Navigating Anxiety and Stress Through a Holistic Approach

Understanding Stress Through Different Lenses

Modern science defines stress as a biological reaction triggered by the amygdala in response to signals that one’s environment is unsafe. This response, often referred to as the "fight-or-flight" mechanism, involves the release of stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline to prepare the body for immediate action.

Energy healing modalities align with this understanding but add another dimension: the idea that underlying all physical manifestations exist a number of energetic fields that can influence biological processes. From this perspective, stress is not only a physiological response but also an expression of energetic imbalances or blockages stored in the body. In other words, an energy practitioner works on the premise that stored (or blocked) information in the energy field can be part of what is triggering the stress response in the first place.

This idea is consistent with Bessel van der Kolk’s explanation of trauma in The Body Keeps the Score—that trauma is not only stored cognitively but also within the body itself. Understanding energy fields simply helps us locate where stored trauma may be mapped, which in turn explains why energy healing may help an individual release it.

How Energy Healing Supports Anxiety & Stress Relief

Patterns of stress and anxiety can be complex, particularly when they stem from deeper, unprocessed emotions or subconscious limiting beliefs. Different energy centers (chakras) and energetic imbalances often play a role in how stress manifests and persists.

Root Chakra: Safety & Security

The Root Chakra, located at the base of the tailbone, is associated with feelings of physical, social, and financial security. Stress and anxiety that stem from fears around safety—such as early-life trauma, financial instability, or social rejection—often show up in this chakra.

Clients with significant root chakra imbalances may unknowingly sabotage aspects of their life as a protective mechanism rooted in their subconscious. A practitioner working on this chakra may focus on the lower hips and feet to facilitate grounding. They may also suggest grounding techniques such as nature walks, mindful breathing, or specific foods and scents to reinforce a sense of stability outside of sessions.

Solar Plexus Chakra: Mental Overactivity & Self-Worth

The Solar Plexus Chakra, located between the ribcage and belly button, is linked to personal power, confidence, and mental energy. Clients who experience anxiety through constant overthinking, self-doubt, or perfectionism often have imbalances in this chakra.

This chakra also has a strong connection to the digestive system, which plays a crucial role in neurotransmitter production (such as serotonin and dopamine). As a result, energy stored here can influence both mental and physical symptoms of stress.

Practitioners may work on clearing stagnant energy in this area by focusing on breathwork, confidence-building affirmations, or journaling exercises to help clients process and shift limiting beliefs contributing to their anxiety.

Third Eye & Heart Chakra Imbalance: Emotional & Mental Overload

The Third Eye Chakra, associated with intuition and higher thought, is often overactive in individuals experiencing stress and anxiety. This aligns with Chinese medicine’s concept of Shen, where it is believed mental and emotional unrest can be caused by an excess of this energy in the head (rather than in the heart, where it rests in an ideal state of relaxation).

In clients with high anxiety, I often find their third eye chakra to be intensely activated at the start of a session. As energy balances, this excess energy tends to settle into the Heart Chakra, its natural resting place. This shift is crucial for restoring emotional equilibrium—allowing the individual to reconnect with feelings of calm, self-compassion, and trust.

Practitioners who notice this issue may further inquire about emotional issues, perhaps supporting themes that have been worked on in therapy and indicate the benefit of a custom reiki session (which will allow a more targeted focus on a particularly deep emotional pattern when general sessions have not managed to address).

Energy Healing as a Complementary Tool to Therapy

For clients experiencing deep amounts of stress and anxiety, all three of these energetic centers often require attention. However, paying close attention to how a client responds during a session can provide valuable insights into the root causes of their anxiety. For example:

• Clients may experience a deep sigh of relief when energy is released from the solar plexus, signaling a shift in mental stress and the potential benefits of deeper work on mental supports like journaling and affirmations to unpick and understand patterns like limiting beliefs.

• Strong energetic sensations during grounding procedures may indicate a need for an intentional everyday grounding practice and root chakra healing.

• A noticeable energy shift from the head to the heart can signal an imbalance in the Shen as having been the source of the unease, indicating the potential need for exploring unprocessed emotions.

  
  

While therapists help unravel thought patterns and subconscious behaviors contributing to stress, energy healing can help process and clear stored energy, making therapeutic work more effective. The locations of energetic blockages can shed light on the underlying nature of anxiety, either confirming insights gained through therapy or revealing additional patterns that may have been previously unconscious.

A holistic approach to stress and anxiety relief—combining therapy with energy healing—allows for a more comprehensive resolution of stored trauma, fostering emotional balance, self-awareness, and long-term well-being.