Energetic Cleansing in Private Practice

What do you do when you finish a day of clients and just feel "icky"? Whether we're consciously aware of it or not, we are all susceptible to picking up on the energy of other people. One of my teachers in Somatic Experiencing says we know that we can sense energy just by imagining being on a long train ride. If you were stuck in a seat on a train for 6 hours, would you rather be seated next to someone who was high on drugs, or next to the Dalai Lama? Without thinking too hard about it, we know right away which choice we would make. Without even having to engage in a conversation with either of them, we intuitively know that it would feel better to be seated next to the Dalai Lama. Perhaps you've had the experience of sitting with a client in session, and by the time they left, something didn't feel right. Whether the client was going through a particularly hard time or was really angry, as empathic people, their energy can stay with us long after they've left our therapy office. Even if you work online, we can still pick up on other people's energies through phone and videoconferencing. So how to do you cleanse any unwanted energies from you after a long client day or a difficult session? There are lots of ways, and we'll discuss them here!

Nature

Getting out into nature and putting your feet in the soil or grass, gardening, touching a tree or fresh water are all wonderful ways to ground yourself and re-balance your energy. Being indoors, we tend to get disconnected from the aspects of nature that help to maintain our natural body rhythms. If you can go for a walk between clients, find some fresh water or even get out into your backyard garden and do some weeding, touch some flowers, or let the sun soak into your body for a few minutes, all of these things will help restore your natural energy.

Visualization 

If you don't have time to get outside, you can take a few minutes to perform a simple visualization. Seated in a comfortable position, close your eyes and imagine a white light flowing through your body from head to toe, cleansing your body of any impurities or negative energies. Visualize the light flowing through until you feel rejuvenated. You might even choose to visualize an energetic barrier around your body, designed to keep out any unwanted energies for the remainder of the day. 

Yoga

If you can get to a local yoga class or even pull out a mat in your office or at home and do a few simple yoga postures, you might find yourself feeling a lot better. Yoga postures are designed to help cleanse and restore the body's natural balance, and by taking a few minutes (or an hour!) to bring your attention to your movement and breathe, you should find yourself feeling lighter and more energized. 

Smudging

Smudging is an ancient tradition that has been used for centuries. One of the most commonly used herbs in smudging is sage. You can find dried sage, appropriate for smudging, at your local health food store, or most stores dedicated to alternative approaches to healing. You simply light the sage until it starts to smoke and use it to cleanse the air. It does leave a bit of a pungent odor, so I recommend doing it at the end of the day (not right before your next client) or opening a window to help with ventilation.  

Essential Oils

Essential oils have become very popular in the last decade for their healing properties. They can used in a diffuser or added to water and diffused with a candle underneath. Some oils can even be ingested or applied to the skin, but be sure to check with your provider and read the label before consuming or applying oils. Common oils used in cleansing are lemon, lavender, peppermint, grapefruit, and frankincense.

Rocks & Gems

Certain rocks and gems work similarly to essential oils in that by having them in your space, holding them in your hand or pocket, they help to filter negative or unwanted energies. It's important to cleanse these stones regularly, either with running water or by placing them under the moonlight. Stones that are most commonly used to combat unwanted energies are black tourmaline, obsidian, black onyx, smokey quartz, and hematite. 

Water

One of the most simple ways to cleanse yourself energetically is with water. Tap water works just fine, and you can simply wash your hands, or if it's at the end of the day (or you work from home), you can have a shower or a bath. Infusing your bath water with Epsom salts also helps to remove toxins from your body and leave you feeling relaxed and refreshed. These are just some of the ways to cleanse yourself energetically. To learn more, consider getting involved in communities that practice natural healing techniques. You might go to your local natural foods store, yoga center, or look up healing practitioners such as naturopaths, acupuncturists, or osteopaths. Depending on where you live, you might also have a bookstore dedicated to nontraditional healing approaches that sell essential oils, incense, rocks & gems, and so on. Whichever practices you choose to try, just know that if your work with clients is leaving you feeling tired, irritable, or just not yourself, energetic cleansing techniques may help! BYPP Programs can help support you in your private practice, check them out here.