Finding Healing in Times of Grief: Energy Medicine and Natural Remedies

Last week was a trying time for so many of us. For me personally, grief resurfaced around the anniversary of 9/11—a moment etched into my memory as someone who grew up in New York City. That day was shattering for countless lives, and even now, years later, the heaviness remains. On top of that, Charlie Kirk’s death stirred strong emotions across the nation and the collective reactions felt magnified by the polarization and uncertainty. Wherever you fall on the political spectrum, this isn’t meant as a political statement but rather a reflection on grief—how it moves through us and how we can support ourselves.

Grief is universal. It touches us all, no matter our beliefs, communities, or backgrounds. The challenge is how to move through it without becoming hardened, numb, or overwhelmed. Fortunately, there are many tools—ancient and modern—that can support us in navigating these moments of heartbreak.

As a Naturopathic Doctor and Holistic Nurse with a focus on mental health, here are some of the go-to’s I use to help myself and my patients move through grief. Please note: this is for educational purposes only and not a substitute for medical care.

Homeopathy for Grief

Homeopathy is a natural system of medicine that uses highly diluted remedies to stimulate the body’s own healing response.

• Ignatia amara: Often used in acute grief, when tears come in waves, the chest feels tight, and emotions feel raw.

• Natrum muriaticum: Helpful for deeper, chronic grief, when sorrow is carried silently, and words feel too heavy.

• Rescue Remedy: A well-known flower essence blend created by Dr. Edward Bach. It combines five different essences (Star of Bethlehem, Rock Rose, Cherry Plum, Impatiens, and Clematis) and is traditionally used in moments of acute stress, shock, or emotional overwhelm. Many find it calming and stabilizing when grief feels unbearable.

Reiki and Energy Healing

Reiki is a form of energy healing where gentle touch (or even intention without touch) helps balance the body’s energy centers. Placing hands over the heart chakra can create a sense of warmth and safety, allowing the nervous system to soften.

Nutrition and the Microbiome

What we feel in our hearts often resonates in our digestive tract. Trauma and grief can disrupt the microbiome, influencing not only digestion but also mood and resilience. Supporting gut health with probiotics, fiber-rich foods, and gentle nourishment can aid in stabilizing stress metabolism.

Acupressure for Grounding and Balance

Acupressure is an ancient healing art from Traditional Chinese Medicine where gentle pressure is applied to specific points on the body to restore balance and calm.

• Heart 7 (Shenmen): Found on the inside of the wrist crease, near the pinky side; applying pressure here can help to calms the spirit and eases anxiety.

• Heart 8 (Shaofu): Located in the palmar aspect between the 4th and 5th finger; applying pressure here helps release heat from emotional intensity.

• Conception Vessel 12: On the anterior midline, stereo-costal notch, .applying gentle pressure here supports strength and centeredness.

• Kidney 1 (Yongquan): On the sole of the foot, about a third down from the toes; helps anchor and ground when grief feels destabilizing.

Flower Essences and Subtle Remedies

Flower essences are liquid extracts made from the energetic imprint of flowers, used to support emotional and spiritual healing.

Beyond Rescue Remedy, essences like Star of Bethlehem can help with shock, while Sweet Chestnut supports those moments of deepest despair. These remedies work gently, nudging the heart toward integration and healing.

The Foundations Still Matter

While these natural remedies are powerful, we can’t forget the basics: sleep, community, and rest. Grief asks us to slow down, to connect with others who hold space for us, and to allow time for the heart to heal. Sharing meals, sitting in silence with a trusted friend, or simply resting deeply can be as medicinal as any herb or energy practice.

Moving Forward Together

In a world that often feels divided, grief can remind us of our shared humanity. It is the thread that binds us together, a testament to the love and connection that exists beneath our differences. Whether remembering a national tragedy, mourning a public figure, or moving through our own private sorrows, we can choose compassion—toward ourselves and toward each other.

Energy medicine and natural remedies don’t erase grief, but they do offer gentle pathways to carry and metabolize it. They remind us that healing isn’t about forgetting but about finding balance, grounding, and strength in the face of loss.

5 DOs & Don'ts I Learned When Starting a Holistic Practice

If you’re a nurse who feels the call to move beyond bedside care and step into your own holistic nursing business, you’re not alone. Many nurses dream of creating freedom, flexibility, and fulfillment by blending their professional skills with holistic healing.

