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Dawn Menard

Reiki and our Health: How Reiki Can Be Beneficial in a Palliative and Hospice Care Setting

Updated: Jan 29

Reiki is an ancient science that has been used for thousands of years throughout the world. It is a gentle, soothing and restorative practice, a type of energy healing. It helps us to become more grounded, have clear boundaries and is very helpful in treating emotional issues such as grief or anger by helping the person reconnect with their inner self.



Reiki would be very beneficial in palliative and hospice care and has started to surface in these fields where grief can certainly take hold. What about the medical team - they too experience physical, emotional, and psychological impacts from helping others through illness, stress and trauma.


The patient at the end of life with skin too sensitive to touch, Reiki is a wonderful and gentle way to give that connection and presence. It is a subtle energy and subtle energy requires a different kind of listening and language. It is all about the mind, body and spirit connection.

"The mind, body and spirit connection is a holistic approach to our health and can create profound levels of physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing." - Paul Ramsden

In early 2019, I became a Reiki Master. This was a journey I set out upon for my own healing initially, and then it naturally bloomed into so much more! Before COVID, I had a practice at home where I worked with clients several days a week. Some needed help with grief, others meditation and relaxation, and some simply there because their arthritis was acting up. I love the versatility of this modality.

As mentioned, with Reiki comes meditation, and meditation is a very good way to open your awareness and feel more spiritually connected to yourself. I don't necessarily believe that energy is good or bad because everything we feel and experience is valid and valuable.


Although Reiki is not a substitute for medical treatment it can always be added as a complementary therapy, one which can help to calm the mind, reduce stress and tension, encourage deep relaxation, self-awareness, AND acceptance. If you have a stressful day or week ahead of you try reciting the 5 principles to yourself, I'm certain you'll experience a difference.

"Healing does not mean a cure will occur, but that the heart will come to rest." - Unknown

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Dawn Menard is a graduate of HHA's death doula certificate program. You can learn more about Dawn at https://compassionate-care.ca.

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