Reiki Unified—How we got here
Rita Glassman unknowingly planted the seeds for Reiki Unified in 2017 when she stepped forward to oppose a legislative attempt (S2621, An Act to Regulate Bodywork Therapy) to license Reiki in Massachusetts because the bill called for the MA Board of Professional Licensure to create standards for the practice and teaching of Reiki. The bill resurfaced again in 2019 (S168, An Act Regulating Bodywork) when Rita spearheaded the effort to defeat it and created the MA Coalition of Holistic Practitioners unifying the targeted modalities to create a powerful voice. S168 called for the establishment of standards for Reiki that reflected national standards. Since Reiki did not have these, Rita was asked numerous times to develop them by the general counsel from the senator’s office who filed the bill. She felt it was impossible to do this and honor all Reiki lineages. She also believed that the state did not have the right to establish standards for the practice and teaching of Reiki.
Meanwhile, in 2018, Susan Mitchell attended the founding meeting of the future National Alliance of Energy Practitioners (NAOEP) and National Certification Center of Energy Practitioners (NCCOEP) and helped create codes of ethics for practitioners and teachers. She realized within a few months that she was not aligned with the organization’s goals and resigned.
Susan is committed to preserving the breadth of Reiki practice as self-care, spiritual practice, folk art and a support for all aspects of healing.
Rita and Susan met through Johannes Reindl when Rita contacted him regarding the NAOEP and NCCOEP announcement that they were initiating a 2021 eight-state legislative rollout to certify and license many complementary modalities, including Reiki. Two months later, the Attorney General of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts introduced another licensing effort, An Act Regulating Alternative Healing Therapies that she filed in both the house and senate to ensure its passage.
In March of 2021, Christopher Tellez contacted Susan because he heard about proposed Reiki legislation that would be detrimental to the autonomy of Reiki Teachers and professional practitioners. He wanted to use his social work background in community organizing in helping Reiki Unified defeat any kind of licensing or certification imposed by legislation. Susan and Rita welcomed Christopher! Together, they are spearheading Reiki Unified.
Helene Williams first met Susan Mitchell when Helene and a colleague were seeking to create a national Reiki in healthcare certification. It was during those discussions that Helene first learned about potential legislation to license Reiki. Having a deep respect for everyone’s right to practice as they choose, Helene signed on with Rita, Susan, and Christopher in 2021.
Rita Glassman
Rita Glassman has more than 20 years experience in the field of energy healing. She is a Reiki Master/Teacher and holds five Master certifications, three teaching certifications and is certified in Medical Reiki.
Rita was Co-Founder of the National Youth Sports Safety Foundation, Inc., a national nonprofit dedicated to the prevention of athletic injuries in youth. Rita worked with the United States Olympic Committee and the American Red Cross to develop a national sports-safety training program. In addition, she created a national health event, National Youth Sports Safety Month, which was supported by more than 60 national sports and sports medicine organizations. She is a past member of the Joint Commission on Sports Medicine and Science. Rita served on the board from 2017 to 2025. She now sits on the Board of Advisors.
Susan Mitchell
Susan Mitchell learned Reiki from Hawayo Takata, who brought Reiki to the West from Japan. Susan dove into Reiki practice after her first class session in 1978, putting her hands on everyone who would let her.
She was the first director of The Reiki Alliance from 1988-1998 and an editor of the Dutch Reiki Magazine International. She helped curate the Hawayo Takata archives now housed at University of California, Santa Barbara. In 2019 Susan had the honor of editing In Her Own Voice, A Tribute to Phyllis Lei Furumoto, 1948-2019. She’s currently part of a team reprinting Reiki: The Grey Book, and she is editing Hawayo Takata’s recorded memoir, Reiki is God Power. Susan served on the board from 2017 to 2024 and now sits on the Board of Advisors.