But let’s be honest — the transition can feel overwhelming. You’ve been trained in nursing, not in marketing, cash flow, or running a business. Becoming a holistic nurse entrepreneur is practically specialty in itself, and the leap from steady bedside income to $0 with no clients and no network can feel daunting.

Here’s the truth: you don’t need to have it all figured out before you start. What you need is clarity, a plan, and courage to take the first steps. Below, I’ll share 5 DOs and DON’Ts that can help you transition from bedside nursing into a thriving holistic nursing practice.

1. DO: Know Your WHY and Your Motivation

Every nurse entrepreneur needs a powerful reason to push through the challenges of starting a business. Your why doesn’t need to be complicated — it could be as simple as wanting more time freedom, flexibility, or the ability to practice nursing in alignment with your values. One of my biggest WHYs was that I didn’t want to work holidays and be away from my family.

Simple.

This clarity is what will carry you through the moments when you feel stressed, confused, or ready to give up.

Write it down. Post it where you’ll see it every day. Let your vision for your holistic nursing business pull you forward.

DON’T: Overthink your purpose. Perfectionism stalls progress. A clear, heartfelt reason is all you need to begin.

2. DO: Create a Safe Transition Plan

It’s tempting to walk away from bedside nursing the moment you feel burned out, but financial stability is key to building confidence in your holistic practice. Start by mapping out your current paycheck and expenses and create a strategy.

For example, if you earn $2,000 a week, ask yourself: How many clients, workshops, or programs would I need to replace that income?

Could I go part-time or per-diem to free up energy for my new business?

DON’T: Quit your nursing job cold turkey. Balancing a new business and a full-time job is exhausting, especially if you also have family responsibilities. Create milestones to gradually scale down your bedside hours as your holistic nursing business grows.

3. DO: Learn the Basics of Marketing Yourself FIRST

Marketing is part of nursing entrepreneurship — but don’t let it scare you. Start by learning the basics: where are your ideal clients spending their time online, and how can you put yourself and your business in front of them? Are they searching on Google for holistic nursing? Scrolling Instagram for wellness inspiration? Joining Facebook groups for nurse burnout support?

Once you know where they are, the next step is understanding what problems they have and how you can offer a better solution. Your goal is to connect the dots between their pain points and the holistic nursing services you provide. The marketing is meant to then help them see why what you offer is what will help them. It’s hard to market what you do if you don’t have this foundation. This creates authentic, meaningful marketing that feels more like service than sales.

DON’T: Hire a marketing team too early. Without clarity about your niche and your clients’ needs, you risk wasting thousands of dollars. I learned this the hard way when I trusted a digital marketing firm and lost 827% of my website traffic in two months. Yikes (thankfully I was able to turn it around which made me MORE confident in my marketing skills).

Until you know your own numbers, message, and audience, keep your marketing in-house or spend low, or build word of mouth networks.

4. DO: Simplify Your Services in the Beginning

Holistic nurses are often multi-passionate — maybe you’ve trained in yoga, Reiki, acupressure, homeopathy, or nutrition. That’s amazing, but too many offerings can overwhelm you and confuse your clients.

Focus on one or two services that feel natural, gets you successful results, and highlight your unique healing presence. Remember, clients don’t just come for the service — they come for you.

DON’T: Chase shiny objects. Adding more certifications or services before building a foundation slows your growth. Certifications don’t translate to confidence either - what you sometimes need is courage!

5. DO: Build Multiple Streams of Income Once You’ve Mastered #4

Long-term freedom in holistic nursing often comes from diversifying your income. Consider offering workshops, online courses, digital products, or passive income through dispensaries or affiliate programs. Active income (1:1 clients, group programs) combined with passive income creates stability and flexibility.

DON’T: Rely on just one income stream. If bedside nursing taught us anything, it’s the danger of burnout from putting all your energy into one role.

Final Thoughts: From Bedside to Business Freedom

Transitioning into your own holistic nursing business takes courage, strategy, and patience. Remember, you don’t need to have it all figured out on day one.

Start with your why. Create a financial transition plan. Learn the basics of marketing. Keep things simple. And when you’re ready, add multiple streams of income.

Most of all, give yourself permission to grow into the role of a nurse entrepreneur. Holistic nursing is not just a job — it’s a calling. And your patients, clients, and community are waiting for the gifts only you can bring.

Ready to make the leap from bedside to business?

