Client experiences of virtual energy healing
Author: Janet M Marinelli1, Carol C Geisler2, Briley A Hale3, Emma J Munson4
Affiliation:
1 Master of Arts in Holistic Health Studies, St. Catherine University, P.O. Box 4132, St. Paul, MN 55104, United States. Electronic address: jmmarinelli@stkate.edu.
2 Master of Arts in Holistic Health Studies, St. Catherine University, P.O. Box 4132, St. Paul, MN 55104, United States.
3 Bachelor's of Arts in American Sign Language Interpreting and Public Policy, St. Catherine University, United States.
4 Bachelor's of Arts in Theology and Classical Civilizations, St. Catherine University, United States.
Conference/Journal: Explore (NY)
Date published: 2023 May 25
Other:
Special Notes: doi: 10.1016/j.explore.2023.03.012. , Word Count: 307
Context:
During the COVID-19 pandemic medical and holistic health practitioners turned to utilizing virtual healthcare. As energy healing practitioners and educators who shifted to an online format, it seemed important to document descriptions of client experiences of virtual energy healing.
Objective:
To describe client experiences of virtual energy healing sessions.
Design:
Descriptive pre-post intervention design.
Setting and interventions:
Two experienced and eclectic energy healing practitioners developed a protocol and conducted energy healing sessions via Zoom.
Participants:
A convenience sample of Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet (CSJ) Consociates, people of diverse life-styles and spiritual traditions who are committed to living the mission of the CSJs in the St. Paul Province.
Main outcome measures:
Pre-post 10-point Likert scale rating of relaxation, well-being, and pain. Pre-post primarily qualitative questionnaires.
Results:
Results indicated significant pre-post differences: pre-session relaxation (M=5.036, SD = 2.9) and post-session relaxation (M=7.86, SD = 6.4): t(13)=2.16, p=.0017*; pre-session well-being (M=5.86, SD = 4.29); post-session well-being (M=8, SD = 2.31), t(13), p=.0001*; pre-session pain (M=4.0, SD = 6.15) and post-session pain (M=2.25, SD = 3.41), t(13)=2.16, p=.004*. Thematic analysis revealed six themes related to client experiences of virtual energy healing: 1) embodied sensations, 2) relaxation, 3) release - a letting go of tasks/anxieties/worries, 4) sense of peace/joy/calm, 5) connection to themselves, others, and something larger, and 6) surprise that virtual energy healing works.
Limitations:
This was a descriptive study using a convenience sample, therefore, there was not a control group, a large sample size, and the sample might be more prone to report better results than the general population because of their spiritual perspectives. Results were not generalizable.
Implications:
Clients reported positive descriptions of virtual energy healing and say they would do it again. However more research is needed to understand the variables that influenced the results and the underlying mechanisms of action.
Keywords: Biofield therapies; Energy healing; Energy medicine; Healing Touch; Reiki; Therapeutic Touch; Virtual healthcare.
PMID: 37270354 DOI: 10.1016/j.explore.2023.03.012
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