Reiki Circle for Children
with Special Needs
Once a month, currently the third Saturay of each month,
I host a Reiki Circle for Children with Special Needs at The
Place for Reiki. Certified Reiki practitioners come together
to volunteer their time and energy so that children with special
needs – medical, physical, mental and emotional - and their
families may experience this gentle and healing energy in
a loving, supportive, respectful environment.
 The
entire event lasts about two hours. During that time, we
have several Reiki circles in which the Reiki practitioners
sit in a circle around the perimeter of the room, while the
children and family members sit in the middle of the circle
on the floor. The Reiki practitioners beam the Reiki energy
into the center of the circle toward the recipients. Even
though the children and parents may move around a bit, they
will still receive the benefit of the energy as it fills the
circle.
Some of the children who
have participated up to this point have experienced some dramatic
improvements. Two children
with diagnoses of autism have shown greatly improved communication
skills. Some results have been less dramatic but still positive
(some children felt happier and were more calm for a period
of time; another was able to complete a major school project
without difficulty, which his mother said was unusual), and
in some cases the parents expressed that they felt they received
more benefit than they were able to discern in their children.
But everyone, including the Reiki practitioners, felt that
it was a powerful and healing experience.
To avoid a long wait, I
ask that parents call to register so we can set a time for
your family’s turn in a circle.
I also suggest that you bring a small toy or a book that can
keep your child occupied for the fifteen minutes that you
would participate in the circle. Please check the schedule below for the dates and
times of the upcoming circles.
The cost for the circle is a free will offering – you give
what you can afford to give.
Your donation makes it possible to continue to offer the circles
for all those who will come after you.
And please don’t let a lack of funds keep you away.
The purpose of the circle is to make the healing energies
of Reiki available to all the children and their families
who are in need of healing.
Please don’t hesitate to call if
you have questions or concerns. I’ll be glad to help in any
way that I can. And if you’re a Reiki practitioner who would
like to volunteer time and energy, please call! We’d love
to have you!!
Reiki Circle for Children with Special Needs
Does your child have special needs - medical, physical, emotional
or mental? If so, perhaps the gentle, loving energy of Reiki
can make a difference. Reiki enhances traditional medical
and therapeutic treatments and promotes a sense of peace and
well-being.
Dates: 3rd Saturday of each month
Time: 10 am - Noon
Cost: Donation
Please call Bonnie at 412-920-2911 to schedule a time for
your child to be in the circle
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Here are comments from some of the parents whose children
have participated in the circles.
From a very grateful and happy mom of special needs
kids:
I am a mom of four. Two of my children are special
needs and another is in the process of being evaluated.
I heard about The Place for Reiki through a mom in
one of my support groups. She mentioned several months
ago that she takes her children to the special needs
healing circle and although it interested me, I just
tucked it into my mental list of things to check into,
along with so many other pieces of information we
parents of special needs kids stumble on or are given
in this process.
What actually BROUGHT me to The Place for Reiki was
something altogether different though. I realized
that I had tapped into EVERYTHING I had available
to me physically. Really, I was giving my children
everything there was to give and doing everything
there was to do PHYSICALLY… nutrition-wise, supplement-wise,
therapy-wise, parenting-wise. And I realized it wasn't
enough. Not for me and not for them. I was tapped
out…out of options, out of ideas and out of,
well, me. I was tapped out. I decided that it was
time to look for another resource. I just knew there
had to be something "more" for me to tap
into. That's when I turned to Reiki. Reiki for me
and for my kids has been that something "more".
Reiki has, in all honesty, given me light where there
seemed to only be darkness. It's given me more to
tap into for my kids and for myself. It's begun a
healing in my children that has amplified the benefits
of all of those nutritional changes and parenting
style changes and therapies we implemented. It's provided
us, my whole family, with such hope and healing and
amazing AMAZING results for all four of my children.
Attending the healing circle with my kids has been
such a pleasant and powerful experience for all of
us. They want to keep going back and even ask me about
when it's time to go get reiki again! Raising a special
needs child is beyond stressful….so even IF you
gain nothing but THAT TIME to bond with them, to relax
together and experience the calm that comes with it,
then it is worth it to your family to check into.
Reiki is a powerful healing tool. It's a simple thing
that has the potential for incredible impact.
