What is Energy Healing?

An energy healer is someone who has the ability to channel various frequencies of energy in order to create beneficial change in another's energy field. Energy healing has ancient roots and can be found in many cultures and spiritual traditions. Indian spiritual texts over 5,000 years old describe a universal energy called Prana as the source and breath of all life. Yogis practice the manipulation of this energy through breathing techniques, meditation and physical exercises. Thousands of years ago, the Chinese theorized that all matter is composed of and pervaded by a universal energy called Ch’i; they developed the art of acupuncture to balance this life-force by applying thin needles to the body‘s energy meridians. In modern times, energy medicine is one of the four main categories of "complementary and alternative medicine" identified by the National Institute of Health. Modalities such as Reiki, Qi Gong healing, shamanism, and Healing Touch are all examples of energy work. The primary modalities I use are Brennan Healing Science and VortexHealing® Energy Therapy.

 

What are Energy Fields and Chakras?

The Human Energy Field (HEF) is an energetic matrix which underlies the physical body. The HEF consists of multiple levels that interpenetrate one another in successive layers of increasing frequency. Each layer has a distinct appearance and governs physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual functions. Within the Human Energy Field are the chakras (a Sanskrit term). A chakra is a spinning vortex or funnel of energy that corresponds to the major nerve plexuses in that area of the physical body. When the chakras are functioning optimally, each will be drawing in and metabolizing the particular energies needed from the universal energy field.

 

As a human being matures and the chakras develop, each chakra governs psychological patterns evolving in the individual's life. From earliest childhood, most of us instinctively react to unpleasant experiences by blocking our feelings and stopping a great deal of our natural energy flow (shallow breathing is one way we do this, as is tightening muscles). This affects the development and maturation of the chakras, resulting in the inhibition of a fully balanced psychological function. For example, if a child reaches out and is repeatedly rejected instead of being met with love, she may stop trying to connect lovingly with others. In doing so, she will reduce the energy flow through the heart chakra, which will affect the chakra's development; over time, a physical problem is likely to result. Whenever a person blocks whatever experience she is having, she in turn blocks her chakras, which eventually become disfigured. The chakras become clogged with stagnated energy, spin irregularly and may eventually become severely distorted. Fortunately, energy work offers techniques to release conditioning held in our chakras and energy fields, creating flow and freedom where previously there was constriction.

 

How does Brennan energy work differ from other types of energy healing?

While there are various types of energy healing, many of them are learned over the course of a few weekend workshops. Some who complete these brief classes are able to become accomplished healers through their own persistence or innate ability; however, many others end up working with forces they barely understand. I was initially drawn to the Brennan school due to my positive experience working with a Brennan healer to resolve my own health issues, but I enrolled because of the thoroughness and integrity of the training. Prior to opening her school in 1982, Barbara Brennan was a NASA physicist in addition to being a naturally gifted healer. I feel that her scientific approach to exploring the human energy field was integral in creating one of the most professional training programs in the field of energy medicine.  Thousands of students attended the school, traveling from over 50 different countries. All graduates have completed 4 years of training which includes at least 900 classroom study hours, over 100 documented client sessions, a senior thesis, an oral case presentation to the faculty, and Anatomy and Physiology coursework. 

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The program is also one of intense personal transformation (requiring a minimum of 72 sessions of psychotherapy) with an emphasis on assisting students in recognizing and addressing their own issues, which enables them to become more fully present for their clients. Additionally, Brennan work focuses on how energetic boundaries and defenses impact psychological and physical development. For some clients, seeing their interactions with others in this new way is very helpful in addressing patterns of co-dependency and other relationship challenges.

 

What is a healing session like?

At the beginning of each in-person session you are given an opportunity to share what has been going on in your life and discuss your immediate concerns. Some clients are seeking only this aspect of what I offer and thus it is more of a life-coaching or personal growth session. However, if you are also interested in experiencing energy work, once the discussion concludes, you will then lie fully-clothed on a massage table while I work with my hands resting lightly on, or above, your body. There are many techniques that I may employ, including restructuring areas of the field, clearing stagnant energy, and channeling various frequencies to create a shift in some aspect of your system. The actual experience varies widely among clients; even the same client will experience each session differently. Sometimes there will be a feeling of relaxation, peace, or bliss. Sometimes there are emotional releases or physical sensations. Sometimes a client will feel nothing while he or she is on the table, but later will notice a new sense of groundedness or inner spaciousness. Each time you leave the session, your energy field will be more clear, charged, and balanced. This provides your system with the experience of a different, healthier way of being, which allows old, rigid patterns to begin to shift.

