My journey with Reiki and spiritual healing began during a time of profound personal loss. After losing my mother to a difficult battle with dementia, and then facing my daughter’s sudden diagnosis with brain cancer, I was overwhelmed by grief, trauma, and helplessness. In the midst of that darkness, I searched for something—anything—that could bring a sense of peace. Reiki was that light.

What began as a tentative, hopeful step soon became a transformative path. Through Reiki, I discovered a sacred space of stillness—one that allowed me to release fear, process sorrow, and reconnect with my inner strength and light.

Yet in reflection, I realize this journey began long before that moment. For as long as I can remember, I have felt things deeply—picking up on subtle energies, sensing emotional undercurrents, and intuitively understanding others’ unspoken stories. Strangers have always opened up to me about their life journeys, and I’ve experienced moments of spiritual connection that defied explanation. Though I didn’t always have the language for it, I knew there was something—something intuitive guiding me. My lifelong path in service-oriented roles suddenly made sense in a new way: I wasn’t just drawn to education and caregiving—I was called.

This experience reshaped not only my personal life but also deepened my professional purpose. I became a certified Holy Fire and Holographic Reiki Practitioner, integrating this healing work into my broader role as an educator and leader. For more than three decades, I’ve had the privilege of walking alongside students and colleagues as a professor in Education at National Louis University. That work has always been more than a profession—it’s a calling rooted in compassion, inquiry, and a belief in the transformative power of learning.

My journey in education began teaching in urban special education classrooms. Those early experiences shaped my understanding of equity, resilience, and the need to see each learner in their full humanity. Over time, that foundation evolved into an academic path guided by a desire to create more reflective, inclusive, and holistic learning spaces. I earned my Ed.D. in Instructional Leadership with a focus on Educational Leadership, along with a Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction—each step deepening my commitment to thoughtful, heart-centered education.

My passions, teaching and research have long explored the intersections of visual literacy, narrative inquiry, and educator wellness. I’m especially passionate about the ways self-study, creative expression, and alternative ways of knowing can support not only student learning, but also the renewal and well-being of those who teach. Whether through collaborative learning communities, spiritual journeys or visual research practices, I remain committed to work that honors the whole person—body, mind, and spirit.

With love and light, Karen