Don’t do it alone. My “Bedside to Business” workbook is designed specifically for nurses ready to step into entrepreneurship. Inside, you’ll find practical strategies, reflection exercises, and guidance to help you build multiple streams of income and grow your holistic nursing practice with confidence.

👉 Grab your copy here and start building your freedom today.

How Functional Nutrition for Nurses Complements GLP-1 Medications and Patient Care

The rise of GLP-1 receptor agonists has quickly become one of the hottest conversations in healthcare. Many patients—and even clinicians—are talking about how these medications help regulate appetite, support weight loss, and improve glucose metabolism. But the question remains: how do we complement these therapies with food, lifestyle, and functional nutrition strategies? And what happens when patients want to withdraw from them?

This is where the Functional Nutrition for Nurses Certification becomes a vital resource. Nurses are on the frontlines of patient care, and we need evidence-based tools to guide patients safely and effectively through these evolving treatments.

Understanding GLP-1: Benefits and Considerations

GLP-1 medications support key physiologic mechanisms:

• Enhance glucose uptake in the periphery

• Reduce appetite and delay gastric emptying

• Lower bile acid absorption

• Support mild diuresis and reduce gastric inflammation

• Enrich thermogenesis to aid in weight loss

It’s no wonder patients are drawn to them. However, as nurses we must also recognize the risks:

• Muscle loss from reduced appetite

• Hypoglycemia, especially when combined with other blood sugar–lowering agents

• Interactions with corticosteroids (delayed absorption) and oral contraceptives (altered therapeutic levels)

• Fiber supplements worsening GI side effects

Even common foods and supplements can interact—cheese may worsen nausea, while Berberine and Chromium may increase GLP-1 activity, raising the risk of hypoglycemia when combined.

Supporting Patients with Functional Nutrition

Functional Nutrition is about identifying root causes—like mitochondrial dysfunction, inflammation, or poor gut health—and using food, herbs, and lifestyle to restore balance.

Evidence-based strategies nurses can use include:

• Monitoring fasting glucose, hs-CRP, and C-peptide when starting, transitioning, or tapering GLP-1 medications

• Supporting mitochondrial health with foods and herbs that activate AMPK: Astragalus, Berberine, and Green Tea

• Balancing satiety hormones with olive oil (boosts CCK), fiber-rich meals, mushrooms, and fermented foods

• Integrating intermittent fasting for metabolic flexibility and weight management

These tools can help reduce side effects, improve patient outcomes, and create smoother transitions for patients who wish to discontinue medication use.

Why Nurses Need Specialized Training

As holistic providers, we are uniquely positioned to bridge the gap between pharmacology and nutrition. The Functional Nutrition for Nurses Certification is designed to give you:

• A deeper understanding of functional lab testing

• Practical guidance on supplement safety and interactions

• Strategies for patient-centered nutrition interventions

• The confidence to educate patients on evidence-based functional nutrition approaches

Enroll Now

If you’re ready to expand your role as a holistic nurse, now is the time. This certification program will give you the tools to confidently support your patients with both conventional and functional approaches.

👉 Enroll Now in the Functional Nutrition for Nurses Certification

Together, we can lead the way in transforming patient care—through education, empowerment, and the integration of functional nutrition into nursing practice.

On-Demand Holistic Nurse Coach Certification: Advance Your Career on Your Schedule

In today’s fast-paced healthcare world, nurses are seeking flexible, evidence-based education that supports both their patients and their own well-being. That’s why our on-demand holistic nursing courses are designed for busy professionals who want to elevate their practice without sacrificing time or balance.

Why On-Demand Learning Works for Nurses

• Flexibility: Learn at your own pace, from anywhere.

• Accredited: Courses are AHNA-approved for continuing education contact hours.

• Career Advancement: Build skills that set you apart as a holistic nurse coach, entrepreneur, or practitioner.

Our Most Popular On-Demand Courses

1. Acupressure Certificate for Nurses – Learn hands-on techniques for stress relief and patient care.

2. Mindfulness and Mind-Body Medicine – Reduce burnout, improve resilience, and integrate mindfulness into nursing practice.

3. Functional Certification Nutrition for Nurses – Understand how nutrition impacts patient outcomes and your own health.

4. Reiki Level 1 for Nurses – Explore energetic therapies to expand your healing toolkit.

The Benefits of Holistic Nursing Certification

Completing an on-demand holistic nursing certification does more than check off CE hours. It shows patients, employers, and colleagues that you value compassionate, patient-centered care. It also positions you for opportunities as a holistic nurse entrepreneur or coach.

