HAUSWITCH HEALER SPOTLIGHT: KATE

Hi witches! The next INSPIRING healer working in the HausWitch Healing Space is Kate Laurel Abarbanel. She's a Reiki Master, tarot reader, and herbalist. You can visit her at the space on Front Street right around the corner from the shop on Saturdays and Sundays! Learn all about her practice:

Tell us about your healing practice and your healing focus.

I run Laurel Tree Healing Arts. I offer transformative practices for ease in the modalities of Reiki, Intuitive Tarot and Magical Herbalism. During sessions, I focus on unraveling energetic blockages that bring unnecessary struggle and dis-ease. I aim to support my clients' overall physical, emotional and spiritual well-being. Magical healing is a part of radical self care and struggling against the cis-heteropatriarchy is exhausting and depleting. Existing and resisting in this culture requires energetic self-care. Healing does not exist in the vacuum of the treatment room — it extends out into our world at large.

What led you to healing and herbalism?

Like most healers, my entire life tempered me for the healing arts. I attribute the pain, trauma and chaos of my early life as the greatest source of my gifts. I identify with the archetype of 'wounded healer,' and I have been actively working most of my life to alchemize pain into healing medicine. As far as the specific tools of my practice, I began all of them in the magical city of New Orleans. I had my first tarot reading at 2am with a lone reader in Jackson Square and I fell in love with an herbalist in New Orleans who led me down the green path. My first Reiki attunement was performed in Audubon park next to a live oak tree. I thank that glorious, tempestuous city for her magickal gifts.

What is your favorite kind of session?

I love combining my services for clients. It's fun to give a tarot reading and intuitively select crystal and flower essences throughout the session. Tarot is a wonderful tool for opening up the psychic channels in order to set the stage for a Reiki session. I offer a 90 minute Intuitive Tarot and Reiki session that feels very comprehensive and transformative.

What's your favorite herbal or crystal ally?

Oh wow! How to chose? I have a special connection with yarrow as a supreme psychic protector and healing guide. I work with yarrow a lot in the spirit realm when I perform Reiki on my clients. Lepidolite and Smoky Quartz are two stones I use most in my practice. I call lepidolite the "everything is going to be ok" stone as it brings stabilizing calm. Smoky Quartz is grounding and clarifying. Both are so supportive for both myself and my clients

Don't these smoky quartz points look delicious?!

Is there a way to work with you if I live far away from Salem?

Yes! I absolutely love offering distance Reiki. I can use the spiritual technology of Reiki to connect with my clients remotely on the energetic plane. Consider it like a psychic bluetooth! I have received overwhelmingly positive feedback about my distance healing and I really enjoy doing it. I also offer phone and video chat Tarot readings as well. I am looking forward to offering online workshops in the future so stay tuned!

How can I keep in touch with you?

Follow me on Instagram at @laureltreehealingarts! I post often and it's a great way to keep in touch with me. Check out my new website laureltreehealingarts.com or, feel free to email me directly at laureltreehealingarts@gmail.com.