Cancer, Reiki, and Life/Wellness Coaching

By Marsha Jones, RM, CLC

Practical Healing Solutions

More Complementary & Integrative Healthcare Articles

Cancer, Reiki, and Life/Wellness Coaching

A diagnosis of any illness has an impact on your mind, body, and spirit. You've just been diagnosed with cancer. Along with medical support and treatments, many people are looking for a more natural approach to support the healing process. Reiki and Life/Wellness Coaching are non-invasive, complementary modalities.

Reiki is a Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation that also promotes healing. It's administered by laying hands on or near a person's body and can be easily learned by anyone. The word Reiki is made from two Japanese words. Rei means a “higher power” and Ki means “life force energy”. Reikimeans “spiritually guided life force energy”. Reiki is used to decrease pain, lower stress, support emotional challenges and support overall wellness.

A Reiki practitioner, can assist a person in a variety of ways. First, a person/family member can be taught level one Reiki and provide treatments themselves. Second, a person can participate in a 45-60-minute Reiki session. Third, a person can participate in a 30-45-minute distance session over the phone, and fourth, a person can purchase a Reiki bear, which holds the Reiki energy specific to cancer or another health challenge.

All four methods can activate the natural healing process of the patient's body and help to restore physical and emotional wellbeing. Reiki is being used in more than 70 hospitals in the United States in our area, Johns Hopkins in Maryland and INOVA Fairfax in Virginia.

A few benefits of Reiki are

Helps you feel deeply relaxed

Helps you cope with challenges

Lowers stress and tension

Eases level of pain

Enhances other medical/healing methods

Minimizes side effects of surgery, chemotherapy, etc.

Strengthens immune system

When your reality hits a brick wall, try life/wellness coaching. Counseling is used to look at one's past and finding healing from your emotional wounds or if you've been diagnosed with anxiety, depression or are using medication for emotional challenges. Coaching is a helpful method that looks toward the future. Coaching is for people who desire to see improvement and beneficial change in their lives.

A few benefits of life/wellness coaching

Teach coping skills

Be a support person

Help formulate a healing plan

Help set realistic goals

If you have cancer or other medical/emotional challenges, consider adding Reiki, life/wellness coaching, or both, to your healing plan.