Ready to Get Started?

Our courses are affordable, accessible, and designed by nurses, for nurses. Explore the full catalog today and discover how you can expand your practice with confidence.

Why Herbal Assessment Is a Critical Skill for Holistic Nurses

Herbs Are Medicine—But Are You Asking the Right Questions?

As holistic nurses and integrative practitioners, we often celebrate the power of natural remedies—but herbs aren’t harmless just because they’re “natural.” In fact, understanding herbal pharmacology is a vital skill for any holistic nurse providing evidence-based, whole-person care.

With the increased use of herbal supplements, teas, tinctures, functional foods, and topical herbal preparations, it’s more important than ever to assess clients thoroughly. Not doing so could put them at risk for serious herb-drug interactions—or limit the benefits of both.

Why Herbal Assessment Is a Critical Skill for Holistic Nurses

Herbs can support healing and restore balance—but they are pharmacologically active. Many herbs influence the cytochrome P450 (CYP450) system in the liver, the same enzymatic pathway that metabolizes most pharmaceutical drugs. This means herbs can either reduce or enhance drug function, delay elimination, or increase absorption of prescription medications.

For example:

• St. John’s Wort may reduce the effectiveness of antidepressants, oral contraceptives, or blood thinners.

• Ginger or turmeric may increase the absorption of some anti-inflammatory medications—or raise bleeding risk when used with anticoagulants.

• Topical preparations like arnica gels or essential oil salves may seem benign, but they still enter the bloodstream and may interact with medications or cause sensitization reactions.

Ask These Key Herbal Use Assessment Questions

To safely guide clients, it’s crucial to go beyond “Are you taking any medications?” Here are nurse-approved questions that help uncover hidden herb use:

• Who are your healthcare providers? (Some acupuncturists, naturopathic doctors, or herbalists may prescribe herbal formulas.)

• Do you take any multivitamins or supplements? (Many include herbal blends like ginseng, ashwagandha, or green tea extract.)

• Are you using any pre-workout powders or drinks? (Commonly contain caffeine, yohimbe, or bitter orange—all herbs with cardiovascular effects.)

• Do you drink herbal teas? (Chamomile, licorice, dandelion—all may have medicinal effects.)

• Do you eat any “functional foods”? (Such as turmeric lattes, mushroom powders, adaptogenic smoothies?)

• Do you apply any topical salves, creams, or essential oils? (Herbs via skin can still interact systemically.)

Herbs Have Pharmacologic Power—And a Medical Legacy

Pharmacology and herbal medicine are deeply intertwined. Many of today’s most-used drugs were derived from plants:

• Digitalis from foxglove, used for heart conditions

• Vincristine from periwinkle, used in chemotherapy

• Metformin from French lilac, used for type 2 diabetes

These examples underscore that herbal constituents are potent—and working with them responsibly means understanding their mechanisms, interactions, and routes of entry.

Empower Your Nursing Practice with Herbal Pharmacology

Holistic nursing demands more than just intuitive care—it calls for clinical precision. As nurses, we are ethically responsible for ensuring the herbs our clients use are both safe and effective, especially when combined with pharmaceuticals.

Want to deepen your knowledge and safely guide clients with herbal remedies?

Join our Herbal Pharmacology for Nurses, a 3-hour professional training designed specifically for nurses and holistic practitioners. You'll gain the confidence to assess, educate, and support your clients using herbs through a functional and pharmacologic lens. Sign up today!

Enhancing Nursing Care Plans with Thai Massage: A Holistic Approach to Education and Wellness

As nurses, we’re trained to care for the whole person—body, mind, and spirit. But how often do our care plans reflect this integrative perspective?

Incorporating holistic modalities like Thai massage into nursing care offers a gentle, effective way to promote wellness, prevent imbalance, and empower both nurses and patients. Rooted in traditional Thai medicine, Thai massage blends acupressure, assisted stretching, and energy-based techniques to restore balance in the body. When used ethically and within scope, it can deepen clinical care while supporting wellness education at the bedside.

What Is Thai Massage?

Thai massage is a therapeutic practice that’s performed fully clothed on a mat or firm surface. The practitioner uses hands, thumbs, elbows, and feet to apply rhythmic pressure along energetic pathways (Sen lines), combined with yoga-like stretching. This modality supports:

• Nervous system regulation

• Improved circulation and lymphatic flow

• Flexibility and joint mobility

• Stress relief and pain reduction

Unlike traditional Western massage, Thai massage emphasizes energy flow—similar to acupuncture or reflexology—making it highly compatible with wellness models of care.

