At first, reiki energy healer Cindy Carlson wasn’t interested in pursuing a career in wellness; the career found her when she sought natural remedies to alleviate anxiety and panic attacks. She became so enamored of the Japanese healing art and its myriad benefits that she turned reiki into a way of life for herself and others.

Carlson was raised in Fontana, near Lake Geneva, and attended UW–Madison. She earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology in 1990, but never worked in the profession. Instead, she headed to Chicago, where she worked as a corporate buyer. While living in the Windy City, she met her husband, a native of Whitefish Bay, and the couple retuned to Wisconsin in 2000 to start a family.

Around 2005, Carlson experienced generalized anxiety and occasional panic attacks. “I knew I didn’t want to take medication, so when somebody mentioned reiki to me, I decided it was something I should try,” reflects Carlson. “It was amazing. After just one session, I felt the tension draining from my body and thought, ‘Where has this been all my life?’”

As Carlson continued the reiki treatments, she felt happier, better adjusted and found that she had more patience. “I decided to go through the training and become a reiki master,” she says. “I didn’t do it with the intention of starting a business—I just thought that I would share the skill with family and friends.”

After training with reiki master Susan Bliffert, in Shorewood, Carlson eventually decided to go into practice. She performed reiki at a space shared with other practitioners before renting her own office in Whitefish Bay, where she’s been since January 2015.

For those that may not be familiar with reiki, Carlson explains enthusiastically, “The energy that moves throughout the body can become blocked or stagnant; often, this is caused by unexpressed emotion. What I’ve learned during my own journey is that these blockages can result in pain, stress, anxiety or illness. Reiki treatment allows the body to relax at a deep level, and that atmosphere allows the energy blocks to be released.”

Carlson explains that a relaxed, energized body will become more balanced, resulting in a healing effect on the body and mind. She says that reiki is also beneficial for releasing negative thoughts and behavior patterns. “Often, we have learned patterns of behavior that go back as far as childhood. While we really don’t need these behaviors any more, it’s not that easy to change—especially with strongly ingrained habits. Energy helps release the negative patterns to allow for change,” she says. Reiki is said to be particularly beneficial for treating addictions as it helps release hidden negative feelings that can lead to destructive behavior.

Reiki energy healing is natural, non-invasive and does not conflict with medications or therapy. Carlson notes that hospitals are starting to incorporate the relaxation properties of reiki into their traditional medical treatments and more nurses and health practitioners are learning the practice. She reports that it has been used for years to help cancer patients cope with the anxiety and depression that often accompany the illness. Reiki’s relaxing affect on the body can also help alleviate symptoms due to chemotherapy treatments.

Clients receive reiki treatments while lying on a massage table, fully clothed with their shoes off. Relaxing music is played while Carlson lightly touches different places on the body. She says some people fall asleep or drift into a deeply relaxed state similar to receiving a massage.

After experiencing how much reiki has changed her life, Carlson takes joy in sharing that peace with others. “I think the world right now would be so much happier if people felt better and had more peace,” she says. “My tagline is ‘reiki—healing people and changing the world.’ I think the world can be changed, one person at a time.”

Cindy Carlson Reiki and Energy Healing is located at 121 E. Silver Spring Dr., Ste. 208, in Whitefish Bay. For more information, call 414-758-0657 or visit CarlsonHealing.com.

Sheila Julson is a freelance writer and regular contributor to Natural Awakenings magazine.