Nearly 20 years ago, Rickie Freedman, a physical therapist, was struggling through a difficult emotional journey when a serendipitous babysitting stint in 1994 led her down a whole new path of self-discovery and emotional healing. Freedman had agreed to babysit a couple’s son while they attended a Reiki class. Upon their return, they practiced their new skills on Freedman and the effect, she says, was profound.

“I could feel the energy working through me,” Freedman explains. “It was a very emotional experience and one that immediately helped me release some of my anxiety.” She decided to pursue Reiki further as a therapeutic tool for her own healing.

As a therapist, Freedman was accustomed to being a hands-on healer, caregiver and nurturer, so was quickly drawn to the idea of using Reiki to help others, as well as herself. Over the course of several years, she became a Reiki master/teacher, initially practicing from her home for friends, family and co-workers, and eventually offering Reiki in addition to physical therapy. This gradual transition seemed natural to Freedman, whose personal experience gave her a unique perspective on the modality’s benefits.

Freedman says Reiki is a gentle, hands-on Japanese technique that reduces stress, promotes relaxation and healing and holistically treats an individual’s mind, body and spirit. “It is very heart-centered and non-judgmental,” she advises. “Reiki can help provide clarity and direction, helping individuals get to the underlying source of an issue so that they can make changes and move forward.”

She encourages her patients to take responsibility for their own healing and believes that every word, thought and emotion carries energy. By thinking positive thoughts, we nurture our immune systems and aid the healing process. “And, as we heal, one by one, we help heal the world,” she notes.

In 1998, Freedman agreed to offer her Reiki practice at a small wellness center in downtown Lewisburg called Lavender Heart. The practice immediately began to thrive, but after several months, the center’s owner decided to leave. Although Freedman had never considered herself an entrepreneur, she took over.

A few months later, disaster struck when a fire destroyed the building where Lavender Heart was located. Undeterred, Freedman traveled with her portable table and continued providing Reiki to faithful clients until she found another space in downtown Lewisburg and reopened the practice as Lavender Heart Reiki Center.

As Freedman gradually decreased her traditional physical therapy work and increased her Reiki clientele, she also began teaching Reiki classes at all levels. In 2008, after sensing a very strong message that Harrisburg was where she was supposed to be, Freedman moved there to focus on Reiki full-time. Dedicated to educating the community, she also conducts workshops on gratitude and stress management and plans to add workshops such as Reiki for Kids, Reiki for Caregivers and Reiki for Parents of Challenging Children.

Freedman explains that the profound effect Reiki has had on her personal life helps her continually return to her own place of peace and gratitude. She has watched hundreds of patients experience their own healing and personal growth and is inspired every day by those moments of self-discovery. “I believe in Reiki with every fiber of my being,” she says. “I knew then and I know now that it is what I am supposed to be doing.

“I know in this moment that Reiki is my life work,” Freedman continues. “I believe it is no coincidence that my name is Rickie—a name I always wanted to change when I was growing up. I trust with total faith and confidence where my guidance is coming from, and had no fears when I relocated to Harrisburg. I knew it would work, and it has blossomed beyond what I could imagine.”

For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 717-599-2299, email [email protected] or visit ReikiByRickie.com. Freedman teaches classes and workshops at Alta View Wellness Center, 4814 Jonestown Rd., in Harrisburg. Visit AltaViewWellness.com.