Be Radiant Reiki: Deanna Jaromay-Arrivas on Healing and Reconnection

Interview by Heather Anderson

Deanna Jaromay-Arrivas didn’t set out to become a Reiki Master. What she found—calm, clarity, and a deeply personal way to hold space for others—arrived unexpectedly and changed how she moves through the world. Today, through Be Radiant Reiki, she helps clients release what’s heavy and reconnect with what’s true.

You’ve described Reiki as the salve that finally helped you heal on a deep level. Can you take us back to the moment when you first felt its power in your own life?

I was in yoga teacher training, sitting in meditation, when I audibly heard: “It’s time to learn Reiki.” It startled me. I opened my eyes—everyone else was still deep in meditation. That was my first clear moment of intuition.

Later that day I discovered a community clinic offering 15-minute Reiki sessions. My husband and I went—though I had to bribe him with food first. We ended up waiting two hours for our turn, and by then he was full-on hangry.

When I finally lay down on the table, I asked for clarity. The practitioner placed her hand on my hip, and I felt warmth radiating down my leg. When I stood up afterward, my hip pain—something I hadn’t even mentioned—was gone.

Meanwhile, my husband walked out of his session giggling. He’s not a giggly guy. He said, “This is BS, my shoulder still hurts,” but his whole energy had shifted. He was lighter, brighter, laughing. That was the moment I realized: Reiki works on levels we don’t always expect.

Did you realize you had deep healing to do before Reiki, or did that only come later?

Honestly, I thought I knew myself. I thought I was all good. What I didn’t realize was how much I’d stuffed down. As I started holding space for others, hearing their stories, I recognized myself in them. That’s when my own deeper healing began.

There’s a term—wounded healer. Some people say, “I can’t work with others until I’m fully healed.” But the truth is, the act of holding space for someone else brings up your own work, too. If you’re going to guide others inward, you have to be willing to go even deeper yourself.

On your website you mention once feeling emotionally, spiritually, and physically broken. What was the turning point?

It’s funny—I thought I was fine. But in reality, I was living from pride and denial. I was always trying to fill a void: with rebellion, with the wrong crowds, even bouncing from church to church searching for answers.

I became a mom at 15, and I see that as my saving grace. If I hadn’t had my son so young, I might have spiraled much further. Still, I carried a lot of shame, stuffed emotions, and reactions I couldn’t control. People would say, “That’s just how she is.” But those outbursts were symptoms of something deeper. Reiki helped me finally face those wounds instead of hiding them.

Healing isn’t always a straight line. Were there moments you doubted or struggled to stay committed?

For me, once I stepped onto this path, there was no turning back. That doesn’t mean it was easy. I’ve dealt with seasonal depression and old family patterns that resurfaced.

But awareness is everything. Once I noticed my patterns, I could break them—not just for myself, but for my family line. Even my relationship with my mom shifted. We used to butt heads constantly. Through my own work, I learned to respond with empathy instead of defensiveness. Now we relate to each other with compassion instead of competition.

“...healing isn’t about being “fixed.” It’s about reconnecting to yourself, listening inward, and realizing you don’t have to carry everything alone...”
— Deanna Jaromay

Reiki is often dismissed as “woo.” How do you explain it to someone who’s skeptical but curious?

First, I meet people where they’re at. If they want science, I point out studies showing Reiki calms the nervous system, shifting the body from fight-or-flight into rest-and-digest. At the very least, you leave more relaxed than when you came in.

If they’re open to a bigger perspective, I explain that we are more than flesh and blood—we’re energetic beings. Reiki is a collaboration between you and the energy. I’m not “the healer.” I’m just the channel.

Sometimes I compare it to acupuncture, which also works with the body’s energy lines. It makes the concept less foreign.

You practice Usui / Holy Fire® III Reiki, Angelic Reiki, and Theta Healing. What makes each unique, and how do you use them together?

  • Usui Reiki is the foundation. It uses specific symbols and is where most people start.

