We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Karen Beckles. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Karen below.

Karen, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today If you had a defining moment that you feel really changed the trajectory of your career, we’d love to hear the story and details.

I spent more than twenty years in law enforcement. I learned to perform under pressure and to keep moving no matter what the day brought. Then I had a heart attack a year before I retired. That moment changed the direction of my life. I had seen life and death at work, but this time my body said with clarity, you cannot keep carrying this the same way.

A coworker introduced me to Reiki. At first it was simple. I received a few sessions and learned the basics so I could support my own care. What shifted first was my nervous system. I was less reactive, calmer, and more present. With that calm I could see more clearly how stress was living in our bodies and our culture, and how often we were managing behavior without healing pain.

Several years after I retired, I decided to learn Reiki again, from the beginning and trained through to the master level. Reiki gave me a daily and intentional practice that returned me to myself. It helped me move from survival energy to grounded presence. I recognized that my purpose was not to walk away from public safety, but to change how I serve it by helping people care for themselves in real and simple ways.

The lesson is plain. Listen when your body speaks. Tell yourself the truth. Choose one practice and do it every day. Healing holds better in community, so let people in. Behavior is not identity. We are not our worst day, and with the right care and support, change is real and possible.

That heart attack was the wake-up call. Reiki was the path back. My work now is to offer what helped me, so others can come home to themselves and carry less weight in their bodies, families, and teams.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Intro
I am a Certified Reiki Master Teacher and a spiritual and intuitive coach. I spent more than twenty years in law enforcement, and humanity mattered most then and still does now. My practice, The Funky Truth Healing, is simple and honest. It honors the good, the bad, and the ugly of healing and growing. I meet people where they are and use Reiki, guidance, and easy to use practices that match your intentions. Together we set a personal baseline for wellness and build consistency, clarity, and alignment you can feel in your body. You lead your healing, and I keep the space safe, grounded, and clear of judgment and pressure. This work happens in community through circles and workshops, and I partner with trusted practitioners when it serves the client.

How I got into this work
During my law enforcement career I escorted hundreds of incarcerated individuals for medical treatments, procedures, surgeries, and even childbirth. I witnessed people at their most vulnerable and learned how to hold a steady, human presence in the room. When someone was in my custody or under my supervision, I also served as an advocate. I made sure providers were professional and communicative, and that the care was delivered to a patient, not to an inmate. I ensured the care provided was professional, fair, and humane. I also witnessed occasions when professionals did not act with integrity or in line with the oath they swore. In those moments I asked questions, requested changes when needed, documented concerns, and continued to advocate for humane care. Looking back, I believe I was offering a quiet form of Reiki through presence, attention, and prayerful intention. When I later trained in Reiki, it felt like naming and refining what I had already been practicing without a name.

What I offer: sessions and coaching
I work in two ways. First, through Reiki sessions and spiritual and intuitive coaching. We can meet in person or virtual, one to one or in small groups, including children, families, and couples. Through Reiki healing techniques your body can remember calm, release stress, and rest more easily. From there I add what supports you most, and I close each visit with a few clear practices you can carry home so the work continues and stays aligned with your intentions.

What I offer: certified training
Second, I provide certified Reiki training. When someone feels called to learn Reiki, we move from foundational skills to advanced practice to the master level, always grounded in real life. Small groups, hands on practice, attunements, and ongoing mentorship. You build daily and intentional self care, deepen your relationship with Reiki, and if it is right for you, learn how to offer care to others with integrity.

For organizations
Inside institutions the needs are different, but the heart is the same. I partner with first responders, hospitals, schools, and community groups to bring simple and effective wellness to their people. We focus on emotional awareness and regulation, nervous system care, and practical skills for high stress, burnout, grief, transition, and retirement readiness. Programs are shaped to the culture and the moment. The aim is to reduce or eliminate hidden burdens, restore clarity, and support people in caring for themselves while they care for or interact with others. Everything is consent centered, judgment free, and non carceral in practice.

What problems I help solve
Many clients arrive looped in stress or stuck in depression, or feeling numb and disconnected from themselves, their work, or their families. Through Reiki healing techniques and simple daily practices, I help slow things down so the body can calm. Together we rebuild emotional awareness, regulation, and self trust. People begin to sleep better, think more clearly, and feel safer in their own bodies. Relationships improve as boundaries and communication get clearer. For teams, the same work eases burnout and restores steadiness after hard calls or seasons. The aim is simple: less strain on your system and more presence for life, work, and the people you love.

What sets me apart
Years in law enforcement in prisons, jails, and detention centers taught me to let each person’s experience be their own. I do not assume that one story speaks for everyone. I learned to listen to fully understand and to speak so I can be fully understood. I have worked with people across many genders, cultures, races, and religions, and what I know is simple. We are all human. We are similar but not the same. I bring that respect into every room. I keep the core of the Reiki system intact, offer it in plain language, and tailor the work to the person in front of me so it fits real life with dignity and care.

What I am most proud of
I am proud when people receive more benefit than they expected, when they begin to trust themselves again, when joy and hope are restored. I am proud when they feel and see their own improvements. I am proud of circles where people feel seen and of partnerships where care becomes part of the culture. I am proud that my work bridges systems and healing in ways that are practical, respectful, and human.

What I want you to know
My Reiki space and any room I hold or am in are welcoming, safe, and pressure free. You lead your healing and I walk beside you as a wellness companion. We keep things simple and repeatable so change can hold in daily life. You do not have to be perfect or spiritual to begin. We stay present, reduce strain, make room for ease, and permit healing to occur.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

What built my reputation is approachable, consistent care. I follow up consistently, I listen to understand, and I treat each person as an individual. Years in law enforcement taught me how to stay calm under pressure, keep the room humane, and communicate clearly. I carried that forward. In my Reiki work I keep the core of the system intact and offer it in plain language. Sessions are consent centered and pressure free. I use what helps and leave what does not.

Most clients find me through word of mouth. They come because someone they trust felt calmer, slept better, or could think clearly again. I pair hands on care with one or two simple practices for home so the work holds in daily life. I stay within my scope, make referrals when needed, and follow up. Integrity matters. People know I will be respectful of their culture, their story, and their limits.

What sets me apart is the blend of presence and practicality. I know stress lives in bodies, families, teams, and systems, so I support the person in front of me and the context they live in. The aim is less strain on the system and more room for ease. Over time that builds trust. Trust builds reputation.

Any advice for managing a team?

Lead with humanity and clarity. In law enforcement I learned that people do better when they feel safe, informed, and respected. I carry that forward. Set clear roles and simple rhythms. Start meetings with a two minute check in. Ask, How are you feeling. What matters most today. End with, Who owns what by when. Keep the plan visible.

Model regulation. When leaders are grounded, people settle. I use brief regulation breaks during long days and after hard calls. A few slow breaths, a hand on the chest, and thirty seconds of quiet can reset a room.

Protect dignity. Listen to understand, not to reply. Address issues in private, praise in public, and make feedback specific and kind. When you do not know, say so. Follow up when you say you will.

Build agency and accountability together. Give people choices where you can, deadlines where you must, and support throughout. Celebrate small wins. Remove friction that drains energy. Rest is part of performance.

Care for the whole person. People have lives, families, and seasons. Make room for that reality and morale rises. The result is a team that feels seen, communicates clearly, and shows up for the work and for each other.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.thefunkytruthhealing.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_funky_truth/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenmbeckles/
• Other: email: [email protected]