Clinical Reiki is a new modality combining clinical massage therapy techniques, Reiki energy and NLP inquiry formats to support people with Trauma and PTSD. Freud’s concept of “body armor”, subjects develop tightness and rigidity in their muscles caused by traumatic stress, inspired this style of treatment. He believed “body armor” short circuited the central nervous system leaving the subject to “survive” in an overactive sympathetic nervous system. Wilhelm Reicht, his protégé, developed an energy modality to treat muscle dysfunction with remarkable results which he termed “Bottom-up therapy”. This style of manual intervention has profound healing implications for the treatment debilitating PTSD and Trauma as it resets the central nervous system. Fast forward several decades to Bessel von de Kolk’s work in the traumatic World Trade Center attacks. He researched the residents of New York City’s treatment options and concluded the overwhelming majority sought massage therapists and acupuncturists for complete resolution of their PTSD symptoms. The clinical psychology world was astounded and somatic therapy became a valid and reputable treatment option for PTSD and Trauma.

In my current practice, clients receiving this bottom-up approach to trauma therapy experience remarkable results and makes treatment approachable especially for veterans who are susceptible of the negative connotations of psychotherapy, medications and social messages of failure or “low morality”. It offers relief from the symptoms crippling many service members in noncombat life creating family distress, substance abuse, and feelings of isolation and rejection from society for being “broken”.

A bottom up approach bridges the gap between socially acceptable and therapeutically effective treatment, but it is vastly untested. I have a dozen cases where this method has revolutionized the lives of those suffering from PTSD, yet; I need support to take this modality full scale to greatly impact this suffering population.

Through my husband’s 20 years of military service, I have observed men and women torn apart by the shame, guilt and fear associated with combat missions and the unimaginable stress for their own lives and their families. This undue stress and mental anguish plagues our most honorable and selfless society members; yet, they are not offered treatments which fit with the expectations of their lives. In many ways they must choose to live with their trauma or PTSD symptoms largely untreated or risk their careers, income, advancement and societal acceptance. A Double Bind. There is no greater impact to make than to offer those suffering from trauma and PTSD a gentle, quick and effective method to treat and possibility cure PTSD.

MA #102981