at my disposal.

I’ll charge this up everyday with more Reiki and my intentions. I find I’m more likely to engage with a practice that is personalized and creative than following some prescribed protocol.

How can you spice up your Reiki practice with something fun and enlivening?

Reiki and Crystal Grids

I have a lot of fun getting creative with my Reiki practice. Most people think of…
Healing is an alchemical practice of transformation. We dream of what we want to create without being attached to it while simultaneously making space for our current situation and being willing to release that which stands in the way.

If we’re particularly intrepid and devoted, we might choose to surrender entirely to our soul’s plan and simply follow the breadcrumbs.

The plan is essentially the same, no matter if I’m working on a knee injury, an auto-immune condition, wonky hormones, anxiety, accessing inner strength and guidance, spiritual awakening, or cultivating peace, joy, and prosperity. (I know this because I AM working on all these things!)

It’s rarely (if ever!) a linear path where 2+2=4. It’s more like M.C. Escher’s “Relativity”.

I have developed a basic recipe that captures the complexity of this equation. (Yes, a recipe for an equation, because that’s how un-logical healing is!)

Compassion+intention+non-attachment+nourishment-energetic drains/blockages=optimal wellness.

Each of these elements varies from moment to moment and person to person.

Optimal wellness for me is built on the foundation of my lineage, history, constitution, beliefs, circumstances and resources. Yours will likely be very different from mine.

If we break it down into segments, it can be easier to approach. These segments aren’t actually separate stages of the journey as everything is intertwined, but it can be helpful to look at it this way for easier understanding.

Compassion. The basic art of being kind to ourselves, no matter what. Easier said than done!

Intention. What is the destination of this healing journey? It might take some time and effort to sort through the “shoulds” of what society, family, religion, school, and the advertising industry have led you to believe are the necessary accomplishments of a successful human.

Non-attachment. Allow yourself to want what you want without clinging to it. Goals tend to change slightly (or entirely!) as you begin to move towards them. Often we gain insight and wisdom along the way, perhaps acceptance or forgiveness, and maybe a good dash of humor or humility that changes our perspective. This is why it’s important to hold the vision loosely and allow it to unfold organically.

Nourishment. I’m not talking about eating delicious home cooked meals, although that could certainly be a factor. I’m talking about spiritual nourishment.

For me this can look like sitting by the creek, reading a good book on the porch, lingering in bed when I don’t have to get up right away, laughing with my niece and nephews, meditating, or a playful hour with colored markers. The common factor here is that none of these activities can be labeled as “productive” or “profitable” outside of my healing journey and require a devoted mindset to carving out the time to make them happen.

Prioritize the journey. This means I need to keep my intention in mind when making decisions and say no to things that would derail me. There are a thousand reasons to deviate from the plan, but very few of them are as important as the healing journey itself. It helps to remind myself frequently about the original desire, or to put it another way, why I’m on this path in the first place.

Navigate the obstacles. They will present themselves without any effort on your part- all you need to do is make a plan to move towards your preferred destination and see what emerges. I call them the “yeah, buts”. Yeah, I want that, but… xyz. They often expose limiting beliefs about scarcity and unworthiness.

They will be tasks, relationships and thoughts that drain your energy and block your progress. AND they are another form of breadcrumbs, showing you what needs your compassionate attention.

Some of these things might be easy to release. Many of them will require some introspection and TLC as they are actually wounds coming to the surface for healing. If we push them away or try to skip over them, we miss an opportunity to alchemize coagulated emotions or integrate fragmented parts of ourselves.

All of this requires not only the willingness to stay put and face the seeming obstacles attached to our desires and abilities to nourish ourselves, but also the skill to interrupt survival and coping mechanisms. This is where nervous system regulation comes in handy. It’s the key that makes the other steps manageable. It’s practically impossible to do any of the above work if your mind is screaming “DANGER! EVACUATE! DANGER!” at top volume.

I made this video outlining some very simple steps to turn off those alarms when they aren’t needed. Let’s face it, most of the time we aren’t in mortal danger. Yet biology stimulates this overblown response and it’s crucial to have a plan for dealing with it.

