~ Bailey Shawley, M.Ed, CCTS-F, Specialized Parenting and Educational Consultant
When I decided to open B Connecting, LLC, I committed to offering wellness services in addition to consulting services. My years as a school-based mental health counselor and Director of School-Based Services taught me many things, but the most important lesson is that people cannot improve their lives if they do not pay attention to what their bodies tell them. I taught clients how to notice when their bodies acted as warning signs for their emotions. I also engaged clients in calming breathing techniques, taught them how to be mindful of their arms, legs, hands and feet when experiencing “big feelings,” and modeled using tapping to relieve stress. As clients learned to honor the mind-body connection, their emotional intelligence improved and their coping skills became more effective. So, I knew that offering a wellness service centered on the body was a must.
As I researched to find the right wellness service to offer, I looked for one that I would feel comfortable providing to almost anyone and that aligned with my beliefs and strengths so that I could practice it with fidelity. I also talked with friends who prioritized self-care by meditating, practicing yoga, and attending Reiki healing sessions. They said they never had felt better. Some of my friends also were learning how to practice Reiki themselves. The more I read and learned about it, the more I felt like Reiki was the right wellness practice for me to pursue. I especially connected with the idea that everything has energy and that balancing that energy and getting it to flow freely are important components of self-care. And now that I’ve been certified in and attuned to Reiki, I know I made the right choice.
So, what is Reiki? The simple answer is that it is a Japanese spiritual practice that also has a self-healing component. The much more complex answer is that it is a form of divine energy that flows through the practitioner to the recipient through light touch. The Western world considers Reiki to be a healing practice, but the Eastern world views it as a spiritual practice. Even after all of my work with Reiki, I still struggle to put into words what it really is. It is something that you experience on a very personal level, and no two people have exactly the same experience. During Reiki sessions, I have felt tingling, the sensation of strings being pulled, very hot temperatures, and rocking and swaying. I also have visualized waves and the night sky. Since beginning Reiki, I am much more capable of meditating, my sleep is vastly improved, my restless legs have calmed, and I don’t notice as many aches and pains. As for other people, some have cried, felt their bodies lift, felt a strong pull in one direction, heard the voice of a loved one… all during their Reiki experience. I also know people who didn’t feel much of anything but just felt more at peace after their Reiki healing sessions.
I also am an intuitive Reiki practitioner, so I often sense and visualize things while working with clients. I discuss what I have sensed with clients after their Reiki session, and it has helped many of them improve their self-care. I believe that an open mind is the only requirement of a Reiki healing session. But I also encourage Reiki clients to drink a lot of water, eat sensibly, and journal or self-reflect after session.
My Reiki Master is a good friend who also works in the behavioral health field. She has discussed with me the challenges of combining behavioral health services with wellness services in a practice; some people do not understand Reiki or believe that it is a beneficial practice, and so they question the “traditional” behavioral health work that we do. I understand and respect people’s hesitancy about Reiki – and by extension chakra readings – but I also proudly offer both services because I know just how powerful honoring the mind-body connection is. I still consider myself an educator, and I greatly enjoy teaching others about Reiki and chakra readings.
Reach out if you’re ready to give Reiki a try for yourself. You can schedule a half-hour chakra reading ($25/half-hour session) or Reiki healing session ($30/half-hour session or $50/full-hour session). All B Connecting, LLC services are confidential and judgment free.
B Connecting, LLC 