Once every six weeks or so, Elaine D’Amico undergoes a “trifecta” of holistic treatment.
The Thorold senior visits Lori Ens, who administers 40 minutes of aromatherapy massage, followed by 40 minutes of reflexology, and ends with a 10-minute “Reiki boost.”
“I find it very relaxing; calming,” she told Thorold News. “It takes away the aches and pains. I feel the effects of Reiki right afterward.”
D’Amico met Ens at the Yoga Centre of Niagara on Front Street about two years ago, where Ens gave her “a demo” treatment.
“I was having a lot of liver and kidney and bladder problems,” she recalled, “and I felt great afterwards.”
She’s made the trek to the holistic practitioner at her Secord Woods home ever since.
To those who may be skeptical of holistic therapy, “I would say, ‘Try it’,” she stated.
Elaine’s husband John told the Thorold News he “went to eight or nine doctors” to seek relief for the “feelings of snakes going up and down his legs,” and for intensely sharp foot pain.
During one session of reflexology, he said, “I jumped out of my skin, and the pain went away.”
During senior month celebrations this June, Ens was one of many exhibitors who took part at the recent information fair at the Thorold Seniors Centre.
With holistic healing, she explained, “The focus is on mind, body and spirit, instead of just the physical; and the relation of the mind and spirit to the physical. I have a lot of training in anatomy and physiology.”
Ens attended the Balnea Institute in Burlington to become a holistic practitioner and also studied Reiki, launching her Shine Holistic Therapies & Products home business 14 years ago.
“Some (clients) have been with me for 14 years. This year has had a lot of growth,” she said, as people become more open to trying holistic treatments.
According to Ens, “Reiki is a hovering of hands, and it’s an intentional healing, so I put that forth for the person, and the life energy does the work. It’s very calming and studies have shown that it’s very healing.”
Not only does it speed healing after surgery or injury, Ens claimed, but “Some people receive releases of various kinds” during the procedure. “People fall asleep, or cry, or get sensations” of sudden warmth, or chills, as energy transfers.
The word Reiki is Japanese for “universal life-force energy,” according to her pamphlet. “Several ancient cultures believed that energy flows through our bodies, affecting our well-being on many levels. Scientific research studies have shown that imbalances, disruptions or blockages of these energy flows may lead to physical, emotional, or mental illnesses. The healing modality Reiki attempts to balance and heal these energy flow deficiencies, leading to improved health and well-being.”
Ens' current client list includes about 120 regulars, ranging in age from their 20s to 90s.
“My oldest client is 92 and I’m a youth worker, so I work with kids as well. The youngest I’ve treated was nine, for foot pain,” she said.
The essential oils portion of her study consisted of “learning chemistry, botany, and 42 oils, making and blending products and treatments specifically for each person. People’s awareness of aromatherapy is improving. It helps kill bacteria and viruses in the air,” she said, when paired with a diffuser.
More information is available by calling 905-397-9377 or emailing Ens at [email protected]
