"I asked if they could change the music, but they just ignored me," a client told me about a previous Reiki experience. "Then they used aromatherapy after I specifically told them certain smells are triggering for me. When I became uncomfortable, the practitioner told me I 'needed to get over what triggered me' and that 'if I loved myself more, I wouldn't be so easily irritated.'"

Description of image: This image shows a close-up view of two people's hands clasped together in what appears to be a supportive gesture. One person, wearing a blue button-up shirt and what looks like an orange/rust-colored shawl or cardigan, is having their hand held by another person wearing a light brown/beige ribbed sweater.

Of course you are exhausted. You are rewiring your brain to embrace possibility after being in survival mode for so long. You're creating new pathways that lead to peace instead of panic, connection instead of isolation, and resilience where there was once only vigilance. This neural recalibration requires tremendous energy, but with compassion as your guide, you can acknowledge how protective patterns once served you while gently encouraging new neural pathways to form. Self-kindness becomes the environment in which healing becomes possible. Discover how compassionate awareness creates the optimal conditions for your nervous system to find balance again.

This image shows an architectural space illuminated by thousands of light points, creating a spectacular radiating pattern. Golden amber lights stretch outward from a central bright area, forming lines that extend through a dark space. The effect resembles neural pathways or energy radiating from a central source, creating a sense of expansion and transformation.

Discover simple yet powerful practices that combine gentle touch, mindful breathing, and loving-kindness phrases. These practices offer a way to connect with your body and cultivate self-compassion at your own pace.