Conversations with Healers, Helpers, & Guides: From Trauma to Transformation: Why I Help Others Heal Through Reiki and Holistic Care with Paty ‘Mariposa’ Hernandez, LCSW
Conversations with Helpers, Healers, and Guides is a monthly blog series from Holistic Healing and Wellness with Sabrina LLC to spark conversation with other wellness professionals to share perspectives on different ways mind, body, spirit health can be supported.
Today, we are talking with Paty ‘Mariposa’ Hernandez, a Licensed Social Worker, Reiki Master/Educator who is a wealth of information for mind-body-healing. I learned Reiki from Paty and am blessed to study with her and learn from her.
Sabrina: Tell us who you are, where you practice, and what you specialize in:
Paty: I’m Paty ‘Mariposa’ Hernandez, a Trauma-Informed Holistic Practitioner, Reiki Educator, and Licensed Clinical Social Worker based in Florida. While I offer in-person and virtual therapy sessions as an LCSW within the state of Florida, my deepest calling lies in the realm of holistic coaching and energy healing.
I specialize in supporting awakening healers, sensitive leaders, therapists, and wellness practitioners who are ready to reconnect with their intuition, regulate their nervous systems, and step fully into soul-aligned leadership. Through a unique blend of clinical social work, somatic practices, and Reiki, I guide others through profound nervous system repair and intuitive reawakening.
My approach is trauma-informed, spiritually grounded, and heart-centered—created especially for those who are used to holding space for others, but now feel called to come home to themselves. Whether you’re seeking deep healing or looking to rise as a grounded, radiant leader, this work is a pathway back to your inner wisdom and wholeness.
Sabrina: What inspired you to specialize in trauma and holistic care?
Paty: My journey into trauma healing and holistic care was deeply personal—and forever shaped by my sister’s story. In 2009, while I was serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer in El Salvador, my sister was diagnosed with cancer. I felt worlds away from her experience—emotionally and physically—as she navigated doctors’ visits, explored healing options, and made decisions about her care, often alone. When I returned to the U.S., we spent precious time together. She opened up about her journey and introduced me to a way of seeing illness through a spiritual and emotional lens.
Her path wasn’t conventional. She chose natural remedies, energy healing, therapy, emotional inquiry, and nutrition—declining chemotherapy and radiation. She passed away peacefully in May 2010 during the morning hours at our parents' home while the rest of us were just beginning our day. While her death was heartbreaking, what stayed with me even more was what I saw in the background: a lack of consistent support and unresolved trauma beneath the surface of her illness.
I began to connect the dots—not just from her experience, but also from my work in El Salvador, where I witnessed the lingering effects of trauma among civil war survivors. I saw clearly how unprocessed emotions, stress, and trauma live in the body, often manifesting as physical illness.
Since then, I’ve dedicated my personal and professional life to exploring how trauma can be gently released through an integrative approach—one that includes mental health support, somatic healing, and energy work like Reiki. My sister’s story was the spark. Her courage and insight lit the path I now walk with others—helping them come home to themselves, find peace in their bodies, and heal from the inside out.
Sabrina: What led you to specialize in trauma-informed Reiki and how do these components contribute to holistic well-being?
Paty: I specialize in trauma-informed Reiki because I recognize that trauma is not just a memory or diagnosis—it’s a psychological and energetic wound that lives in the body. It shapes how we think, feel, move, and connect with others. And while talk therapy can be powerful, it’s often not enough on its own to fully integrate or release what’s been stored somatically.
There’s no one-size-fits-all solution for healing trauma, anxiety, or depression. Each person’s experience is unique, and healing must honor that. That’s why I take a holistic approach—addressing not just the mind, but also the body, energy, and spirit.
In my work, I weave together trauma-sensitive principles with Reiki, mindfulness, and somatic practices. This helps my clients slow down, reconnect with their inner wisdom, and begin to feel safe in their bodies again. Over time, they learn to identify patterns of stress and trauma triggers, create daily rituals of self-care, and gently release what no longer serves them through self-regulation.
Holistic well-being is not just about symptom relief—it’s about returning to wholeness. It means regulating the nervous system, rebuilding trust with yourself, and living with more presence, clarity, and compassion. That’s the heart of my work—and it’s why I’m so passionate about supporting others on this path.
Sabrina: Are there specific principles, values, or philosophies that guide your practice in promoting overall health?
Paty: At the core of my work are the Usui Reiki and Social Work principles, which serve as daily reminders to live with presence, compassion, and integrity. They aren't just something I teach—they’re philosophies I strive to embody. Each day, I return to them as anchors that support my growth and guide the way I hold space for others.
In addition to the Reiki principles, mindfulness and meditation are essential parts of my personal and professional practice. Even five minutes of stillness each day helps me return to center, reconnect with my breath, and stay grounded amidst life’s noise.
Nature is my medicine. Whether I’m walking barefoot on the earth, sitting under a tree, or going for a walk outside, I find healing and guidance in the natural world. It reminds me that we, too, are part of something bigger—and that healing often comes through reconnecting with what’s simple and sacred.
