Reiki…
A Holistic Approach to Your Emotional and Energetic Well-being
Think of Reiki as a gentle reset button for your nervous system and emotional well-being. Rooted in ancient Japanese tradition, certified practitioners use this soothing technique to reduce stress, promote deep relaxation, and support your body's natural healing process. It’s based on a beautiful, simple truth: everything on earth is made up of unseen energy, some call it, "life force energy”. Through the busyness of everyday life and the sometimes painful experiences, that energy gets stuck and needs a little help finding its flow again. That is where the healing power of Reiki comes in.
Why Integrate Reiki with Counselling?
While traditional counselling focuses on your cognitive and emotional experience (the 'top-down' approach), Reiki focuses on your somatic and energetic experience (the 'bottom-up' approach). There is research to suggest that combining these methods provides a more comprehensive path to healing.
Some research suggests an integrated approach can lead to:
Reduced Anxiety: A noticeable lowering of stress hormones and heart rate.
Emotional Release: A safe way to surface and let go of suppressed feelings.
Improved Sleep: Helping your brain 'quiet down' and find rest after intense sessions.
Enhanced Self-Awareness: Becoming more 'in tune' with your physical sensations and intuition.
Processing Beyond Words
There is research to suggest that trauma or heavy emotions can become 'stuck' in the body in a way that words alone cannot reach. Reiki can help release the physical tension associated with these emotions and can be a relaxing way to end a counselling session.
Calming Your Nervous System
When you are in a state of 'fight or flight,' it can be difficult to engage in deep self-reflection. There is research to suggest that Reiki helps shift your body into the parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest), creating the safe internal environment necessary for deeper counselling work or an effective way to end a therapy session.
Balancing Your Mind-Body Connection
Counselling provides you with the tools to understand why you feel a certain way. Reiki provides a space for you to feel and release that energy. Together, they ensure that both your mind and your body are moving toward the same goal.
What You Can Expect
In an integrated session, the process combines counselling with Reiki. Reiki can be added as a closing or a way to start the session.
Check-In: We begin with a brief counselling session or set your initial intent for the Reiki to begin.
The Reiki Session: You remain fully clothed while seated comfortably or laying on a massage table. I position my hands a few centimetres above your body, slowly moving my hand positions from the crown of your head to your feet (no physical touch is involved).
If we have start your appointment with Reiki we will leave time to end with counselling. If we start with counselling we can end with Reiki. It all depends on where you are at that day and what your goals are.
*You are encouraged to journal afterwards, and you are welcome to bring any thoughts or experiences forward into our next counselling or Reiki appointment.
There is always the option to do a Reiki appointment without integrating talk therapy or booking longer sessions to allow more time to combine both.