How long does it take?

I’m not going to lie to you. Healing can take a while. Miracle cures are rare. If you really want to get better and resolve your emotional, mental, or physical problems for good, then you are going to have to dedicate some time and energy into figuring out what is wrong and healing the core problems.

I know we all love a quick fix. Most of our expectations are formed by medical and popular culture that prioritizes the least possible input for the greatest possible reduction in symptoms. 48 hour fasts to lose weight. A one month exercise program to get a six pack. A cream that works in 24 hours to clear up your skin. A pill that solves all your digestive trouble before your vacation.

I totally understand the attraction of this. I would love for all my issues to resolve as quickly and conveniently as possible. Sometimes a quick fix is exactly what I need to get up and back to work or to get me through a busy time until I can take care of myself better. The easier the better is sometimes the best route to take.

The problem is that these kinds of quick fixes tend to deal with surface problems or symptoms without actually tackling the root causes behind your issues. This means they are likely to come back, possibly in a new form. Digging down to those root causes almost always take more work and effort than one cleanse or diet program can touch. That’s because by the time your body gets really sick or has been through several rounds of the same problem, there have been years of energy blocks and smaller issues building up that all play into your issue (you can read more about energy blocks here). Unraveling all that can take some time.

I’m not saying there isn’t a place for medicine, surgeries, or other interventions. Sometimes they can help you feel better in the process of trying to heal. Last year I worked with a mother whose son had a terrible, itchy skin condition. She was getting any help she could from anyone she could (which can be a really good plan of action, depending on the issue). Her dermatologist gave her a steroid cream to use and said that the rash would clear up within a few days and never come back. Needless to say, we were both skeptical of this. The steroids are made to calm reactions such as that, but they are not made to HEAL anything. So, whatever the underlying reason was for his skin condition, it would not go away just by using the steroid cream. What we decided to do is continue our healing work while the steroid cream dealt with the symptoms. It worked really well. Every time a rash would start to develop, they would use the cream to keep it under control. At the same time, we worked on the underlying causes and between the two we slowly healed his skin.

This is why I love energy work because you can actually find those root problems and work on healing them. Energy therapies such as Reiki, EFT, IET, acupuncture, and others create deep healing because they connect you to your body. Your body knows how to heal and can do so if you give it what it needs. A lot of people think Reiki and other energy practices are magic or the result of someone “healing you.” Neither is true. Energy work simply supports and enhances your own body’s healing abilities. You are your own healer.

Even though your body is really good at self-healing, that doesn’t mean it is necessarily fast. Sometimes it can take a while to work through all the layers of energy blocks keeping you from healing. Sometimes your body needs supplements or essential oils as support while it repairs what is broken. Sometimes you really just need a lot of rest to allow your body time to reset.

Here’s the trick to healing anything: knowing that the root causes of your problem are varied and unique to you. Every person is different and what everyone needs to heal is different. That’s why I don’t sell a “program” of any kind. I work with people individually to listen to what their body has to say and develop strategies to help each person heal. Two people can come to me with the exact same problem but the path they took to get to that problem is completely different. They may be taking the same medications to deal with their symptoms, but those meds aren’t actually helping them heal because what they each need to resolve their issues will be completely different.

One of the things I am often asked is, “How many sessions do you think I need?” Unfortunately, I never have an answer to this. One person might have acne that is the result of a few energy blocks that are easily cleared in one session. Another person has acne that is the result of a hundred energy blocks that will take a few sessions to clear. Energy work is totally different from conventional medicine. There is no equation that says X problem is clearly caused by A, B, and C. Yes, there are often themes and common functional problems that I see, but I have never had two people resolve any issue the exact same way. And although the body knows what it needs to heal, it's really bad at predicting how long it will take. I've learned that it's easier just to wait and see what actually happens.

