How to be an effective healer in a world of suffering

Being a helping practitioner requires adequate self-care and boundaries. This article explains how as well as bringing compasssion into each session

As healers in the world we all take on a certain amount of responsibility for the well-being of our clients.  That doesn’t mean it is our job to ‘cure’ them, but it definitely requires us to be present, hold space, and offer the best to them.

As an energy worker, I was taught ways in which to not ‘take on’ the emotional/energetic issues of clients, and yet, although I remain a clear channel in my work, my client’s stories still affect me.

How can you be a caring and compassionate helper in the world and not be effected by other’s sufferings?

A recent client had badly damaged tendons and muscles in her back and when I put my Reiki hands over the area they heated up immediately and felt ‘glued’ to the spot for almost the duration of the session.

I could feel my client slowly relax into a slower breath rate, which provided more ‘space’ in the painful area.  Afterwards, she experienced significant release of the tension there and had more range of motion.

For me personally, holding space for physical trauma is a bigger domain than emotional trauma.  Maybe that’s because of my initial training as a counselor,  as reflected upon in my boo, Touching the World Through Reiki conveys.  Nonetheless, I am still awed at the healing process in either account.

I’ve learned ways of ‘discharging’ the built-up trauma of a client by being firmly grounded during the session and taking time after it has concluded to do dry bathing, drink water, and use the bathroom to continue flushing out any vibrational resonance from the session.

I teach this in my Reiki Training Program.

Another important part of self-care for practitioners is also receiving adequate bodywork sessions themselves.

Being a Reiki practitioner, I often trade sessions with others, and occasionally indulge in a massage, acupuncture or chiropractic session.

These supportive sessions should be part of all practitioners’ wellness program.

Others include: taking time away from work, on retreat, reflection and infusion into nature.  The natural world has an incredible way of restoring balance to the system and should also be included in a practitioner’s wellness program.

All the other good things we tell our clients:  proper diet, exercise, sleep, etc. goes for us too, but we’re all human and occasionally that gets out of balance.

The key is to return to center.

That’s what we help do for our clients, we need to remember to do for ourselves as well.

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