Six Alternative Therapies and Healers in Hong Kong to Help You in the New Year

Six Alternative Therapies and Healers in Hong Kong to Help You in the New Year

With the start of a new year, why not make a promise to yourself to leave anger, stress, resentment and trauma in the past? Fortunately, there’s a range of treatments available in Hong Kong for those willing to act. We profile six extraordinary local healers and spotlight treatments to put you on the path towards spiritual and emotional wellbeing.

From eating right to regular exercise, getting enough nutrients, sunlight and sleep, the average individual today is aware of what’s needed to sustain their health. But what if we told you that wasn’t enough? It isn’t just flu or viruses that can make us sick, but our mind too. Repressed emotions, grudges, resentments and traumas can also make us physically unwell, leading to diseases or autoimmune issues and other conditions – no matter how far back in the past they may be.

The past decade has seen an extraordinary shift in steps toward people prioritising their mental health as well as a reduction in the stigma surrounding it. But for many, traditional therapy sometimes can’t get to the root of issues that are impacting us at a much deeper level. And often our busy modern lives have caused us to be out of tune with what our bodies are telling us and living in a constant state of stress. This is where spiritual and alternative therapies can come in. By combining ancient philosophy and wisdom, they work to get to the root of issues that often lead to us feeling stuck or blocked. 

Powerful modalities such as reiki, hypnotherapy, regression, energy and sound healing, and specialist meditation, are being embraced more and more. Not just by society but also by schools and corporations that are realising the potential to help free people from negative emotions, traumas or stresses that are holding them back. 

Fortunately, for those ready and willing to do the work, Hong Kong is home to a number of talented healers, some with decades of experience. Often their path towards alternative therapies has been shaped by personal struggle or adversity, and they’ve witnessed at first hand the transformative effects of such treatments.

But trying to navigate what’s available can sometimes feel confusing or overwhelming. To help, we’ve put together a practical guide spotlighting six healers and their powerful treatments, diving into the benefits and busting any myths surrounding them. From knowing what to expect from a session to following the correct aftercare, we’re here to guide you towards a happier, healthier 2025.

Table of Contents

SHAMANIC ENERGY HEALING

Judy Xu

Judy Xu

Judy Xu is a holistic transformational coach who combines a diverse range of modalities to help individuals achieve deep healing and alignment. From shamanic energy healing to past life regression and transformational breathwork, her practice integrates ancient wisdom with modern therapeutic techniques.

Xu’s journey into alternative healing began after receiving an MBA and pursuing a career in strategy and business, but she soon realised it wasn’t her path. While in Hong Kong she discovered the benefits of Chinese medicine and initially opened a Chinese medicine clinic with a TCM doctor. “Even though Chinese medicine heals at the root, there’s a deeper root at the heart level,” she says. 

Today she’s the owner of Balance Health Clinic in Central, a space where she guides individuals to find their path and purpose, heal past traumas and align with their higher selves. She also hosts retreats across Asia, bringing her practices to a global audience.

What are the benefits of shamanic energy healing, and who is it ideal for?

At its core, shamanic energy healing is about reclaiming lost power and reconnecting fragmented pieces of the soul. Whether these fragments are tied to events from this life or a past one, the process helps individuals become energetically whole. This work is particularly beneficial for those who feel blocked or stuck, even after trying traditional therapy or coaching. By integrating shamanic healing with hypno-regression, clients are empowered to actively participate in their healing journey, leading to profound and lasting transformation.

What can someone expect from a session?

I usually start with a numerology reading to gain insights into a client’s core life lessons and higher purpose. This allows me to take a big-picture approach, identifying sacred wounds and life lessons that need resolution. When we resolve these sacred wounds or childhood traumas at the soul level, we can evolve and grow. 

Do they need to prepare anything or aftercare?

Sessions often involve regression techniques and energy work, tailored to the individual’s unique journey. Afterward, I recommend clients take some time for reflection and self-care, as the process can be deeply transformative.

What do you love most about shamanic energy healing?

My clients are often ambitious people who feel held back by something they can’t quite identify. Many have tried traditional coaching or psychotherapy without success and are seeking a deeper, more holistic approach. Through our work, they can heal past wounds, reclaim their power and align with their purpose, unlocking their full potential.

What changes would you like to see in the health and wellness industry?

I’m encouraged by the growing openness toward spirituality and understanding of the mind-body connection. Mental health is becoming less taboo, and people are exploring trauma and emotional healing more deeply. I hope to see even greater acceptance of integrative and spiritual practices as tools for transformation so people can connect deeper with their power and understand their purpose.

TRAUMA RELEASE THERAPY

Lisa Glasgow 

Lisa Glasgow

Hailing from the UK, Lisa Glasgow has lived in Asia for more than 30 years and is qualified in trauma-release exercise (TRE), a de-stressing therapy through which she guides people to shake off deeply held stresses and traumas. Her path to TRE began while working for an advertising agency in Singapore, when the constant stress severely affected her mental health.

While taking time out in Thailand, she was introduced to TRE and immediately saw its potential. “I instantly knew this was what I’d been looking for,” she says. After a year of studying, she qualified as a TRE therapist in 2017 and has since treated patients suffering from complex PTSD, emotional repression, anxiety and depression. 

