
I learned about alternative healing methods and eliminating pain in an unconventional way. Years ago, my dog Konika Snow’s back went out. At the veterinarian’s office, someone recommended a chiropractor; within an hour, a friend told me her chiropractor worked on dogs. I took this as a sign.
Have your client take three deep breaths.
Place your hands side by side, directly on the pain; you can also sandwich the area by placing your hands on either side.
Depending on the severity of the pain, you will feel heat and even a strong vibration or throbbing. Move your hands until you find the area with the most energy and remain in place.
The feeling may get more intense, or it may start to dissipate. As the heat subsides, so does the pain.
Move your hands to areas near the initial pain to see if it moved. Continue doing this until your hands cool off. Most pain is relieved within 2 to 5 minutes.
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I learned about alternative healing methods and eliminating pain in an unconventional way. Years ago, my dog Konika Snow’s back went out. At the veterinarian’s office, someone recommended a chiropractor; within an hour, a friend told me her chiropractor worked on dogs. I took this as a sign.
Konika improved immediately with the chiropractor, and she was running and playing again after a few weeks. This was the proof I needed to see the benefits of alternative therapies.
During Konika’s treatment, I learned so much about the body and spinal column, and how being out of alignment can cause many common problems including headaches; back, neck, shoulder and foot pain; and even menstrual cramps. After her recovery, I started getting chiropractic care myself. The biggest win was that years of severe menstrual cramps were gone!
Pain is often caused by structural and energetic imbalances in the body. Trauma, emotional and mental pain can get stuck in the body as well, leading to physical pain. The good news is that our bodies have innate wisdom and healing abilities. They will tell us what they do or do not want; we just need to pay attention.
Clearing the slate is ideal for a healthy mind, feelings and spirit, which all supports a pain-free, healthy body. In facial and spa treatments, you can help clear a multitude of issues for guests by implementing a combination of conscious breath, reiki and meridian acupoints.
Healing Headaches
A few well-placed reiki hand positions and specific movements will help reduce or eliminate someone’s headache. The forehead has meridian and neurovascular points that can calm and reduce emotional imbalances, while the occiput has points that reduce stress and pain.
Stand next to your client while they are seated in a chair. Sandwich your hands on their forehead and the back of their head, covering the occiput.
Your hand on the forehead stabilizes the guest’s head, while your other hand slowly pinches the area under the occipital ridge using your thumb and first or second finger. Do this several times to release tension in the neck and stimulate meridian points related to stress, insomnia and pain.
Using your hands as sensors, move to other areas of the head and see if you feel more heat or energy. Keep your hands on the area(s) until the energy subsides.
You can end with what I call “crazy hair,” moving your fingers quickly on the scalp to stimulate the flow of energy through the head’s meridian point. You can eliminate most headaches this way within 5-10 minutes.
Related: Light Therapy for Holistic Pain Management
Pain Relief Techniques
Start with breathing, as it is the easiest way to affect every cell of the body. Conscious breath is simply taking deep long breaths in and out through the nose. The nostrils naturally filter out particles and provide protection.
Breathing through the nose helps release nitric oxide, a chemical that expands blood vessels, lowers blood pressure and provides an overall calming and euphoric effect. It also supports immunity and heart health.
Meanwhile, reiki is a hands-on healing modality that quiets the mind and calms emotions, so guests feel peaceful within. It balances the subtle energy body, which is responsible for providing vital life force energy to the physical, mental, feeling and spirit bodies. A balanced energy body provides a sense of self and life purpose. The person feels connected to innate wisdom to make better choices for themself.
Reiki is my go-to method for reducing or eliminating pain. A protocol looks something like this:
Have your client take three deep breaths.
Place your hands side by side, directly on the pain; you can also sandwich the area by placing your hands on either side.
Depending on the severity of the pain, you will feel heat and even a strong vibration or throbbing. Move your hands until you find the area with the most energy and remain in place.
The feeling may get more intense, or it may start to dissipate. As the heat subsides, so does the pain.
Move your hands to areas near the initial pain to see if it moved. Continue doing this until your hands cool off. Most pain is relieved within 2 to 5 minutes.
I incorporate reiki with meridian acupoints in all my treatments. Meridians are invisible energy pathways in the body. Along the meridians, you will feel slight indentations under the skin where energy pools; these are meridian acupoints.
You may stimulate these points in a treatment by simply pressing and releasing, or by making small circles. Refer to a meridian point face chart for specific pain-reducing points that you can stimulate during a facial.
Referrals to Other Practitioners
There will be times when you must refer a client suffering from pain to another professional. Alternative healing therapists take a holistic approach to health, focusing on the body’s ability to heal and regulate itself.
If the guest has recurring headaches, migraines or pain in the back, neck, shoulders or legs, refer them to a chiropractor. They work on the structural body, focusing on the relationship between the spine and the nervous system. Their hands-on manipulation techniques realign the spine or joints, helping to alleviate pain, improve mobility and promote well-being. Chiropractors who use applied kinesiology to muscle-test the body can tap into the body’s wisdom.
If your client suffers from carpal tunnel syndrome, plantar fasciitis or pain in the shoulders, arms or elbows, to name a few, applied kinesiology can diagnose and correct musculoskeletal imbalances that contribute to this kind of discomfort. With muscle testing, they use a series of techniques to balance and strengthen muscles. Neuromuscular therapy (NMT) is ideal for those with muscle spasms. Neuromuscular therapists are highly specialized practitioners who focus on treating the underlying cause of muscular pain. They utilize pressure techniques, stretching and muscle manipulation to target and release trigger points that can cause and transfer pain to other body parts.
Acupuncture works well for guests who have problems with the body’s internal systems or suffer from chronic pain conditions such as migraines, arthritis and back pain. Acupuncturists look at the flow of energy, or chi, along the interconnected meridian pathways. When energy is disrupted or blocked, acupuncture restores the balance of chi by stimulating specific points on the body, thereby promoting overall well-being.
Alternative therapies saved my dog many years ago and have been part of my life ever since. You too can incorporate these into your life and practice. Using alternative therapies, you can help your clients clear the slate for a healthy mind, feelings and spirit for a pain-free, healthy body.
Chakralicious founder, Linda Bertaut, is a Milady author, national speaker, award-winning esthetician and reiki master teacher. She brought reiki and energy healing to esthetics more than 20 years ago. Bertaut created the “Heal the Healer” program to mentor others to understand, embrace and utilize their healing abilities.