Integrating Thai Massage into Nursing Care Plans

Holistic care plans can integrate Thai massage concepts to support both acute and chronic conditions. When framed as wellness interventions or comfort techniques, these approaches remain safely within nursing scope.

1. Nursing Diagnosis: Impaired Physical Mobility

• Goal: Increase range of motion and reduce stiffness

• Wellness Intervention: Introduce Thai-style passive stretches or joint mobilizations to aid in gentle rehabilitation. Teach patients or caregivers to support daily movement rituals.

2. Nursing Diagnosis: Chronic Pain

• Goal: Enhance comfort through non-pharmacologic care

• Wellness Intervention: Apply rhythmic pressure or palm-press techniques to ease myofascial tension. Educate patients on gentle self-massage or supported stretching they can do at home.

3. Nursing Diagnosis: Stress Overload / Anxiety

• Goal: Support nervous system balance

• Wellness Intervention: Use Thai foot massage or energy line compression to activate the parasympathetic nervous system. Offer breathing techniques and grounding touch during sessions.

4. Nursing Diagnosis: Disturbed Energy Field

• Goal: Restore energetic balance and promote resilience

• Wellness Intervention: Work along the body’s centerline (Sen Sumana) using mindful palm pressure or Thai-style rocking to reduce emotional tension. Educate patients about the connection between energy flow and physical symptoms.

Thai Massage as a Teaching Tool for Patient Wellness

Nurses can empower patients by teaching basic energy line care and mindful movement practices that encourage self-awareness and healing:

• Introduce daily stretches based on Thai principles for spine, hips, or feet

• Demonstrate foot massage techniques patients can use to calm themselves before sleep

• Explain energy lines using accessible metaphors, like “unchoking a garden hose” or “restarting a flow that helps your body reset”

This not only helps patients manage stress and chronic symptoms—it also builds trust and engagement in the healing process.

Caring for the Caregiver: Thai Massage for Nurse Wellness

Thai massage isn’t just something we offer—it’s something we can practice to prevent our own burnout.

• Use palm-press techniques along your arms, neck, or lower back after long shifts

• Stretch your hips, shoulders, and spine using Thai movement flows to maintain alignment and reduce fatigue

• Tap into your own energy lines through breathwork and focused intention—an act of therapeutic presence that begins with the self

By tending to your own energy and mobility, you model embodied wellness to your patients and colleagues.

Staying Within Scope of Practice

As holistic nurses, it’s vital to stay aligned with professional boundaries:

• Ensure your state board and facility guidelines support touch-based wellness interventions

• Document clearly—linking interventions to outcomes like decreased anxiety, improved sleep, or reduced muscle tension

• Use Thai massage techniques as a supportive, non-diagnostic, non-curative intervention focused on wellness education and comfort

Interested in learning Thai Massage for clinical use?

Join our upcoming Thai Massage Foundations for Nurses continuing education course. You’ll gain hands-on techniques tailored to nursing scope and patient-centered care—while also learning how to teach and embody wellness in your own life.

Wearables That Support Your Nurse Coach Practice

In today’s data-driven health landscape, nurse coaches can leverage wearable technology to deepen client insights, personalize protocols and elevate outcomes without the guesswork. From metabolic monitoring to stress resilience tracking, these devices offer real-time feedback that empowers both coach and client. Our holistic nursing programs include expert guidance on integrating wearables into your practice—and many devices may even be covered by HSA/FSA benefits. Here are our top wearables that can be integrate seamlessly into your holistic nurse coach practice:

Improve Insulin Sensitivity with Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGM)
Traditionally reserved for diabetes management, CGMs like the Dexcom G6 or FreeStyle Libre now help health-seeking clients understand how meals, movement, and stress affect blood sugar. As a nurse coach, you can:
• Interpret glucose curves to fine-tune nutrition plans
• Identify hidden glycemic spikes from simple carbs or late-night snacking
• Coach mindful eating practices and incorporate stress reduction exercises such as yoga based on real-time data

By weaving CGM insights into your protocols, clients learn to see food and lifestyle choices as dynamic tools for balanced energy and metabolic flexibility.