My work is also shaped by the values of integrity, service, and healing. Integrity means showing up with honesty and authenticity, even when it’s uncomfortable. Service means using my gifts to support others on their path without imposing my own. And healing, to me, is not about fixing—it’s about remembering who we truly are beneath the trauma, the noise, and the conditioning.
These principles and values guide every session, every conversation, and every intention I bring into my work. They are the foundation of a practice rooted in compassion, alignment, and deep respect for the human journey.
Sabrina: What is your favorite aspect of being a therapist, coach, and Reiki teacher?
Paty: One of my favorite aspects of being a therapist, coach, Reiki teacher, and energy healer is the ability to draw from a wide range of tools to support each person’s unique healing journey. No two clients or students are alike—and that’s exactly what inspires me.
I approach every session through a trauma-informed lens, which means I’m always attuning to safety, choice, and nervous system regulation. Whether we’re doing deep energy work, exploring thought patterns, or reconnecting with the body through somatic practices, I love weaving together the modalities that will meet someone where they are—gently, respectfully, and compassionately.
The most rewarding moments come when a client or student begins to feel their own power returning—when they realize they don’t have to stay stuck in pain, patterns, or survival mode. Watching someone release old wounds, reclaim their intuition, and embody more peace is a sacred honor.
To witness that transformation—whether subtle or profound—is why I do this work. It’s a gift I never take for granted.
Sabrina: How does trauma-healing play a role in supporting mental well-being, and how do you tailor guidance for mental health benefits?
Paty: Stress and trauma aren't just emotional experiences—they imprint on the body, shape the nervous system, and influence how we think, feel, and respond to life. Left unaddressed, they can manifest as anxiety, depression, chronic fatigue, emotional dysregulation, or even physical illness.
That’s why trauma release is central to mental well-being. In my work, I support clients and Reiki students in gently releasing stress and trauma from both the mind and body using a trauma-informed, holistic approach.
This means creating a space that prioritizes safety, choice, and compassion—because healing can’t happen in survival mode.
I blend somatic techniques, Reiki energy healing, and mindfulness-based coaching to help regulate the nervous system, reconnect with the body’s signals, and identify patterns that are no longer serving. We don’t just talk about trauma—we create pathways for it to move and transform.
Each session is tailored to the person in front of me. Some may benefit from breathwork or grounding exercises to manage anxiety, while others might explore energy healing or inner child work to process deeper wounds. I also draw from my clinical background to offer integrative tools that bridge traditional mental health with spiritual and energetic practices.
At its core, releasing stress and trauma isn’t about erasing the past—it’s about creating space for clarity, calm, and resilience in the present. When we support the body and mind together, mental well-being becomes more than symptom management—it becomes a return to wholeness.
Sabrina: What is the number one thing you want the reader to know about healing and mind-body connection, especially if they are recovering from trauma?
If you’re recovering from trauma, I want you to know this: your body is not your enemy and you're not "crazy."
So often, trauma survivors feel betrayed by their own bodies—disconnected, overwhelmed, or stuck in cycles of anxiety and shutdown. They often feel crazy about their reactions that appear so different from others. But these responses aren’t signs of weakness or failure. They’re signs of survival. Your nervous system adapted to keep you safe. And now, with the right support, it can learn to feel safe again.
The mind and body are not separate. What you experience mentally—stress, anxiety, fear—lives in your physical body too. And real healing happens when we include the body in the conversation.
Whether through focused breath, movement, Reiki, or gentle mindfulness, you can begin to rebuild a relationship with your body that feels empowering, not frightening. You don’t have to push or force your way through. Healing is a slow, sacred process of listening, honoring, and reconnecting.
The number one thing I want you to remember is this: Healing is possible. Your body is wise. And you don’t have to do it alone.
Sabrina: Do you have any special offerings available for your clients?
Paty: I'd love to gift my e-book, Usui Reiki Principles with a Reiki infused meditation.
Sabrina: Is there anything else you want our community to know?
Paty: If there’s one more thing I’d love for you to know, it’s this: You are not broken. You are becoming.
Whether you’re navigating burnout, grief, anxiety, or the quiet ache of disconnection, you don’t have to carry it alone. Healing is not about fixing—it’s about remembering who you are beneath the pain, the pressure, and the performance. It’s about reclaiming your energy, your voice, your power.
Healing thrives in community. Whether you’re new to therapy, coaching, energy healing, or have been walking the mind-body path for years, remember that you don’t have to navigate it alone.
Surround yourself with people who honor your humanity, celebrate your growth, and hold space for your tender moments—that’s where sustainable transformation happens. If all you can manage today is one mindful breath or a quiet moment in nature, that’s enough.
Small, consistent acts of presence create profound change. This work—whether through Reiki, coaching, or somatic healing—isn’t just about self-care. It’s about coming home to yourself. And no matter where you are on your path, you are worthy of that return.
Read more about Paty ‘Mariposa’ Hernandez here
Follow @stresslesswithpaty on Instagram here
This blog post is co-authored by Paty ‘Mariposa’ Hernandez, LCSW, Reiki Master/Educator, and Sabrina Cruz, LCSW, RYT-200.