The Place for Reiki, all of the wonderful people who
donate their time on behalf of our special needs families,
and Bonnie have a very special place in my heart.
A very grateful and happy mom of special needs kids,
Denise R. Halyama,
September 23, 2006
(Participating in) the Reiki Circle has helped my
girls to build a relationship as opposed to tolerating
each other. There is a 6-year span in their ages,
9 and 15. They are now working together and supporting
each other. My oldest (daughter) has had some troubled
years with mental health issues. Reiki is helping
to enable us to cope with the issues. The divine healing
is making a significant difference in our lives. Bonnie
is a God-send.
~ Peace,
Linda E.
(Feb. 22, 2006)
After Garrett's first time in the circle (Garrett
is 9):
I (Garrett's mom) asked Garrett what it meant to
him to be in the circle and he said he knew he wouldn't
be hurt as long as he was in the … circle, he
felt safe....
This is a child who has been a "victim"
of much taunting, teasing and bullying. So, the fact
that any place (especially someplace new) felt safe
to him is an indication to me that something significant
took place even in that one session.
He had flag football about an hour later and FULLY
ENGAGED, participating, talking to kids, high five-ing
them, he seemed comfortable, at ease. Other weeks
he would stand back, not talking to anyone, not participating,
chewing on his fingernails or shirt....
Afterwards he said to me, 'Mommy, I know A LOT of
kids here. I have A LOT of friends." This was
a child who just a few days ago was lamenting the
fact that he felt very LEFT OUT and "LONE-FULL"
(that was the word he used....)
Reduced anxiety? Absolutely! A more positive self-regard?
Without question! Interacting socially in more positive
ways! You betcha! AMAZING!!!!
" …I was amazed and just couldn't keep it
to myself....thought you (and the other practioners)
would enjoy the "feedback"
Stacie Brethauer, Garrett's mom
November 19, 2005
And these comments are from Garrett's dad:
I definitely noticed a change in him; he seems
less irritable i.e. he doesn't get so easily annoyed
or frustrated at things. He seems less 'hyperactive'
overall. He seems to be listening better and is more
compliant. He is just more pleasant to be around.
Jim Brethauer
November 29, 2005
Prior to the second Reiki
circle, Jack's speech was dominated by "TV talk",
i.e. replay of dialog he had seen on TV. Since the
second circle, we have noticed a dramatic change in
the content of his speech. Less than a quarter of
the content is TV talk. He is now expressing himself
very appropriately and is frequently very funny. (Jack
is almost 10 and has a diagnosis of Autistic Spectrum
Disorder)
John Burton, Retirement Planner and Pension Specialist
(June 7, 2005)
During the first session, Cory played with blocks
that another boy brought with him and seemed very
calm. In the middle of the session he came over to
me and we read a book and then he crawled onto my
lab and I rocked him like a baby. I thought he was
going to fall asleep; he was so relaxed. This
behavior is unusual for Cory. Usually, when Cory is
in a group of people, it over-stimulates him and he
carries on, such as running around and is hard to
control.
So I feel Cory definitely received a lot of healing
during this session and Cory told me he really enjoyed
it.
After the first session, Cory's imaginary play has
become better. Cory has PDD (Pervasive Developmental
Disorder) and ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyper-Activity
Disorder) and is a very concrete kid. The area he
needs help with the most is imaginary play. He now
has been having his stuffed animals talk and has an
imaginary friend named Antarctica.
(June 5, 2005)
After participating in the second circle:
… the first week after the circle, Cory became
more independent; he seemed to be able to be more
self-regulating and was able to bring his energy down.
He was able to tell what engine his energy was in,
High, Just right or Low. He was more talkative and
able to hold a conversation.
Very Pleased and Thankful Parent,
Theresa Graner, Medicare Settlement Clerk II
(June 12, 2005)
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**Pre-registration is required for all classes. To register,
please call Bonnie at (412) - 920-2911 or email the-place-for-reiki@earthlink.net.
Put “Reiki class” on the subject line. Classes are held at
The Place for Reiki, at 139 Steuben Street, Ste. 100, Pittsburgh,
PA 15220 (Pittsburgh’s West End). Click
here for directions to the office. Payments may be made
by cash, check or MC/VISA.
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