Support Intermittent Fasting with Ketone Monitors for Ketosis
Breath and blood ketone meters such as Ketonix or Keto Mojo give clients immediate feedback on fat-burning efficiency. If utilizing with intermittent fasting, you can guide ketogenic or cyclical diets with precision:
• Verify nutritional ketosis during fasting or low-carb phases
• Adjust macros to optimize mental clarity and sustained energy
• Combine ketone tracking with mindful eating to prevent overrestriction

This data helps clients move beyond guesswork, supporting sustainable, evidence-based approaches to metabolic health.

Building Metabolic Flexibility with Lumen
Lumen analyzes your client’s breath to estimate whether they’re burning carbs or fats at that moment. It bridges nutrition and functional medicine by:
• Offering daily “metabolism readiness” scores to guide meal timing
• Delivering personalized macro recommendations for energy balance
• Integrating mindfulness prompts to align breath, awareness, and metabolic state

Our Certificate in Integrative and Functional Nutrition can teach you exactly how to integrate wearables and technology such as Lumen in your holistic nutrition protocols, ensuring clients cultivate metabolic flexibility alongside self-awareness.

Raising Stress Resilience and HRV with emWave/HeartMath
Heart rate variability (HRV) reflects autonomic balance—how well the body shifts between stress and rest. Tools like emWave Pro and the HeartMath Inner Balance sensor let you:
• Track baseline HRV trends for long-term resilience assessment
• Teach paced breathing and coherence techniques to boost HRV
• Combine HRV coaching with mind-body modalities such as guided imagery, grounding exercises, and restorative yoga.

By integrating HRV biofeedback into mindfulness and mind-body medicine sessions, nurse coaches can help clients build lasting stress resilience at both physiological and psychological levels.

Enhancing Women’s Health with Mira for Fertility
Mira offers at-home hormone tracking to decode menstrual cycles and fertility windows. In your practice, you can:
• Interpret hormone data alongside functional nutrition strategies to support ovulation and luteal phase health
• Guide clients through cycle-syncing practices—adjusting diet, movement, and stress management according to hormonal fluctuations
• Use mindfulness-based approaches to reduce cycle-related anxiety and enhance mind-body connection

This integration transforms fertility coaching into a holistic journey, empowering clients with both data and inner wisdom.

Including Wearables in Your Protocols
Our nurse coach certification programs provide step-by-step training on:
• Selecting the right wearable for your client’s goals and budget
• Interpreting device data in the context of holistic health assessments
• Crafting protocol templates that seamlessly blend wearable insights with nutrition, movement, and mind-body interventions

Many wearables qualify for HSA/FSA reimbursement, making it easier for clients to invest in their health without financial strain.

Integrating Wearables in Your Nurse Coach Practice
Wearables are more than gadgets—they’re gateways to deeper client engagement, precision coaching, and transformative outcomes. Embrace CGM, ketone tracking, Lumen, HRV biofeedback, and fertility monitoring in your nurse coach toolkit. Our programs equip you with the expertise to translate wearable data into powerful, personalized protocols. Don’t get left behind—discover how to integrate these technologies into your practice today.

The Future of Medicine Is Energetic: A Path Beyond the Physical

For years, medicine has excelled at treating the body and, more recently, at recognizing the importance of mental health. But we’re now reaching a new frontier—one that sees healing not only through biology or psychology but through energy. This is the domain where the nervous system, subtle body, spirit, and life purpose converge. And it’s here that many chronic and autoimmune conditions begin to unravel and finally heal.

Let me tell you a story.

When the Labs Look Good, but the Soul Feels Lost

A woman in her early forties came into our practice with an autoimmune condition that had gradually worsened over two years. She had done everything right: eliminated inflammatory foods, worked with a functional medicine doctor, optimized her supplements, and even completed trauma therapy including EMDR. But she still felt tired. Her symptoms remained stubborn. And underneath it all, she confessed:

“I don’t know who I am anymore. I’ve handled my body and my mind—but I still feel like something’s missing. When life gets hard, I fall apart. I have no compass.”

What she described wasn’t uncommon. In fact, it’s something I hear often from nurses, patients, and highly sensitive people. It wasn’t her labs that needed healing—it was her orientation to life. She had no sense of why she was here. And when death touched her family unexpectedly, the absence of meaning collapsed her inner framework. Shortly after, her autoimmune flare worsened.

When Energy Speaks Loudly, but We Don’t Have the Tools

This woman’s story highlights a growing truth: disease doesn’t always begin in the body. Sometimes, it starts in the energetic field—in the space of disconnection, grief, unresolved soul work, or spiritual depletion.