Ifetayo White
Originally from Washington DC, lives in and serves from her healing/retreat home, Neesa's Home on St. Helena Island, South Carolina. She is the founder and Director of The Lowcountry School of Reiki and CHOICES Birthing and Wellness Support. Ifetayo moved to the Lowcountry, South Carolina in 2000 when she was at that time the first Reiki teacher in the area.
Ifetayo graduated from Howard University in 1967, and after working as a Russian translator, and for a non-partisan office in the U.S. House of Representatives, her heart compelled her to offer touch healing. Subsequently she became certified in reflexology, Jin Shin Do Acupressure and eventually massage therapy, all the while continuing to study meditation practices, intuitive development, metaphysics, world religions, and traditional spiritual and shamanic practices.
In 1995 Ifetayo became attuned Reiki I and II; and was initiated as a Usui Reiki Master Teacher in 1999. In February 2020 she was attuned Shinpiden Reiki III by Frans Steine of the International House of Reiki. Ifetayo has continued to share sessions in-person and remotely, and teach and nurture students since her first attunements 30 years ago. She also facilitates Reiki in-person and virtual workshops and healing retreats. The Reiki III BE Community is her newest offering and is available as a monthly virtual gathering of her Reiki III teachers and those teachers attuned by them. Ifetayo is in the process of having a book published, Reiki Souls, Reiki Hearts….Many Stories, One Bright Light which is a volume of 22 Reiki origin stories from the diverse community of Reiki Master Teachers. In 2024 she created the IYABO Reiki I certification program for birthworkers.
In addition, Ifetayo had worked for a decade in various client support positions in mental health service organizations and served as a certified birth and postpartum doula from 2007 until 2020. Since leaving active doula service she has been mentoring doulas and has created a Reiki training program for birth, postpartum and end-of-life doulas, and mothers.
In 2019/2020 Ifetayo was invited by the Center for Disease Control to facilitate trainings on reducing stress and secondary trauma for medical professionals who were responsible for investigating and making recommendations relative to maternal mortality. She was also asked to share Reiki with some of those in attendance.
Ifetayo loves spending as much time as she can with her two awesome adult daughters, son-in-law, and two teenage grandchildren, walking on the beach, and playing with friends. Ifetayo joined Reiki Unified Board to Directors in 2024.
Christopher Tellez
Christopher Tellez is the owner of SF REIKI CENTER. He is a Reiki Master and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. He started practicing Reiki in 2010. Christopher became a Reiki Master Teacher in 2016. He is a traditional Reiki Master following the standards of Hawayo Takata and the discipline of Usui Shiki Ryoho. Christopher has worked in the social work profession for over two decades and holds a master’s degree from Columbia University School of Social Work.
Christopher is on the board of Reiki Centers of America a not-for-profit, committed to training and empowering Reiki Practitioners and Reiki Masters to develop successful Reiki Centers and thriving Reiki communities in North America. He serves on the board of Northwest Reiki Gathering, a not-for-profit which hosts an annual Reiki gathering begun in 1985, and is also a member of the Reiki Alliance, an international community of Reiki Masters dedicated to the practice of Usui Shiki Ryoho, the Usui System of Natural Healing. Christopher joined the Board of Directors in 2022.
Helene Williams
Helene is a registered nurse and has been practicing Reiki since 2007. She practices Reiki in the traditional style of Usui Reiki Ryoho. She has over ten years of experience providing Reiki sessions in hospital, hospice, and VA settings. She is the owner of Helene Williams Reiki, LLC, where she offers sessions and teaches classes, some of which are designed specifically for health care providers.
She is a published author and has presented information on Reiki and holistic health care at national nursing conferences, participated in hospital-based Reiki research study, implemented, and facilitated a hospital Reiki Volunteer Program, and in 2013 established the Lancaster Community Reiki Clinic. Her passion is to provide educational opportunities to health care organizations about the many benefits of Reiki for patients, families, and staff. Helene served on the board from 2020 to 2023 and now sits on the Board of Advisors.