I received my first Reiki treatment in 2012 after having surgery to remove my Thyroid gland due to Cancer. I didn't know much about Reiki or how it worked, I just knew I was physically and emotionally exhausted and was open to anything that would make me feel better. I had reached a point where I didn't feel that traditional medicine was able to offer me the level of healing I needed. After my first Reiki treatment I was amazed at how rested, calm and clear I felt. It was truly the first time in several months that I did not feel anxious or exhausted. I was completely amazed at the positive impact Reiki had on my overall wellbeing and after a few more treatments I had much more energy and felt "balanced" on both an emotional and physical level. After receiving Reiki, the shift that took place in me was so significant, it inspired me to eventually learn the practice of Reiki so that I could reach out to others, like me, who were in need of healing and open to trying alternative methods . But it wasn't an over night thing, it took me a while to get there, I was always too busy with "life", "one day I'll look into this Reiki thing", "one day when I have more time".... "it was always one day, one day, one day..."

Finally several months later, while sitting at my desk wading through a pile of legal contracts, at a time when the notion of learning Reiki had all but vanished from my scattered mind. I turned to my friend and colleague Meredith and said out of the blue "I'm going to learn Reiki. I have to find a class." All of sudden, for me "learning Reiki" had become urgent but I wasn't sure why. I just had this sense that it was something I had to do. So I found a class with the lovely Christine Jefferies as Reiki Master and enrolled. Then a few weeks later, my father, David, who was so very special to me, was diagnosed with Lymphoma. Still, somehow, I failed to make the connection immediately. It wasn't until he underwent his first chemo session that I fully understood the sudden urgency to "learn Reiki".

So there we were, my father and I, he was in a great deal of pain, suffering with terrible throat sores and an eye infection both attributed as side effects to the chemo. I said " Dad, do you want me to try the Reiki?" Him knowing very little about energy healing, initially meeting it with skepticism weeks earlier when I had been explaining to my parents that I was going to take a class in "Reiki" his response was a light-hearted "I don't know Lisa, sounds a bit suspect to me?" Was now, like I had once been, willing to try anything that might make him feel better.

I am deeply grateful that I was able to offer my father Reiki at a time when he needed it most. The healing energy of Reiki helped ease his discomfort considerably, reducing and eliminating pain, providing deep relaxation and sleep. My father became a great advocate of Reiki which enhanced my sincere desire to help others achieve their own healing needs and wellness goals.