About the Family Wellness Program
The Family Wellness Program offers free mind-body therapies to inpatient patients and their families such as Reiki, massage, therapy, and acupuncture. Our holistic care helps with stress reduction, muscular tension, pain, and caregiver strain that accompanies caring for a hospitalized patient.
For patients, these integrative therapies can complement medical care by addressing symptoms such as nausea, poor sleep, pain, and anxiety.
We provide many complementary services on a weekly and daily basis. Our mission is to promote a sense of well-being for our patients and families.
For a schedule of our services and to arrange for an appointment, call 617-919-4319.
Services offered
Reiki: Reiki is a Japanese healing technique used for helping the mind and body enter a state of greater relaxation and peacefulness. During this treatment, the Reiki practitioner places his or her hands on or over your body to enhance the flow of energy in the body that is associated with better health.
When patients receive Reiki, it helps them to relax which often decreases their pain or nausea. We offer private one-on-one Reiki sessions for patients in their rooms and for inpatient parents and caregivers in the Hale Family Center for Families.
Massage therapy: We offer massage to patients as well as inpatient parents and caregivers. For patients, massage is very helpful for pain and muscle tension and overall relaxation. Patients can receive massage in their rooms with the approval of their doctor.
For inpatient parent and caregiver appointments, the massage therapist focuses on massaging common places where you usually hold stress, like the back, neck, arms, and shoulders. You keep your clothes on for this massage and are seated in a massage chair. Sessions are held in the Hale Family Center for Families and are by appointment only.
Gentle yoga: Yoga has been shown to have benefits for a number of health conditions. People who practice yoga report improvements in low back pain, balance, and sleep, as well as stress and anxiety. Our certified yoga instructors adapt sessions to be appropriate for all fitness and developmental levels, and they can be adapted to accommodate medical conditions. Yoga is available for patients and caregivers in person by appointment or on Zoom.
Acupuncture: Our acupuncture services are given by Boston Children’s Hospital physicians who have specialty training in acupuncture. Based on traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture is the insertion of tiny, hair-thin needles at certain points on the body to treat many illnesses. During an acupuncture treatment, the physician tries to improve the flow of energy along the energy pathways of the body helping to heal and improve symptoms. Acupuncture is available to patients only.
Guided imagery: With guided imagery, a person is assisted in reaching a state of relaxation. Guidance may be a journey to an imagined place that has a positive meaning or prompts to relax different muscles and areas of the body. Guided imagery may help someone to bring their focus to the present moment and to their breathing, which serves to reduce stress and anxiety.
Meet our team
Victoria Klumpp RN, BSN, IBCLC: Clinical Coordinator
Reiki Master, Brennan Healing Science Practitioner
Victoria is a registered nurse trained in integrative therapies, including energy healing and clinical aromatherapy. She has been practicing energy healing and Reiki for more than 20 years in the clinical setting, as well as in the community.
Our other team members:
- Emily Jean Davidson, MD, MPH, RYT: Reiki practitioner, yoga instructor
- Yuan-Chi Lin, MD, MPH: medical acupuncture
- Cynthia Tung, MD, MPH: medical acupuncture
- Annie Banks, MSW, LICSW: Reiki II practitioner
- Erin Quinlan, RN, BSN, PMH-BC: Reiki II practitioner
- Jennifer Schlebusch: Reiki II practitioner
- Susan J. Janeczek, LMT, MMP: medical massage practitioner
- Sandra Napoli, LMT: massage therapy
- Maryann Lane-Lyons, LMT: massage therapy
- Lauren Milo, MA: Reiki II practitioner
- Alyssa Kazin, MSW: Reiki II practitioner
- Sara Diaz: Reiki master
- Larraine Bossi RN, MS, NC-BC: Reiki master teacher, nurse coach
- Dianne Cella, RN, MSN, RYT: Reiki master, yoga instructor
Contact info
Wellness Services for parents and caregivers: 617-355-6279
We are happy to schedule your appointments for massage and Reiki. Please stop by the front desk of the Hale Family Center for Families in the main lobby of Boston Children’s Hospital (300 Longwood Avenue, Boston) or call us at 617-355-6279. All wellness activities are free of charge and funded by charitable dollars.
Wellness Services for patients: 617-919-4319
Reiki, massage, guided meditation, yoga, and acupuncture are available for patients in their room. To arrange for services, call the clinical coordinator of the Family Wellness Program, Victoria Klumpp, RN, at 617-919-4319 or email FamilyWellness@childrens.harvard.edu.