This is where energetic medicine—like Reiki—becomes essential.

Reiki isn’t just a tool for relaxation. It offers a gentle, intelligent healing current that works with the subtle body—the space that connects the physical body to consciousness itself. In our sessions, we didn’t just “treat” her symptoms. We explored her energy field. We began working with her heart center, her crown, and her solar plexus. These areas held old fears, abandonment, and questions like:

• What is the purpose of my life now that everything has changed?

• Am I still safe when I surrender?

• What does it mean to belong in a body that has betrayed me?

Energy Healing Reconnects Us to Source

Over time, Reiki helped her access a place that supplements and therapy hadn’t touched: her spiritual intuition. For the first time, she began to feel the pulse of life moving through her again—not as an idea, but as a felt sense of wholeness.

Her symptoms? Gradually softened.
Her nervous system? More resilient.
But most importantly—she stopped feeling lost. She remembered that she is part of something larger. And that reconnection became her healing.

The Medicine of the Future: Science + Soul

We’re standing at the edge of a new paradigm.
One where practitioners no longer ask only,
“What supplement do you need?”
But also,
“What is your soul calling you to remember?”

In this future, energetic healing will not be alternative—it will be foundational. Reiki, homeopathy, vibrational therapies, and spiritual integration will sit alongside lab tests and trauma-informed care. Because true healing includes:

• The nervous system

• The immune system

• The emotional landscape

• And the energetic architecture of the human being

Reiki for Nurses and Healers

As a nurse, you may already sense this. You know when a patient’s spirit is dimmed, even if their vitals are stable. You feel when their life force is leaking out, not just through bloodwork, but through their story.

This is why Reiki matters.
Not just for patients—but for you.
It restores your orientation. It helps you remember who you are beneath burnout. And it gives you the language to help others do the same.

Ready to get ahead and learn about Reiki? Join us in our next live here or self-paced continuing education here.

Understanding Imbalanced Energy Field: Working with Energy Medicine in Holistic Nursing

In the fast-paced world of modern nursing, we’re trained to assess vitals, chart symptoms, and follow procedures—but what about the invisible aspects of healing? The NANDA diagnosis Imbalanced Energy Field established in 2017 gives us the language and clinical framework to recognize what many holistic nurses already sense: healing doesn’t end with the physical body. In fact, many of the ancient healing philosophies address what modern conventional medicine doesn’t touch.

What Is “Imbalanced Energy Field”?

The NANDA-I defines Imbalanced Energy Field as “a disruption of the flow of energy surrounding a person’s being.” This diagnosis acknowledges what many ancient healing traditions have always known—energy matters. Known as prana, qi or vis, this is the healing life force that supports the individual’s innate capacity to heal. And when it’s blocked, chaotic, or depleted, the body and mind respond accordingly.

Energetic imbalances may present as unexplained fatigue, emotional distress, lack of vitality, spiritual disconnection, or chronic pain that seems to defy conventional understanding.

What Should Holistic Nurses Assess?

As a holistic nurse, you already notice subtleties others may miss. Use your senses and intuition when assessing for energetic imbalance. Consider the following:

• Reports of low energy, anxiety, or spiritual distress

• Subtle nonverbal cues like guarded posture or difficulty relaxing

• Disconnection from self, lack of groundedness

• Sensations you may feel in your own body when near the client (heat, tingling, unease)

• Client statements such as: “I just don’t feel like myself,” or “I feel drained all the time”

Energetic disturbances are real—and acknowledging them is the first step toward healing.

Holistic Interventions: Healing Through Energy Therapies

Holistic nursing interventions can support balance and restoration of the energetic field. Here are some approaches:

1. Reiki
A gentle, evidence-supported energy therapy that brings coherence to the biofield. Reiki can be used by nurses to support both patients and their own energetic alignment. It enhances calm, promotes healing, and restores harmony.

2. Therapeutic Touch & Healing Touch
These nurse-developed modalities help clear energetic congestion and support the body's innate healing processes.

3. Grounding, Breathwork, and Meditation
These techniques can regulate subtle energy, center the nervous system, and bring awareness back to the present moment.

4. Sound and Aromatherapy
Vibrational tools like singing bowls or essential oils can recalibrate and attune energy fields.

5. Reflective Practice
Invite patients to connect with their energy through journaling, intention-setting, or somatic check-ins.

Ready to Work with Energy?

