Alternative Care for the Mind and BodySession 2

Energy Medicine

Jennifer KitchenJuly 2, 2013

“Healing is a matter of time, but it

is sometimes

also a matter of

opportunity” Hippocrates

Overview

Universal Energy

Benefits of Touch Therapies

Therapeutic Touch

Healing Touch

Reiki

Universal Energy

Not directly measurable

Does not lose power with distance

Cannot be blocked by barriers (Micozzi, 2011)

Universal Energy

Energy Medicines

Qigong, Rieki, and Therapeutic and Healing

Touch

Based on philosophy, historical use, and

traditional use

Interaction between energy field and intention (Micozzi, 2011)

Universal Energy

Bioenergy

Ki

Chi

Qi

Prana (Micozzi, 2011)

Aura

Biofield

Meridian

Energy Pathway

Chakras

Local Energy

Fields (Feinstein and

Eden, 2008)

Universal Energy

Reach

Efficiency

Practicality

Patient Empowerment

Quantum Compatibility

Holistic orientation (Feinstein and Eden, 2008)

Six Pillars of Energy Medicine

Benefits of Touch Therapies

Promotes health

Balanced energy in

the body

Reduces anxiety

Improved muscle

relaxation

Enhanced stress

reduction

Improved mood

Improved functional

status

Improved over-all health

Reduced blood pressure

Increased immune

function

Increased ability to cope

with pain

Decreased fatigue (Feinstein and Eden, 2008)

Therapeutic Touch

The therapist

Places hands on or near the patient's body

Consciously directs the patient’s energies

Focuses on balancing the energies and

stimulating the body's own natural healing (The University of Minnesota, 2012)

Based on the assumptions that

Human beings are open energy systems

Illness is an imbalance in the energy field

Clearing or balancing the energy field promotes

health

All humans have the natural abilities to heal (The University of Minnesota, 2012)

Taught in many nursing schools,

Categorized as a biofield energy therapy by

NCCAM

Is not a substitute for medical treatment

It does complement conventional medical care

Is beneficial with other therapies (The University of Minnesota, 2012)

Healing Touch

A Healing Touch session

Practitioner goes through a centering process

Practitioner becomes fully present with the

patient

Practitioner focuses intention on patient's

“highest good” (The University of Minnesota, 2012)

Techniques

A gentle but firm physical touch

Placing of hands in the energy field surrounding

the body

Continual reassessment of the client’s physical

indicators (Wilkinson, Knox, Chatman, et al, 2002)

Complements other healing techniques

Conventional medical practices

Other Mind/Body oriented therapies

Not intended as a cure (The University of Minnesota, 2012)

Reiki

Reiki

The Five Precepts

Just for today, do not anger

Just for today, do not worry

Be humble

Be honest in your work

Be compassionate to yourself and others

(Arnold and Nevius,1982 & Miles and True, 2003)

Reiki

Extremely Passive Medicine

Hands gently on patient or just above the body

No attempt to adjust or reorganize energy field

No attempt to project energy into the body

Does not require an assessment of patient

energies (Micozzi, 2011)

ReikiInduced States of

Awareness

Novel and paradoxical

sensations

Disorientation in space

and time

Altered experience of

self, environment, and

relationships (Micozzi, 2011)

Changes in Physical Measurements

Lowered stress and

anxiety

Skin temperature

lowered

Electromyographic

readings lowered

Salivary cortisol level

lowered (Micozzi, 2011)

Questions

Time to Relax

References Arnold, L. and Nevius, S., (1982). The Reiki Handbook. ParaScience

International; PA. Energy Intuitives, (n.d.). Energy Healing. Retrieved from

http://www.energyintuitives.com/sessions/ Feinstein, D. and Eden, D., (2008). Six Pillars of Energy Medicine: clinical

strengths of a complementary paradigm. Alternative Therapies, 14:1, 44-54. Retrieved from http://www.innersource.net/em/images/6_Pillars_of_EM.pdf

Micozzi, M.S., (2011). Fundamentals of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (fourth edition). Missouri; Saunders Elsevier.

Miles, P. and True, G., (2003). Reiki—review of a biofield therapy history, theory, practice, and research. Alternative Therapies, 9:2, 62-72. Retrieved from http://reikifrank.abmp.com/alt_therapies_reiki.pdf

The University of Minnesota, (2012). Healing Touch. Retrieved from http://takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/explore-healing-practices/healing-touch

The University of Minnesota, (2012). Therapeutic Touch. Retrieved from http://takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/explore-healing-practices/therapeutic-touch

Wilkinson, D.S., Knox, P.L., Chatman, J.E., Johnson, T.L., Barbour, N., Myles, Y., and Reel, A., (2002). The Clinical Effectiveness of Healing Touch. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, 8:1, 33–47. Retrieved from http://gemini.utb.edu/nurs3304_84/ASSIGNMENTS/Healing%20Touch%20Effectiveness%20Article_6316003.pdf