#37 Why Reiki Helps: Emily's Honest Account in a Time of Grief

**Episode 37: The Live Well with Arthritis Podcast** *#37 Why Reiki Helps: Emily's Honest Account in a Time of Grief* This is a personal one, host Emily Johnson opens up about losing her dear friend and mentor, Heather Rosa, and the Reiki session that held her through one of the hardest weeks she's had. If you're in a raw place yourself, please look after yourself as you listen, pause it, come back to it, or skip it entirely. Reiki is a diversive subject, so Emily handles it the way she always does: honestly. She provides the evidence, the way it's approached in her programme with the rheumatologists, then shares her own experience and lets you make up your own mind. Reiki sits alongside your medical care, never instead of it. At the heart of the episode is the truth that grief doesn't just live in your mind, it lives in your body. Tight chest, broken sleep, and if living with arthritis it can result in a flare. Emily shares how Reiki let her nervous system finally exhale, and let her grief move through her instead of staying locked in her body, to avoid a flare-up. **Topics covered:** - **What Reiki Actually Is** and why 'you don't have to do anything' is the whole point for those of us used to pushing through - **What the Evidence Really Says** how Reiki helps by shifting the nervous system from fight-or-flight into rest-and-repair - **Calm, Not Cure** why Reiki is a soothing complement, not a treatment for the disease - **Grief, the Body and the Flare** and why tending your nervous system in a hard season is protection, not distraction - **Emily's Week** the honest, tender account of Tuesday's session - **Learning to Receive** and why letting yourself be nourished is not weakness ***About the podcast:*** With a focus on reducing inflammation and improving daily life, this podcast features expert interviews, science-backed strategies, and real stories from people living with all types of arthritis. Emily combines her 12+ years of lived experience and insights from healthcare professionals to offer practical, encouraging steps that help you feel healthier, happier, and less alone when living with arthritis. Emily (*Arthritis Foodie*) is a bestselling author, certified coach, and founder of *Live Well with Arthritis*. ***Episode Links:*** Applications for the **Live Well with Arthritis 12-week programme** are open, **Apply now:** https://www.livewellwitharthritis.com/waitlist **FREE Heatwave Tips Guide:** https://arthritisfoodie.mykajabi.com/sign-up-for-free-download-from-arthritis-foodie-1 Emily Johnson ***@ArthritisFoodie:*** - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arthritisfoodie/ - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/arthritisfoodie/ - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@arthritisfoodie ***Further Resources:*** https://linktr.ee/arthritisfoodie