By far, the easiest way I know (and believe me, I’ve spent 30 years looking for the easiest, simplest, most effective solution to my own struggle with chronic pain and anxiety) to support us on our healing journeys is Reiki. That’s why I’m offering a Reiki 1, Healing for Yourself and Your Loved Ones class that begins May 4. If you’re interested in the way of self-empowerment in order to maximize your wellbeing and connect with your inner strength and wisdom, I’d be delighted to have you aboard.

Reiki 1 Registration

A Healing Recipe for ALL the Things

Healing is an alchemical practice of transformation. We dream of what we want to create without…
Understanding the difference between coping and healing is important for those of us on the holistic path. We don’t often see folks modeling a balanced, integrated approach to dealing with challenges. Coping is very popular in our culture- just turn on the TV for a few minutes and you’re sure to see an example. Or ten.

In my experience, coping comes in a variety of flavors, all of which lean towards checking out of difficult or unpleasant situations. Numbing, distracting, and suppressing are all members of the coping family. If you’re anything like me, you have a wide array of options to choose from, many of which have been perfected over the years.

Now, don’t get me wrong, there is definitely a time and place for coping. If you’re in over your head and need a break from overwhelming emotions, sensations, or circumstances, checking out might be the healthiest option available to you in that moment. Sometimes our sanity or survival relies on our ability to put our heads down and slog through whatever crisis lies ahead. There’s absolutely no shame in doing what you need to do to get through the day.

And… coping doesn’t address the source of the problem, so its effects are, at best, temporary and unsatisfying, and often come with undesirable consequences. Reserve coping strategies for the times when there are no other options. Do what you need to do and let’s talk about a plan for treating the root of the problem when the resources to do so become available.

Healing, or treating a symptom, disease, disorder, malady, or pattern means correcting any imbalance that contributes to its existence. This means looking at belief systems, thought patterns, unexpressed emotions, habits, repetitive movements, and energy flow to see what can be adjusted to support the healing process.

Not nearly as much fun as frozen margaritas and brownies, I know! But immensely more effective and with no queasy regrets the next morning.

OK, great. But now what? How do we actually go about it? I have a lot of ideas, some of which will resonate and others that will likely evoke a … meh… reaction. Depending on your personality and constitution, you’ll either be drawn to the deep end or the gently sloping end of the pool. There is no wrong way to approach healing. The right way is the one that works for you.

Becoming more mindful of what’s actually going on under the surface is a crucial step on the journey. For those of us with unprocessed trauma in our systems, this can stir up some messy, sometimes overwhelming feelings. It is wise to enlist the support of a professional before poking around in your darkest corners if you have difficult, violent, or upsetting experiences in your past that have not been assimilated. Get yourself some guidance before you begin exploring the inner labyrinth.

Efforts that can be applied to healing include, but are not limited to:
- Self-compassion
- Prioritize your needs and desires in order to make space for them
- Set boundaries
- Honor those boundaries!
- Regulate the nervous system
- Make space for your emotions and the accompanying energy
- Move your body in a way that feels good
- Slow down/do less
- Practice being present with yourself no matter what
- Minimize multitasking
- Explore and inventory your limiting beliefs and decide which are keepers and which need to be released.
- Meet every seeming obstacle as an opportunity to heal what lies beneath it.
- Get lots of support
Reiki is an amazing tool that can help with all of the above activities. It regulates the nervous system and provides an infusion of healing life-force energy, giving us the motivation and capacity to face whatever comes up and deal with it accordingly.

If that sounds like something you’d like to have available at you very fingertips, I’d be delighted to have you in my upcoming beginners Reiki class: Reiki 1, Healing Yourself and Your Loved Ones. We gather online for four sessions, starting on May 4.

Register for Reiki 1
Coping vs. Healing

Understanding the difference between coping and healing is important for those of us on the holistic…

body-mind-spirit healing

5 Thursday evenings from 6-8pm September 14, 21, & 28, October 5 & 19 (no class on October 12)