Photographs by Venera Alexandrova
Lisa A. Labozzo’s life changed when she found herself upside down in her car, trapped by her seatbelt and surrounded by leaking gas. She was driving home to Darien after visiting a family friend at Stamford Hospital who was dying of bone cancer.
During a difficult and long recovery, Labozzo was offered Reiki at the hospital—a moment she now calls transformative. “The practitioner laid hands on me, and I felt this warm, tingling sensation in my body,” she recalls. “When she stopped, it stopped. I knew it was real.”
This experience not only set her on a path to becoming a Reiki master practitioner, intuitive energy healer and owner of Healing Hand and Heart in New Canaan, but she says it also awakened her spiritual gifts—such as strong intuition and the ability to receive clear audio messages from spirits—which she now incorporates into her healing sessions. Reiki, a Japanese practice, operates on the belief that energy flows through our bodies and can be channeled to promote relaxation, alleviate stress and address blockages. “Reiki clears out what’s no longer serving you or blocking you from moving forward in your journey,” Labozzo explains. During a session, Reiki practitioners use light touch or hover their hands above the body to channel energy. Clients often lie fully clothed on a comfortable table in a calming environment, with soft lighting and music enhancing the sense of relaxation while the practitioner works to restore balance.
The idea of feeling better physically and emotionally through someone hovering their hands over you can seem far-fetched to some, perhaps more akin to folklore than fact. Yet Reiki is practiced in respected medical centers across the globe, including Johns Hopkins and Yale New Haven Hospital. While the evidence is more nuanced, there seems to be some level of agreement that this practice has benefits.
During a Reiki session, practitioners aim to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, often called the “rest and digest” mode, which calms the body, reduces stress hormones and boosts circulation. This relaxed state allows the body to focus on repair and recovery. Many clients report sensations of warmth, tingling or gentle waves of energy during a session, as if the practitioner’s hands are unblocking blockages and restoring flow. By helping clear stagnant energy, Reiki supports the body’s natural ability to heal, offering a holistic complement to traditional medical treatments.
While scientific research on Reiki is still emerging, several studies highlight its potential benefits in medical settings. For instance, a study published in the Journal of Pain and Symptom Management found that patients undergoing Reiki experienced significant improvements in pain control. Similarly, research from the American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine suggests that Reiki can improve quality of life for cancer patients by alleviating fatigue and emotional distress. These studies reinforce Reiki’s value as a complementary therapy, particularly in environments where relaxation and emotional support are essential to the healing process.
“Reiki doesn’t replace medical care, but it can enhance the healing process,” Labozzo explains. She recalls working with a cancer patient who found Reiki sessions offered relief alongside her chemotherapy and radiation. “She told me Reiki was the biggest catalyst for her transformation,” she shares. “It gave her the strength to face her treatment with a sense of calm and resilience.”
Labozzo offers another service as part of her practice called cord cutting, which focuses on releasing emotional attachments stored in cellular memory. “People carry so much—losses, traumas, even stress from past experiences—that get trapped in their cells,” Labozzo explains. Cord cutting helps clients revisit and acknowledge these experiences, whether it’s a childhood fear or a painful breakup, and release the lingering energy tied to them. During a session, Labozza guides clients through recalling these moments, affirming their release, and physically cutting the energetic ties, often with a symbolic snapping sound. She follows this with Reiki to soothe and ground her clients. “It’s not always resolved in one session, but it can lighten the emotional load in ways people didn’t realize were possible,” she says, emphasizing how unresolved energy can lead to physical and emotional ailments if left unchecked.
Labozzo’s practice has resonated even with highly rational, left-brained individuals who typically approach such concepts with skepticism. One client, who initially sought Reiki as a last resort for chronic physical pain, says, “What I didn’t expect was the profound emotional healing that resulted from our sessions.” Another client says, “It feels like she is a direct channel for the universe, the source, the spirit—whatever you personally like to call it. When she lays her hands on me, I feel an instant calmness. Over the span of two weeks, I processed a lifetime of stress and fear and guilt that I didn’t even realize I was holding on to.” Such testimonials highlight the unique impact Labozzo’s work can have, even for those who may not typically gravitate toward energy healing.
Labazzo’s own journey from a career in corporate sales to energy healing is a testament to the unexpected ways Reiki can change lives. “Doors kept guiding me to this path,” she says. “Now, I feel like my purpose is to help others heal.”
As Labozzo advises, “You don’t have to fully understand Reiki to feel its effects. Be open to the experience, and you might be surprised by the healing it brings.”