What Distance Reiki Did For My Son With Autism — A Mother's Story

Brandon's journey with Reiki

I want to tell you about my son Brandon.

Brandon is 32 years old and has autism. He is now starting to understand a great deal (receptively) but expressing himself has been a lifelong challenge. He lives in a group home, and like many families navigating the world of autism, our journey has been one of love, advocacy, and never stopping looking for what might help.

Back in 1996, Brandon's dad and I fought for — and won — funding for Intensive Behavioral Intervention Therapy (IBI) for children under five in Edmonton. We were everyday people. An electrician and a nurse. Not doctors or lawyers. But we believed in our son and we pushed until the system listened. That win opened the door for many Edmonton families that followed.

Brandon has come a long way with years of IBI. But many challenges remain.

How Distance Reiki Came Into Our Lives

I met Diane Matthews through my BNI chapter. She came as a visitor — a Reiki Master with years of experience including distance sessions with a client with autism in Boston. I knew a little about Reiki, but distance Reiki? That was new to me.

She did a session on me in person. I felt it immediately.

But for Brandon, in-person sessions weren't possible. His autism makes that kind of setting difficult to manage. That's exactly where Distance Reiki comes in — because energy isn't limited by physical space. You don't need to be in the same room. You don't even need to be in the same country.

Since September 2024, Diane has been doing weekly 15-minute Distance Reiki sessions with Brandon — every Monday. She connects with his higher self energetically. He doesn't need to do anything. He doesn't even need to know it's happening.

What We've Noticed

The changes have been gradual — and real.

His behavior has improved significantly. He's more cooperative. More settled. He seems to want more from life — there's a restlessness to him that feels like growth rather than agitation.

And his language? It's developing. Slowly, but it's moving in a direction it hadn't been moving before.

As his mother — and as someone who spent 35 years as a nurse — I'm careful about making claims I can't support. What I can tell you is what I've observed. Something is shifting for Brandon. And the only thing that changed was Distance Reiki.

I've now begun doing my own Distance Reiki sessions with him on Sundays as well.

Why I'm Sharing This

If you have a child — or love someone — with autism or special needs, I want you to know that Distance Reiki is a gentle, non-invasive option worth exploring. There's no disruption to routine. No need to manage a new environment. It meets people exactly where they are.

I'm not suggesting it replaces any existing care or therapy. What I am saying is that energy healing can work alongside everything else — quietly, gently, and sometimes profoundly.

If you'd like to know more about Distance Reiki — what it is, how it works, and whether it might be right for someone you love — I'd love to have a conversation.

📞 Book a free 30-minute call at sandrabrayer.com

With love & appreciation, Sandra 💕