When I start working with someone, the first thing I tell them is that they are in complete control of when and how often they see me. I usually find that clients want an energy session every 4-6 weeks to support their healing process, but that can change drastically depending on the person so what we do is schedule an initial session where I can get a sense of what your body wants to work on. Then we discuss a possible plan of action and a time frame for another session. Clients are always able to change that, though. Sometimes people want to meet again sooner than we originally expected. Sometimes people feel like they are in a good healing space and want to push it off a little longer. I always encourage people to trust their own intuition and listen to what their body is telling them.

What we try to do is get you in a place where you feel like you are healing and making progress. Sometimes that progress is fast, and sometimes it is slow, but as long as you are still moving forward then we encourage your body to take the time it needs to fully and deeply heal. There’s no point in rushing the process. The ultimate goal is for you to resolve your issues.

What can be difficult is that sometimes you actually feel worse before you feel better. I don’t see this often, but I do see it. There are times when releasing your energy blocks can actually make you feel extremely tired, or itchy, or cause your acne to flare up, or even make your body hurt more for a bit. This can be frustrating (I’ve gone through plenty of cycles of this stuff myself), but all these symptoms can actually be a sign of true healing. Maybe you are tired because your body really needs to rest and repair. Maybe your acne is getting worse because your body is finally able to release all the junk stored under the surface. Maybe you feel itchy because you are releasing a lot of energy that’s been blocked up for a long time. None of this is fun, but it is actually progress.

How do we know? Well, we ask your body. We work together to learn your body’s signs and symptoms to know when something is wrong vs. when it’s uncomfortable but still healing. We learn what your body needs to deal with some of these healing symptoms. We learn when we need to dig in and push through the discomfort to get to the part where you feel good. It can be challenging, but we do it together. I encourage my clients to check in frequently and let me know what is going on. I want to know all the good and the bad so we can get you the emotional and physical support you need to get through.

Although I wish I could say it is all sunshine and roses, sometimes healing is hard. Part of the healing journey is trusting the process no matter what it brings. You aren’t following a five step program with a guaranteed 30-day outcome. You are following your body’s signals and giving it what it needs to actually repair the issues behind your illness. It’s a totally different way of looking at healing.

Every person I have worked with gets through their stuff at different rates. Some of my clients can have one or two sessions and feel incredibly better. Some feel worse for a few days and then start to improve. Some see a slow and steady change over the course of months. Each person learns what their body needs and when they are ready for the next step. This process doesn’t just help you heal now, it gives you the skills you need to continue your own healing work far into the future. I have clients who haven’t needed any help in months who contact me and say, “I’m not sure what’s going on, but my body is ready to deal with something.” I love this because it tells me that they have learned to listen to their own bodies and they know when they need help. It’s pretty awesome.

So, I’m not going to lie to you. I think that sometimes energy work can be a miraculous and speedy healing journey, but more often it takes some time, some trust, and some learning to work through the layers of issues that have piled up over the years. If you stick with it though, you will actually heal. You will actually get through your issues and find a place where you can live your best life. Where you can feel the best you possibly can and your body can support your life’s purpose. Because that’s what it is all about, right? You likely can’t live your most authentic life if you are in pain every day. You probably can’t be who you are supposed to be in this world if you are too tired or sick to leave your bed. I don’t want to make assumptions because there may be very wonderful people making their best life despite really bad health situations. But if you could feel better, wouldn’t you want to try? Even if it takes some work? Even if it takes more time than the guaranteed 30-day program you saw online?

If you want to know more about what I do and my philosophy of healing, check out the other posts on my blog! I try to be realistic about what I think is possible and how I think energy work can support your healing journey.

If you want to talk to me about what you are going through, contact me through my website or email me directly at katie@harmoniousrenewal.com. We can email or set up a free phone consultation to talk about what is going on in your life and how I can support you.

If you’ve been feeling lousy for a while and want to start living your best life, then stop trying to deal with quick fixes. It’s time to dig deep, get in touch with your body again, and give it what it really needs to heal. Start your journey today!