Restorative Healing with Jessica Hagy
Photo of a pug looking curious as if to ask, “Yeah, what is restorative healing all about?”
What is Restorative Healing?
Restorative healing is a holistic approach that aims to restore balance, harmony, and well-being to the mind, body, and spirit. It involves addressing the root causes of physical, emotional, and spiritual imbalances and working towards healing and wholeness.
Restorative healing recognizes that our bodies have a natural ability to heal themselves and that many physical and emotional ailments stem from disruptions or imbalances in our energy systems. By resolving these disruptions and restoring balance, the body can access its natural healing abilities and promote deep healing.
Restorative healing integrates a wide range of practices including meditation, yoga, mindfulness and energy healing. Uniting these practices creates a powerful approach to healing that addresses the whole person and not just the symptoms. Through restorative healing, individuals can experience a deep sense of relaxation, inner peace, and connection to their true selves. When integrated, these approaches can release physical and emotional tension, encourage self-awareness and self-compassion, and promote profound physical, emotional, and spiritual healing.
Whether you're dealing with persistent physical pain, chronic stress, emotional trauma or all of the above, these restorative approaches offer a pathway to deep healing and well-being.
Feeling stressed?
Photo of a pug wrapped in a blanket—looking stressed.
Try a restorative healing session with Jess. Experience deep rest, and connect with feelings of ease, contentment, calm and peace.
In our initial session, we will discuss your current needs and desires, then co-create a plan to support your healing journey. Since most of our autonomic nervous systems are in stress (fight/flight) mode more often than is healthy, we will start with calming and balancing your nervous system with one or more of the following approaches:
iRest® Yoga Nidra Meditation
Mindfulness Techniques
Reiki Energy Healing
Restorative Yoga
As we remind your nervous system how it feels to be regulated, we will integrate simple strategies to help you come back to a state of calm and peace as you move through your daily life.
Photo of a pug resting its head on a plush unicorn—looking rested.
iRest® Yoga Nidra Meditation
iRest® (Integrative Restoration) is a guided form of yoga nidra meditation that resolves emotional distress and unhelpful thought patterns while connecting us with the wellspring of peace that is always available but often feels out of reach. The practice of yoga nidra has roots in India that predate the asanas (physical movements) that come to mind when most people think about yoga today. iRest yoga nidra offers a way of living in deeper connection with our authentic nature and decreased activation by the stressors of life.
Guided iRest yoga nidra is typically practiced in a lying down position with supports of yoga mats and blankets to allow the body to deeply relax,* the breath to flow freely and the mind to settle into a state of calm. iRest helps to shift the nervous system from stress mode to restorative mode, increase self-awareness and resolve habits and cycles that perpetuate suffering.
*May be done seated or when in private session, on a massage table with added supports for comfort.
Mindfulness
Mindfulness is a powerful tool for managing stress in our fast-paced and demanding modern lives. By intentionally paying attention to the present moment, without judgment, we can develop a deeper awareness of our thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations. This practice allows us to become more attuned to our stress triggers and respond to them with compassion and clarity. Instead of getting caught up in worries about the future or ruminating on past events, mindfulness helps us focus on the here and now, cultivating a sense of calm and centeredness.
By incorporating mindful practices like conscious breathing, body scans, seated meditation and walking meditation into our daily routines, we can create a space for self-reflection and self-compassion and ultimately reduce the impact that stress has on our lives. Mindfulness empowers us to navigate through life's challenges with resilience, fostering a sense of well-being and inner calm.
Reiki Energy Healing
Pronounced RAY-KEY, Reiki is a Japanese healing art that has ancient roots through-out the world. It is based on the belief that our body has an innate ability to heal itself.
During a Reiki session, a practitioner places their hands lightly on or just above the client's body, enhancing the flow of life force energy. It is a gentle and non-intrusive method that can support one’s healing intentions while providing deep relaxation and relief of pain and stress.
Reiki is not bound by any particular belief system and can be practiced by individuals of any age or background. It is renowned for its positive impact on both physical and emotional well-being, making it a popular choice for promoting overall health and inner harmony. As you rest and connect, you may feel a slight tingling, heat, coolness, other sensations or nothing at all, depending upon how your body senses energy at the time. You may feel increased relaxation, focus or peace and calm in your mind.
Light-touch or hands-free options are available for in person sessions. Distance sessions are just as effective and available by phone or online.
Restorative Yoga
Restorative yoga is very different from the active forms of yoga that most people have experienced and seen in the media. It involves resting in a supportive nest of yoga blankets and props arranged to help soothe and purify the nervous system, release holdings in the body and mind, and cultivate feelings of bliss. Most people report a quieting of the mind, deep relaxation in the body and a natural connection with the stillness and peace that abides within.
This is a lovely practice that can be paired with reiki if desired. Whether you choose to pair restorative yoga with reiki or simply rest and experience the process of relaxation taking place, I will be holding a supportive space for you as you rest in quiet stillness. Your focus could be on the breath and body sensations as tension is released, or you might set attention free to flow as you rest back and just BE.
More meditations like this are available for free at Insight Timer.
Photo of pug leaping from a beach out over a body of water as if in celebration of feeling renewed and stress free!
by Jessica Hagy
Jessica Hagy, LCSW-C, owner of Your Calm Center, has been an advocate for inner peace and stress reduction for the majority of her adult life. She began to experience the benefits of mindfulness meditation and setting healthy boundaries nearly 25 years ago after arriving at an emotional and spiritual crossroads. Today, she gratefully faces and embraces the challenges and joys that come with living a more full and meaningful life. If you have questions or are interested in the emotional support she offers through compassionate listening and guided meditation techniques, feel free to connect here.