Modern day Nurse Theorist Barbara Dossey coined the term Healing Rituals in her book Rituals of Healing. “Rituals of Healing weaves three golden threads - rituals, beliefs, and imagery - to deepen the understanding of inner knowing and to expand current concepts of healing” (Achterberg, Dossey & Kolkmeier, 1994).

Healing Rituals are self-regulated actions that bring healing in all moments. For example, hand washing. As you wash your hands recall what was shared with your patient or colleague. Feel the friction on your hands as they rub together, the warmth of the water on your skin and its slipperiness. Notice the scent of soap and the feeling in your heart and pit of your stomach. As you rinse away the bubbles, let the emotions of the situation flow off of your heart and hands into the sink and down the drain.

Healing Rituals are self-imposed decisions to take action.

Healing Rituals are self-imposed decisions to take action and tend to feelings of fear, apprehension, discontent, anger or sorrow, instead of squashing them deep into your soul. They are a mechanism to release feelings and to honor your body, mind and spirit with gentle attentiveness and care.

You can create your own Healing Ritual.

You can create your own Healing Ritual, and perhaps you already have one or two to use to ease the dis-ease of less than perfect situations. Or perhaps you need some inspiration to create an action to purposefully care for yourself.

I asked some dear friends for examples of Healing Rituals, and here’s what they shared.

Healing Rituals from Friends…

I take it out on the road... on a bike. I also leave it at the gym. My bye bye is sweat. ~Lynn

One of my first steps is to just acknowledge that there is a pain. Easier to deal with it than try to ignore it. ~Kelly

Sweat it out... usually in the form of BODYATTACK or RPM. Or... I get in my car and drive and crank up some great music. If I can't do either of those, then I close my eyes take a few deep breaths and remember some very happy moments from a trip to Cancun this summer. ~William

Prayer, blogging it out, doing something wonderful for someone or making something beautiful <3. ~April

I cook. ~Paul

Blast my music loudly on way to gym or blast my music while doing field visits .... and pray .... if all is peaceful afterwards, maybe some sangria. ~Jennifer

I do the logical approach--I usually go through my head of the things that I have control over, if it isn't on the list I think about the things that are. ~Kevin

Walking and breathing and imagining those walking/breathing moments to be the very last ones of my life. All else pales in this celebration. ~Brenda

I pray and give to God to handle. ~Diana

I usually need to retreat to a dark room (ie. Closet) to decompress. If I can't then I will dance at home or sing in the car with no one with me. ~Landy

I put it in a box (imaginary). I have had to get several more boxes. ~Shelley

After years of suffering from anxiety and depression, I'm working with a wonderful woman who is a mindfulness coach. She is teaching me to recognize the situation, recognize the pain and then to let it go and how to focus on the here and now. It's wonderful!! ~Michelle

I wash my hair! The act of being underneath cascading water helps me to let go of negative feelings, and it helps me clear my mind. ~Danielle

No "ritual" per say, but rather what is available in that moment. I will usually start with looking at my babies, whether they are around in person, or I pull my phone out and go through my hundreds of pics. Definitely walking away and breathing/closing my eyes and focusing on the better parts of life. Blasting my music in my car. Running, running, and more running :) Usually by the end of a long run I have punched the air, cried a little, and figured out what is really worth worrying about and what doesn't matter/what I can't control and leave it be. And if I'm still struggling with it after sweat, tears, and cursing, I'll journal. ~Esther

Put it in a bubble and blow it away. ~Sandra

I talk to myself in the mirror - saying it and hearing it help me get over it. ~Karen

I throw it in the trash can. ~Jacy

I pet a kitty! Cat purrs have healing powers. ~Nikki

My healing ritual is simple: I keep myself optimistic that tomorrow will be a new day, and that to me, has healing powers in itself. ~Chris

As soon as I get home from work I change out of my work clothes. When the dress shirt comes off I let go of all responsibility for a difficult coworker. With each shoe I say goodbye for the day to worry and doubt. And so on. ~Rob

Going to an intense cardio class usually cures me. I also really like going on a good run and listening to Kelly Clarkson's "Stronger" usually makes me feel better. :) Remembering that I tend to make things bigger in my mind than they really are also helps me to calm down. ~Brittany

Exercise to exhaustion, (preferably with a group of remarkable people.), then embrace the anguish, and allow it to become a part of me, because it already is. The former stress then strengthens me. ~John

My default is a vault in my brain that locks away anything causing me pain/anxiety so that I can ignore it, which, in the end is actually counterproductive because they always come back....so my sister shared this with me a couple of weeks ago, and doing the visualization actually does help. It's similar to what your mom does: http://joannagoddard.blogspot.cz/2011/11/do-you-worry-too-much.html. ~Tereza

I merely hand it to God as I pray! 1 Peter 5:7 Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. ~Susan

I think about it while I run. I say all the things in my head that I want to say out loud - then I let it go. By the time I get home I'm so tired that it doesn't matter as much and doesn't sting as bad. There's a series of books where the main character defeats his enemies by loving them. I try to do that. It might be far away because I'd rather punch them in the throat but having compassion far away is more therapeutic for my psyche than violence close up. ~Andrea

I pray... At that point, I know there is no need for worry. ~Holly

My go to is breathe through it baby. Next is meditation or a run, maybe a talk w God, but when over whelmed going to the ocean n screaming my guts out lol Did that once w a buddy n he screamed louder than I did. Lol finally, what really gets me through is a good convo w family or a beloved friend. ~Jeff

I knit.......perfect way to de-stress. There is something about the feeling of yarn on the fingers....~ Paula

I bet you have a Healing Ritual you could share, which would help someone in their time of need.

Please, leave us your concept of Healing Ritual in a Comment below. You never know who it could help. And as always, I am here for you any time, any day, always.

Nicole Vienneau MSN, RN, NC-BC has been a Registered Nurse for 20+ years, is a board-certified integrative Nurse Coach, personal trainer, group fitness and yoga instructor, faculty with the International Nurse Coach Association and founder of Blue Monarch Health, PLLC. She specializes in the prevention of brain and heart disease by partnering with clients to uncover their wisdom to enhance their health. Nicole is a passionate Nurse advocate who is transforming healthcare through Nurse Coaching. She loves exploring nature, finding solace with her cats and traveling with her awesome husband.