 

Alternatively, if working long-distance, we will connect by phone for discussion. Then we will hang up and you'll make yourself comfortable in an area where you can relax and remain uninterrupted. I will connect energetically with your system and perform the healing just as I would if you were in front of me. At the end of the session, we will re-connect by phone so that you know the healing has ended and have an opportunity to discuss what occurred.

 

What can a healer do?

An “energy healer” is actually more accurately described as a facilitator.  Your body has its own innate wisdom and is always striving to bring itself into balance. A healer can create changes within your energy system which support your conscious intention for healing, making it easier for such a shift to occur. However, a willingness to explore your own emotions, beliefs and attitudes, as well as a commitment to self-care in the form of a healthy diet, exercise, and nurturing relationships play an important role in helping such shifts become part of your permanent reality. It's also important to note that healing and curing are two different things. In some cases, a person with a serious illness may experience deep healing through improved relationships, a deeper acceptance of their circumstances, or enhanced spiritual connection, while the physical condition remains unchanged. I have been trained in numerous techniques which support the body's ability to heal itself; however, specific outcomes vary by individual and cannot be guaranteed.  Lastly, healing is a co-creative process in which the healer and the client journey together on a path toward wholeness. If we want our external circumstances to change, we must be willing to undergo change within ourselves. Energy therapy is not a "magic wand" that can be waved over the troublesome areas of life; however, when there is a good fit between healer and client, with both showing up to do their work, the shifts that occur often seem quite magical!

 

How many sessions will I need? And how often will I need to see you?

As each client is unique, there isn't a specific number of recommended sessions. Some clients feel their goals are met quickly, while for others the process evolves more slowly. Frequency of sessions also varies; many clients have a regularly scheduled "maintenance" session once per month, while those who are particularly focused on addressing a specific issue or who find themselves needing extra support during a time of crisis may choose to see me more often.

 

Can I do energy therapy in addition to other types of healing practices?

Absolutely! Energy healing is not meant to be a substitute for medical care or psychological counseling and I encourage all clients to be under the care of a licensed physician (and a therapist, if needed). Energy work is also complementary to other healing modalities such as acupuncture or massage. 

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What types of clients do you see? Is energy work recommended for certain conditions/situations?

Some clients come to see me:  when they are feeling anxious, overwhelmed, or having difficulty processing emotions; when they have chronic symptoms that have not been helped by other providers; when they are having problems with their close relationships or have issues with boundaries; when they are in need of clarity for a specific issue; when they are in transition or their identity is somehow in flux; because they are seeking growth and increased wellness; or simply because they feel something is "missing" and desire deeper meaning in their lives. Energy work can be beneficial for a variety of conditions and circumstances because it creates a shift in the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual levels of the human energy field, thus I work with clients with a very wide range of issues. While many physical conditions also require medical intervention, energy therapy can often speed up the healing process, mitigate the side effects of medical treatments, or assist one in better coping with the mental and emotional impact of a disease process. You do not need prior experience or an understanding of energy work in order for it to be effective. My clients have included hairdressers, teachers, computer programmers, college students, and physicians, many of whom had never heard of energy work before coming to see me.

 

What is the relationship between "spirituality" and energy work?

In the most basic sense, the term "spiritual" refers to anything that is non-physical. By this definition, energy therapy is inherently spiritual because it works directly with the energetic web that underlies all that is manifest in the material world. However, spirituality is also a broader concept which points to a connection with something larger than ourselves and involves an inquiry into what it means to be human. Some clients who come to see me aren't particularly focused on these larger questions, while others may be actively engaged in a "spiritual search" and looking for mentoring in that area. I've worked with clients of many faiths, as well as those who consider themselves atheist or agnostic, and I believe that each person has a unique relationship with life's mystery. I am not affiliated with any religious organization and support all clients in discovering their own truth.