Learn how to ethically and powerfully offer Reiki for your clients—and for yourself. You’ll receive attunements, practice sessions, and be part of a growing movement of intuitive, heart-centered nurses bringing holistic care to life. Learn more about our AHNA accredited Reiki Certification for Nurses here.

How Not to Absorb Everyone’s Energy: Energetic Boundaries 101 for Nurses

Nurses are naturally attuned. We listen with our eyes, our hands, and our hearts. We pick up on pain that hasn’t been spoken, grief that hasn’t been named, and fear that lingers in the body long after a diagnosis.

This heightened energetic attunement is part of what makes nurses extraordinary caregivers. But it also comes with a hidden cost:

“I feel heavy after every shift.”
“Sometimes I go home and cry, but I don’t know why.”
“It’s like I’m carrying everyone’s pain inside my own body.”

Sound familiar?

What you’re experiencing is energetic absorption—the unconscious act of taking on other people’s energy, emotions, or distress as if they were your own. Without clear energetic boundaries, nurses become sponges instead of vessels.

But here’s the good news: boundaries can be learned. Reiki and mind-body tools can help you stay open-hearted without losing yourself in everyone else’s suffering.

Why Nurses Are Prone to Energetic Overload

Nurses are wired to attune. We’re trained to assess subtle shifts in a patient’s tone, posture, or even skin color. But this kind of deep presence—especially when repeated hour after hour—can create leaks in our energetic field, leaving us vulnerable to emotional exhaustion.

When you're with a patient in distress or holding space for a family during tragedy, your nervous system co-regulates with theirs. That’s the beauty of being human—but also the risk.

Over time, without tools to discharge or deflect what you pick up, your body may interpret emotional energy as your own. This can show up as:

• Fatigue or burnout

• Unexplained anxiety

• Compassion fatigue

• Headaches or body aches after patient interactions

Reiki: A Gentle Shield and a Healing Channel

Reiki teaches us to become channels, not containers. When you're grounded and attuned to universal energy (Reiki), you don’t give from your own life force—you give from a larger, infinite source.

This subtle but powerful shift means:

• You don’t absorb suffering—you witness and hold space for it

• You stay compassionate but protected

• You release what isn’t yours instead of storing it

During Reiki training, nurses learn how to sense energy fields, seal their own aura, and offer healing in a way that is both ethical and energetically clean.

Try These Techniques: Protect, Ground, and Release

You don’t need a quiet room or altar to protect your energy. You just need awareness and a few simple practices. Here are tools you can use today:

1. The Energetic Bubble

Before you begin your shift (or patient interaction), pause and imagine a soft, translucent light surrounding your body. This bubble is breathable, loving, and semi-permeable. It lets compassion flow out but keeps chaotic energy from sticking to you.

Name the bubble’s qualities: “This is my boundary of peace, presence, and protection.”

2. Exhale What’s Not Yours

After an intense moment or emotional encounter, step away (even briefly) and take 3 slow exhales, imagining that you’re breathing out what doesn’t belong to you. Visualize it leaving your energy field—no judgment, just release.

Repeat this silently: “I witnessed. I cared. I now let it go.”

3. Grounding Through the Soles

When tragedy strikes, don’t float away. Instead, feel your feet on the ground. Say internally:

“I am here. I am steady. I can hold this, but I don’t have to carry it.”

Imagine roots extending from your feet into the earth. Let the energy drain and transform below you.

4. Noticing & Naming

Bring cognitive awareness to energetic states. When you feel drained, pause and ask:

• “What just happened?”

• “Is this emotion mine or someone else’s?”

• “What part of me absorbed that?”

Naming the energy (“grief,” “panic,” “confusion”) allows you to separate your inner state from what you’ve taken on.

5. End-of-Shift Reiki or Hand Placement

Before leaving work, place your hands over your heart or solar plexus. Do 2 minutes of Reiki or just breathe with intention. Say, “Thank you for what I gave today. I now return to myself.”

Even if you aren’t trained in Reiki yet, this self-holding restores energetic sovereignty.

Energetic Boundaries Are Sacred in Nursing

You’re not less compassionate because you protect your energy—you’re more sustainable. The nurse who holds clear energetic boundaries is more present, less reactive, and more effective.

Reiki doesn’t just offer a skill—it offers a way of being. A way of showing up fully… without falling apart.

Ready to learn Reiki? Learn more here for a LIVE training or SELF-PACED.