By Heidi Scanlon, Certified Reiki master/teacher
These days, children are under a tremendous amount of stress. They are exposed to bullying, they must keep their grades up if they want to get into a good college, they are expected to keep a certain grade average to remain on the sports team, they have social and relationship pressures, not to mention raging hormones and the need for independence as children become teenagers.
The sad reality is that they also have to worry about the very real concern of school safety. Will someone come to school with a gun and shoot them or their friends or teachers?
Many children have other problems to worry about. They live in dysfunctional families, where a parent may be an alcoholic or on drugs. They may be part of a single parent household where the mother or father is working two or more jobs to make ends meet and have no time to be home and oversee their children’s lives. They live in homes where the parents may be so overwhelmed with life that the child is not getting the attention they need.
All of this affects not only the child, but the parents as well. If our kids are suffering, we are suffering also.
What is a resource that can help children cope with the stressors of life? Parents are discovering that Reiki can be a very valuable resource to help their children cope with stress.
Reiki is a practice that is extremely calming and relaxing. It helps to promote healing of the body, mind and spirit by removing interference in the flow of life force energy within and around the body. These interferences or blockages are caused by stress, trauma, repressed emotions and negative thinking. These energy blockages are a major impediment to a child’s ability to function better when under stress. Once these blockages are balanced or removed a child is able to deal with the stressors of life in a better way.
For example: A child has experienced a trauma during childhood which makes them feel unable to trust in the world or they feel it is not safe to love. They withdraw from family and friends. They feel a total disconnect from others. They are afraid to open up to anyone, afraid if they do, they will only feel pain. The root cause of this is the trauma that was experienced. The energy of it is still part of the body’s energetic system. It’s what we call “baggage.” Without the baggage our children are free to be more of their true selves and have the ability to cope better.
In my 17-plus years of practicing Reiki, I have worked with children with anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, behavior problems, autism, ADD and ADHD, and also with those that were suicidal or cut themselves. Ever since the rise in school shootings, more and more parents are bringing their children for Reiki sessions and some are learning Reiki. Having your child learn Reiki would empower them and give them the ability to help themselves through doing self-reiki. This way they can de-stress immediately when they are feeling overwhelmed-without drugs. The end result is a happier, healthier and calmer child – maybe one less child that dies because they were bullied.
I am offering two separate Reiki programs: one for children ages 6-12 and one for teenagers ages 13-18. To find out more, contact Heidi Scanlon at New Jersey School of Reiki by calling 732-254-6070 or at Freedman Chiropractic Center by calling 732-254-6011.
Heidi Scanlon is a certified Reiki master/teacher, practicing since 2000. She is also co-owner of the New Jersey School of Reiki, LLC. She teaches all levels of White Light Reiki. Scanlon is approved by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork as a continuing education approved provider. AP#233. For more information, visit www.FreedmanChiropracticCenter.com or www.NJSchoolofReiki.com
