A Pilot Study to Explore the Results from Learning a Self-empowered Energy Healing Technique as an Emotional Regulation Tool Intended to Improve Service Industry Leaders’ Affect, Well-being, and Performance

Carolyn Dunow, St. Catherine University

Abstract

Positive emotions are requirements for jobs that demand interpersonal interactions. Stress can results in meeting these requirements if the expressed emotions do not match the felt emotions. This can impact the affect, well-being, and performance of leaders. Increased efforts are being made to understand and improve emotional regulation at work. Concurrently, science is providing evidence supporting the understanding of emotional disruptions and how energy healing can alleviate emotional disruptions. This pilot study followed leaders through four phases: a pre-intervention survey, education and experimentation with a self-empowered energy healing technique, post-intervention survey and appreciative inquiry interviews. While the energy healing technique took a matter of a few minutes to process, the participants in this study reported positive changes in their emotional and physical sensations, perspective-taking, positive-refocus, performance, or provided an element of control, both in letting go and having more control over their emotions. “Top transformers” in this study also reported deeper levels of engagement at work and at home as well as significant life changes. Future research may be conducted on the relationship between emotional sensations, physical sensations and physical well-being, the connection of these to leadership, as well as the relational elements of the Holistic Map of Well-Being which emerged from this study.