  • Holy Fire® and Karuna Reiki are more advanced. They feel deeply compassionate and often guide me intuitively during sessions.

  • Angelic Reiki calls in angelic frequencies. The energy is softer, expansive, and beautiful.

  • Theta Healing connects to a higher source—God, the universe, whatever resonates for the client. My role is to witness the healing. When I’m fully connected, it feels effervescent, like pure life force flowing through.

Each has its own frequency, but I weave them depending on what’s needed in the moment.

What kinds of issues or blockages do people usually come to you with?

A big one is unprocessed feelings. So many of us stuff our emotions down until they erupt. Reiki creates a safe space to sit with those feelings and ask: Why don’t I feel safe to express this?

Self-worth is another theme. People struggle to receive support, to feel worthy of love. Sometimes hyper-independence shows up as a shield. On the physical side, clients often come with chronic pain or stress held in the body. Together we practice softening into those areas—releasing the shoulders, unclenching the jaw—so emotions and tension can finally move.

For someone brand-new, what’s a session with you like?

We start with intention-setting and a chance to talk through what’s coming up. I’m not a therapist, but holding space for words is powerful.

On the Reiki table, I guide you into meditation and begin the energy work. You may feel heat, tingling, see colors, or simply feel very relaxed. Afterward, we reflect. Sometimes clients share insights or images that popped up. Sometimes I receive intuitive messages—once I saw a Pokémon card and a jet ski, which turned out to be a late father’s sign for his daughter. It moved her to tears.

Sessions are collaborative. Reiki isn’t a “one and done”—it’s a practice that works best when you engage with it.

Can you share a client story that really sticks with you?

One woman came to me while waiting for a lung transplant. Just walking from the parking lot left her gasping for air. Over three months we combined Reiki with her medical treatments. By lowering her stress and cortisol, her body responded better to new medications.

By our last session she was able to garden and even take a short bike ride with her son—something I had once “seen” for her in a vision that seemed impossible at the time. She eventually passed during the height of the COVID pandemic, but her positivity and courage still inspire me every day.

You also offer personalized retreats. What makes those special?

Those are my favorite. They’re four-hour, one-on-one experiences designed just for you. We might begin with a cacao ceremony and altar I create specifically for your energy, followed by Reiki, meditation, crystal insights, and nourishing food.

Later we move into a hands-on Reiki session, a psychic rose reading to connect with your higher self, and often an oracle card pull to practice tapping into your own intuition. It’s deeply immersive, and people walk away feeling both held and transformed.

What’s lighting you up the most in your work right now?

Personalization. Whether it’s a single Reiki session, a retreat, or teaching, I love tailoring the experience to the individual in front of me. Group events are wonderful, but what excites me most is watching one person’s eyes light up when they realize they’re stepping into their own growth.

Let’s do a lightning round to get to know you better.

Go-to morning ritual: Puppy hugs, feeding the dogs, and coffee—always coffee. Making it is a ritual in itself. I often step outside, even in pajamas at 30 degrees, to sip and ground myself.

Book you’d recommend on a healing journey: The Book of She—it helped me embrace cycles of rest and renewal, instead of always pushing forward.

Favorite way to unwind: Meditation, puppy kisses, or Netflix binges. (I just finished Younger—so good!)

Song or band that lifts you up: AURACLE Vibes—full of affirmations and sovereignty.

Something surprising about you: I’m a black belt in Kajukenbo, a Hawaiian martial art.

Your happy place: My home. It’s my sanctuary.

If there’s one thing you hope people take away from your story and your work, what would it be?

That healing isn’t about being “fixed.” It’s about reconnecting to yourself, listening inward, and realizing you don’t have to carry everything alone. Reiki reminds us we’re already whole—we just need space to feel it.

Ready to explore Reiki for yourself?

You can also find Deanna on The M List, The Mamahood’s searchable database of mom-recommended resources, or connect and collaborate with her inside The Club membership for women Founders.

Heather Anderson