What I love about Erin is how real she is. Contrary to so many practitioners or platforms in the healing, personal inquiry, or alternative health spaces, she’s grounded, approachable, and gifted in combining her western medical education with eastern modalities of energy healing. She’s present and curious, which makes her a fantastic partner in any conversation, and the way she feels for people is contagious in her work. We can’t wait for you to meet her.
Who you are and what do you do?
Hi- I’m Erin and I am an Energy Worker based in Denver, CO. I guide individuals in mindfulness to come back to Self in order to find clarity in chaos and regain a sense of center. I use the modalities of Reiki, Energywork, Breathwork, and channeled readings in conjunction with my background in healthcare and environmental sciences and my own healing journey. I believe deeply in the body’s ability to process and communicate our needs. Together with clients, we navigate concepts in which they can remain mindful as they integrate their understanding of their mind-body connection to live out their truest empowerment.
How do you define leadership?
Leadership to me is someone who has been through the processes, gained knowledge and wisdom from them, and is willing to get into the nitty gritty with her community or those she’s leading. A good leader also holds her peers or subordinates accountable to integrity and honesty while compassionately giving space for improvement.
What’s one (yes, just one) thing you’re really good at?
I’m really good at holding an objective space for people to be vulnerable and feel seen. I believe that we all deserve time and space to express ourselves and our needs in a safe, non-judgmental, and relaxing way.
Tell us about a time when you realized this is what you were meant to do.
As a rising business owner, this is still a recurring theme. Aside from some resounding client feedback, the most potent time was when I walked out of a large Denver Metro hospital after speaking with the volunteer services coordinator about offering Reiki to cancer patients. To have been able to have a conversation around Reiki in the Western medical setting gave me a deep, whole body feeling that this was my path; that energy therapy is a necessary modality to healing.
What’s one personal value you hold true in your business?
Undivided attention is one personal value I hold true to my business. When I am speaking with someone, I work to intentionally give them my undivided attention so that I can actively engage with the other person. When we are actively engaged we can better utilize all of our senses, we are present, and more importantly, we are aware. In mindfulness, we practice awareness in the present moment in order to reduce judgement, remain objective, and shift consciously.
What do you do when you’re not working?
I love to absorb knowledge through reading or engaging in a community container or event. Aside from that, I love taking walks, hiking, or planning small getaway trips either alone, with my partner, or with a sweet friend. I stay so creatively active in my business that a more free-flowing and spontaneous way to enjoy life eases my worries and reboots my energy.
What’s in your 10-year vision?
In the next 10 years, I plan to perform research and attain deeper knowledge on how Reiki and Energywork or energy medicine can be used as forms of therapy, or complimentary additions to current modern medicine practices. I plan to host The Mindful Bird within an in-person space that offers herbal products, supportive resources, and a cozy setting for clients and community members to reflect, do inner work, or seek deeper knowledge. I’d like to invite other like-minded practitioners of any holistic approach to join me here. The goal is to foster the growth and acceptance of the holistic health industry alongside Western medicine. I eventually see myself traveling and educating in my expertise. A master’s degree may or may not be in my future. Stay tuned!
Who is one person who has shown you what’s possible in your life or business? What was the “see to believe” lesson they taught you? (This can be someone you know, someone you don’t know, or even a fictional character!)
Honestly, when I was getting started three years ago, I didn’t really see anyone that made a living from Reiki or energy work. It really feels like it’s recently emerging in the mainstream as a potential business path.
However, one of my biggest role models is Lacy Phillips of To Be Magnetic. She altered the perspective on the Law of Attraction and began tying in neuroscience and psychology with her intuitive abilities. Her process and success has modeled for me that people need this type of work in order to create more awareness within themselves which, in my belief, ultimately impacts the awareness in the collective society. I found Lacy Phillips at a time where I was working on tying in my nursing and health care education with the physiological effects of Reiki and breathwork.
What’s one moment in your life that, looking back on, made you realize you would own your own business?
I took a sabbatical in 2014 and visited my relative and mentor in Colorado. After many organic experiences that altered my identity, that fall I went back to college and the idea of my own yoga studio would randomly surface. In 2020, six months after I had started my scheduling page, I kept receiving referral clients; The Mindful Bird was growing and the interactions were multiplying. I absolutely knew this was it. Now in 2021, after peeling away from the idea of nursing school, it’s all true and continuing to unfold.
What are three things you always have on you (beside phone, wallet, keys)?
- A pen- I am a writer and love pen to paper.
- A book or research article- I am typically always in the mood to relax and read or dive in to acquire information to improve my message.
- A beverage- like water to stay hydrated, like coffee to kiss my lips, or like tea to provide an herbal hug.
This Leaders We Love segment features Erin Schemenski.
Erin Schemenski is an Energy Worker specializing in Reiki, Breathwork, psychic/mediumship, and human ecology. In 2019 Erin started The Mindful Bird as a holistic wellness practice that offers complementary modalities to support the mindfulness journey in reclaiming a sense of center with clarity and confidence.
She has channeled her intuitive gifts over the last 8 years and uses her background in environmental and health sciences to foster a deeper understanding between the science and the energetics of your soul’s connection to your mind, body, and various environments.
You can follow Erin on Instagram @themindfulbird_.