I faced my own fair struggles in school. It started in primary school, when I had difficulties with a teacher and had to move to another school. After that, all went well until third year in secondary school. I had great friends, I didn’t mind the work, and the teachers were fine.
Then in third year, it was like a switch flipped and I just didn’t want to be there. I was anxious all the time. In the evenings and at the weekends, I was constantly thinking about having to go back to school, and I couldn’t tell anyone exactly why.
I went to counselling and beforehand I would rehearse the answers to the questions I thought the counsellor might ask. I couldn’t tell her why I felt the way I did, and to this day I still don’t know.
It was a feeling more than one simple thing. It wasn’t because of one person or this teacher, my perception of school changed, and I couldn’t be in that environment.
Eventually, it was agreed that I could leave school after my Junior Cert. I went on to do the equivalent of my Leaving Cert, and then I went all the way to a master’s.
I’d like think this shows that even if you leave school or struggle with it, that the paths you can take after leaving are limited.
Your path might not end up looking the same as everyone else’s- school, Leaving Cert, college and that’s okay. The path I went down suited me and got me to where I am today.
Looking back, Reiki is something I could really have used to support be back then. The supports available through school were all based on talking, and I couldn’t even explain it in my own head, never mind out loud.
This is what I love about Reiki and why I think it benefits kids and teenagers so much, not only for school pressures but for anything they’re going through, there is no pressure on them whatsoever.
They come in, and we might talk about what’s going on for them, or that can be more on the parent’s side. It’s an hour for them where there expected to do nothing.
That’s what I desperately needed back then: a space where I wasn’t thinking ‘What is she going to ask me now? What am I going to say?” and making up answers in my head.
During a session I explain everything as simply as I can and do whatever makes them most comfortable. I often offer a crystal to hold, or ask what kind of music they’d like on. They just come in, get as comfortable as they can, and try to relax for the hour.
I also send a bit of healing to you, the parent. If a child is stressed about school, or not going at all, they’re not the only one going through it. You’re going through it too.
x
