Episode -#230 with Amanda Schwartz, founder of ReWild with Amanda How Horses Reveal The Root Of Healing

A lot of people come to Reiki looking for the “right” way to do it, and end up stuck in a checklist. We sit down with Amanda Schwartz, founder of ReWild with Amanda, to talk about what happens when you stop performing Reiki and start listening to it. Amanda shares how Reiki found her through a friend, then came roaring back during a major life transition, and why the biggest shift is learning to trust your inner guidance. Amanda’s story is especially compelling because she’s not coming at energy work from a purely spiritual bubble. Her background spans the medical field, Army Reserve preventive medicine, and time as an EMT, which gives her a grounded view of crisis, trauma, and what “support” really looks like when life hits hard. We explore the difference between treating symptoms and addressing root causes, how she thinks about integrity and ethics in the Reiki space, and why authenticity matters more than playing a healer role. We also go deep into animal Reiki and animal communication, with horses as the ultimate truth tellers. You’ll hear why “the animal is the boss,” what distance sessions can look like, and how the horse and rider connection can mirror your nervous system and your boundaries. Amanda also shares Boots Off Healing, her work offering free energy support for military veterans and first responders, plus a couple of book recommendations to strengthen intuitive skills. m the founder of Rewild With Amanda, based in Rineyville, Kentucky . My path here wasn't a straight line. I spent years in the medical field across a few different departments, did preventive medicine in the Army Reserve, and then worked as an EMT for about three years. I was trained to look at the body from every angle you can imagine — but somewhere in all of that, I kept running into the same thing: the medicine could treat what was in front of it, but it couldn't always get to the root of it. Horses are what finally showed me that root. I've been around them for over 30 years, and somewhere along the way I realized they'd been teaching me energy work long before I had a name for it. Horses don't lie to you. They're the biggest mirror you'll ever face, and they taught me how to actually listen — not just to words, but to what's underneath them. I work with two collectives. My W omen's Collective is for women who've spent years proving themselves in spaces that were never built for their softness — stuck in survival mode, forgetting they're allowed to flow instead of fight. My Animal Collective is for owners who know something's going on with their animal that no vet or trainer has been able to name, because it's not a training issue, it's an energy one. I lean into a combination of Reiki, Shamanic healing, medical intuition, sound work, and animal communication — whatever the moment is asking for . I'm not big on daily rituals or checklists. Healing isn't a formula. It's intuitive, it's messy sometimes, and it looks different for every person and animal I sit with. I also founded Boots Off Healing, free energy work for military , veterans, and first responders. That one's close to my heart — If this conversation helps you rethink how you practice, receive, or even explain Reiki, subscribe, share the episode with a friend, and leave a review so more listeners can find it. What part of your healing have you been trying to “checklist” instead of actually listening to? Support the show Ready Set Reiki is a journey  From the curious beginner to the Season Master Teacher www.readysetreiki.com Send in your questions [email protected] Thank you.