Hospital/Surgery Doula

Energy work has many benefits for surgery or hospitalization. Energy work(pdf) has been shown to reduce stress, anxiety, and the need for pain medication. In research done on coronary bypass surgery, the hospital stay was reduced by a day for those patients receiving energy work.

An energy healing practitioner acts as a type of “energy doula" for the patient undergoing hospitalization or surgery. Doula generally refers to someone who supports a woman during childbirth. An energy doula would be an energy healing practitioner who provides energetic support on the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual levels to promote healing during a significant life event such as surgery or hospitalization.

Prior to the hospital stay or surgery, the energy doula assists the patient in developing an energy healing plan. The healing plan focuses on the energetic needs of the patient and is integrated with the medical plan of care. If necessary, the energy doula would assist in talking with the doctor and care team prior to the day of admission to ensure that the staff is prepared and supportive of the healing plan. The healing plan includes preparation for the hospital stay, energy work during and energy work after discharge.

From my own experience with major surgery, having my own energy doula gave me a sense of control and responsibility for my own healing process.

My healing plan for surgery included energy work sessions, and visualization before surgery. I also prepared a CD of relaxing music to be played in the operating room during surgery. My energy doula was in the operating room during the surgery and did energy work during and immediately after the surgery. After the surgery, I had a number of energy work sessions to speed my recovery.

I personally felt that my healing process was accelerated and enhanced as result of the energy healing plan. I heard confirmation of that a year later when I overheard my doctor tell her staff that she remembered me because of my speedy recovery and leaving the hospital ahead of schedule.