Frequently asked questions with Talon Windwalker, MA, NHD
What is energy work?
All living things have energy moving through and around them. We see this when a person walks across a carpeted floor and gets zapped when they touch something or when we put pads on their chest to see their heart beating. Someone performing energy work can use their hands to feel the energy flowing in the patient’s body and help things flow better. We can do energy work without touching the person. Often, people fall asleep while we’re doing this, so it isn’t something requiring interaction or for them to even be awake.
Which situations might benefit?
- Pain/anxiety/agitation which is difficult to manage.
- Parkinson-related agitation/discomfort.
- Sleep disturbances (having a hard time remaining asleep, insomnia, nightmares, “my brain won’t let me sleep,” etc.)
- When a patient prefers to use as few medications as possible.
- Constipation which is difficult to manage.
- When a person has a history of, or is dealing with, trauma or troubling significant events from their past and are reluctant or unable to really discuss their feelings/concerns around these issues, energy work can often be used to help them release their connection to these events without having to essentially re-live their experiences.
- Terminal agitation.
- “Lingering” dying process (seems like they’re fighting the process, can’t let go, etc.)
- Emotional distress/lability.
- Promote wound healing (especially post-surgical or post-injury.)
How long is a visit for energy work?
The length of a session depends on how much energy work would support the patient. An average session for our hospice patients is about 30 minutes.