Linda Frederick’s life changed in a matter of months in 2008, starting in July when she was diagnosed with breast cancer to September of that year when she had a double mastectomy followed by 5 years of hormone therapy medication to ward off cancer that left her depressed.
To combat her depression, she started taking yoga and meditation classes, and while she liked both, she wanted more. She signed up for a Reiki session and was a natural.
“I believe in alternative therapies, I’m really instinctual and I like energy work,” Linda said.
She studied Reiki for 3 years, began practicing, and opened her practice, Linda’s Healing Wagon, in 2017. Last September, the Lowell native began offering Reiki sessions to cancer patients at Lowell General Hospital.
Linda works with cancer patients at the hospital, providing free Reiki sessions to patients and meditation classes to caregivers and patients. Reiki is a holistic Japanese stress reduction and relaxation technique that promotes healing by moving energy in the body.
“I love Reiki because it feels like facilitated meditation to me. Even if you struggle with meditation on your own, Reiki will help you get there,” she said. “When you are receiving Reiki, you are essentially being held in the presence of another person.”
Linda said Reiki is a healing modality that can help people truly relax in a meditative state, allowing them to feel present in their physical body and spirit. Resting is an important part of healing, but it can be difficult for people with cancer who have anxiety or pain to rest.
Reiki practitioners place their hands above or directly on a client’s body along the 7 main Chakra energy centers from head to toe to move and balance energy.
“I think people feel cared for; they feel at greater ease than when they come in, and they are appreciative that they can actually relax,” she said. “I think people are seeking help the way I was, in releasing stress and tension.”
Breast Cancer Awareness Month + Reiki
Anyone who’s had cancer worries it's going to come back, said Linda, who is 16 years cancer-free.
“It is very overwhelming, the overwhelming emotions; you don’t know where to put them,” she said. “It’s really hard to find a way to remove them because in the back of your mind, the fear is always there. If you’re in active treatment…it’s exhausting physically, mentally and emotionally.”
Reiki can be helpful for people receiving treatment who need time to replenish their mind, body and spirit. Linda works with patients at every stage of their cancer journey, from diagnosis to treatment and follow-up visits.
She’s grateful to be a survivor and help others heal.
“You don’t forget that you have cancer; you get on with your life, and you live your life, but you don’t forget that you had it. Reiki helps you to cope; it helps you feel comforted, empowered and supported.”
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