In today’s article, Mystic Mag is exploring the transformative power of integrative healing modalities, as practiced by a seasoned therapist Melissa Ann Lester, dedicated to holistic well-being. From Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction to Reiki, from meditation medicine to ketamine-assisted therapy, each modality plays a crucial role in fostering healing and growth in clients seeking relief from stress, anxiety, and trauma.
Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction is a well-known practice. How do you incorporate mindfulness techniques into your sessions, and how has this approach proven effective in reducing stress for your clients?
Mindfulness is a practice that is incorporated into my work with all of my clients. A core component of the work I do is guiding clients to deepen their self-awareness and connect with their inner wisdom. Mindfulness is an essential practice for this. By learning to meet ourselves in the present moment and bring full awareness to our experiences – thoughts, emotions, and body sensations – we can begin accepting our experiences for what they are and without judgment.
We call mindfulness a practice for a reason – it takes time to cultivate present-moment awareness, and it takes time to begin meeting our experiences without judgment. However, the more we practice, the more we can choose how we relate to our experiences. I encourage clients to begin meeting themselves with curiosity instead of judgment, and maybe a little compassion if they are able to access it. This helps to quiet the inner critic and begin to cultivate the connection to their inner wisdom. We then move into incorporating mindfulness in ways that are most supportive for them. It may mean continuing to meet our experiences mindfully or beginning to incorporate practices such as mindful meditation, breathwork, and movement.
As we cultivate our inner wisdom, the internal battle of what is right or wrong for us dissipates. We become clearer on how we want to show up for ourselves and others, and how to navigate our lives with a bit more ease and authenticity. The more comfortable we are living in our own truth and honoring our needs, the less stress we tend to experience in our daily lives.
As a practitioner trained in Usui Reiki at different levels, can you share how Reiki enhances the mindfulness aspect of your practice, and are there specific instances where the combination of mindfulness and Reiki has led to notable outcomes?
Let me first start by sharing that Reiki is a Japanese energy healing modality that works with the body’s energetic system to restore balance to the mind, body, and spirit. It aids in calming disturbances and removing blockages which promotes stress reduction, relaxation, and healing. It is one of many practices that are complementary to mindfulness.
Many people struggle with stress, anxiety, and overwhelm. I have found that with most of my clients, an integrative approach is most effective in their healing journey. Clients can get burned out of “doing all the things” and sometimes simply need to be held in sacred space and cared for. While mindfulness is highly beneficial in reducing stress, it is an active practice. Reiki offers the opportunity to receive healing through a non-active practice. So, when clients are feeling burned out from “doing the work” they can receive Reiki healing to calm their nervous system and aid them in being more able to engage with more active practices.
Meditation Medicine Teacher Certification is a unique qualification. How do you apply this certification in your work, and how do you see the intersection of mindfulness and meditation medicine benefiting those you work with?
This certification is one I deeply cherish because it expanded my capacity to hold space for clients and myself – which alone creates a direct benefit for those who work with me. The Meditation Medicine Teacher Certification was a one-on-one mentorship where I deepened my knowledge as a mindfulness meditation teacher and learned Taoist energy medicine practices, shamanic practices, and the medicinal power of the four elemental energies (air, water, fire, and earth) in addition to other known energies as it relates to clearing, balancing, harnessing, channeling, and cultivating a sacred container.
There is a natural intersection between mindfulness and many of these sacred practices because many of them have a mindfulness component. After all, whether it is mindfulness meditation or various forms of energy medicine, you are in some form engaging with the present moment. I work consistently with these practices and teach them to clients who desire to deepen their knowledge of and embody these ancient medicines. Those who choose to walk this path find themselves more balanced, grounded, and connected to their inner wisdom.
With a certification in Complementary and Alternative Medicine, how do you integrate various alternative healing modalities into your sessions, and what role do they play in providing a holistic approach to well-being?
Since I was already incorporating mindfulness, meditation, and breathing techniques in my work with clients, becoming certified in Complementary and Alternative Medicine was a natural next step in my evolution as an integrative psychotherapist. Through this training, I learned more about functional medicine, the gut-brain connection, how nutrition impacts mental health, techniques that relieve anxiety and depression without medication, the development of energy therapy, how various practices impact us on a neurological level, and the efficacy of these practices for mental health and overall well-being.
I believe in therapy being a collaborative relationship, so how these modalities and supportive ways of being are introduced into our work depends on the client’s level of interest and what is most supportive for them. When we shift out of traditional talk therapy and begin looking at how diet, medication, vitamins and minerals, supportive practices, and energy healing can impact the person as a whole, we are taking a holistic approach to the client’s healing journey. We are no longer simply talking about what is going on in their life. We are looking at the whole picture and integrating supportive changes.
Foundations of Ketamine-Assisted Therapy is a specialized area. How do you incorporate the principles of ketamine-assisted therapy into your practice, and in what ways does it complement or enhance the mindfulness and energy healing aspects of your work?
As psychedelic-assisted therapy continues to make its way into media, clients will be exposed to the concept and will be curious. I believe it is important to be able to engage in this dialogue with them, to understand who it is and is not an appropriate avenue for, and to be able to guide them to ethically sound resources. Research continues to support the transformative healing that one can experience from the intentional and ethical use of ketamine, MDMA, LSD, ayahuasca, and psilocybin – as well as other dissociatives and psychedelics. This modality of healing will continue to grow both in interest and use. So, while I have spent years personally researching this specialized area of healing, learning more about ketamine-assisted therapy was my first step in formal training because it was the first and most widely legalized option in the United States.
Incorporating energy healing and meditation in the preparation and integration phases of psychedelic-assisted therapy can greatly complement and enhance the work. These two phases of psychedelic-assisted therapy are essential for the most effective and supportive experience. In the preparation phase, energy healing and meditation can aid in calming the nervous system, foster a healthy mindset, and identifying what area of focus is desired for the psychedelic session. In the integration phase that follows the psychedelic session, energy healing and meditation can be offered as a grounding tool, a way to deepen their understanding of the insights gained from the experience, and serve as supportive practices for lasting embodied change.
Can you share examples or stories from your practice where the combination of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, Reiki, meditation medicine, and complementary therapies has led to significant positive outcomes for your clients?
Honoring confidentiality, I am happy to share a high-level view of how I have seen this integrative work result in positive outcomes. Just last week, a client and I were discussing the subtle yet powerful shifts they are experiencing now versus even one year ago. They are able to be more present, are more comfortable being their authentic self, and feel more capable of riding the waves of life. Another client and I were discussing recently how she is better able to hold the emotional heaviness that comes with her work by implementing an energetic shielding practice at the start of the day. She is also experiencing a greater ability to ease into her personal life and leave work behind by implementing a releasing practice at the end of the day. A third client recently shared that his self-awareness has deepened so much in the last couple of years and he has never better understood himself. While these are just a few examples, I am constantly humbled and honored to witness the profound shifts my clients experience when using a holistic and integrative approach.
