Meet Eileen Wurst

We recently connected with Eileen Wurst and have shared our conversation below.

Eileen, so great to have you sharing your thoughts and wisdom with our readers and so let’s jump right into one of our favorite topics – empathy. We think a lack of empathy is at the heart of so many issues the world is struggling with and so our hope is to contribute to an environment that fosters the development of empathy. Along those lines, we’d love to hear your thoughts around where your empathy comes from?
From a young age, I discovered my ability to connect with and understand the pain of others, whether they were people, plants, or animals. My studies and work were eventually centered around navigating both the traditional mainstream and non-traditional alternative healing worlds. Thanks to my natural talent, I dedicated years to studying Reiki and eventually founded the only licensed vocational school in the nation, where I educated many students for more than two decades. My Reiki experience has led me to appreciate the valuable techniques of somatics, which I now integrate into my practice as a licensed mental health counselor. Through years of dedicated practice, I have honed my ability to be deeply attuned to the individuals and environments I engage with, thanks to my experience in Reiki and counseling. Amidst the pandemic, I decided to further my education by enrolling in a doctoral program for somatic psychology. I am currently researching my dissertation on the empathic resonance, known as intercorporeality, that fosters deeper understanding and connection between individuals.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Discovering how to meditate was a crucial practice that helped me connect with my breath and establish a sense of calm and balance during times of distress. Expanding my exploration of Reiki studies, I discovered a self-healing technique that was both simple to use and had a significant impact on my overall well-being. After all my experiences as a meditator, Reiki practitioner, counselor, and fellow human being, I have learned the significant importance of listening and being curious about myself and others I come across.  The latter abilities keep me open to new experiences and permit me to continually grow and evolve in my life.

One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
I enjoy writing in collaboration. When I was running the Reiki Training Program, I co-wrote several articles with colleagues and enjoyed the process immensely. As a doctoral student, my cohort and I write to each other about our own processes, but we are working independently in our research. I would like to write, co-write or interview an interested person(s) son the following topics: interception, body scan meditation, empathy, resonance, intercorporality, and somatic psychology.

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