Today, she specialises in helping individuals reconnect with their bodies, release suppressed emotions, and rediscover a sense of safety and calm. She’s also the author of the book Why Being GOOD Is Bad For Us: The Science Behind How to Be Our Healthy Best Selves.

What are the benefits of TRE, and who is it ideal for?

TRE is perfect for anyone dealing with the stressors of modern life – be it work, relationships, or financial concerns. Our bodies often react to these pressures as if we’re in a survival situation, triggering fight-or-flight responses that can lead to long-term hormone imbalance. TRE activates neurogenic tremors – the natural shaking mechanism our bodies use to release tension – helping to reset the nervous system. It’s a powerful tool to let the body know it’s safe, enabling it to calm down and return to balance.

What can someone expect from a TRE session?

During a typical session, I guide clients through seven simple exercises designed to activate the body’s natural tremors. You’ll then lie on the floor with the soles of your feet together and your pelvis raised slightly. For the best results, I recommend starting with four sessions with a therapist, especially if there’s a specific trauma you want to address. While TRE can be practised independently, returning for guided group sessions provides additional support and connection. 

Do they need to prepare anything or follow aftercare?

Preparation is simple: wear comfortable clothing. Aftercare involves staying mindful of any fight-or-flight feelings that arise in daily life and acknowledging them. The body may crave more TRE as it begins to release suppressed emotions, which can temporarily feel intense. A follow-up session helps regulate these sensations, leaving you feeling lighter and more at peace.

What do you love most about TRE?

What I love most is its simplicity. TRE allows us to step away from the narratives of “he said, she said,” because, from the body’s perspective, it’s not important. It simply lets the body speak and shake off everything that’s not useful to it anymore. It’s amazing to witness clients’ transformations – seeing them walk out lighter and brighter after a session is incredibly rewarding.

What changes would you like to see in the health and wellness industry today?

The wellness industry is evolving in the right direction, with more corporations integrating wellness programmes. I’d like to see this expand further, with a greater understanding on how everyday pressures affect people. Wellness isn’t just a fun day out; it’s essential to our overall wellbeing.

Sound Bath

Melisa Fu O’Connor

Melisa Fu O’Connor

If you’ve been living in Hong Kong for the past few years, there’s a chance you may have heard of – or even been invited to – a gong bath. The form of sound healing is suddenly popping up around the city and even across Asia, where it’s been cemented as the next most in-vogue wellness treatment. Melisa Fu O’Connor, who’s a trained nutritionist and also has a master’s degree in genomics, conducts regular sound-healing sessions from her studio in Central. 

She first discovered the power of sound while seeking a more holistic approach to support her clients and witnessed its power first hand after suffering with postpartum depression. She now incorporates sound healing into her nutritional therapy, “allowing clients to relieve stress while enhancing their physical health,” she says. The most satisfying thing about what she does is witnessing the relaxed state of everyone afterwards. “Everyone seems
to want to linger, cherishing that mellow, content feeling – it’s truly a treat!”

What are the benefits of sound healing and who is it ideal for?

This treatment is perfect for stressed urban individuals. We all need moments of respite to recuperate and heal. If work, family or relationships are causing stress, a gong bath offers a delightful escape for your mind.

What can patients expect from a session? Do they need to prepare anything or follow aftercare?

Participants can expect an extraordinary journey into profound relaxation and clarity during and after a session, when the soothing vibrations of the gong envelop them, transporting them to a state of blissful tranquillity. As this is a detoxifying experience, it’s essential to replenish fluids afterward to support the body’s detox process. The vibrations resonate within every cell, and their effects may linger for a few days, so simply becoming aware of these sensations is encouraged.

What do you love most about sound healing?

Its effortless nature. Participants can simply lie down and then wake up feeling rejuvenated.

What changes would you like to see in the health and wellness industry today?

I aspire to see increased self-awareness, self-care and self-love within the health and wellness industry. We often impose harsh standards on ourselves, forgetting that life is about the journey, not just the destination. Embracing the journey and remaining open to whatever comes next is vital.

PERSONALISED MEDITATION

Dino Hira 

Dino Hira

Dino Hira is a specialist in holistic therapies designed to support mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing. He currently practises at the Choy Sum Health Clinic in Central, where he offers an approach to wellness that blends science and spirituality, including personalised meditation, past life regression, Vedic astrology consultations, reiki and hypnotherapy. 

His path into the industry began in 2014, when, after 20 years working as a mining engineer in Australia, he was diagnosed with severe clinical depression and had even contemplated suicide. This led him to take a sabbatical year, when he discovered the transformative power of ancient practices. He became immersed in monasteries, temples and ashrams where he mastered 112 meditation techniques and became proficient in Vedic astrology and energy-healing modalities. 

In 2015, he began sharing his knowledge with others and started running sessions in maximum-security prisons and rehabilitation centres. Witnessing the positive impact of meditation on those in some of the most difficult circumstances inspired him to share its benefits with as many people as possible. “Guiding clients feels like my soul’s purpose,” he says. “Helping people find clarity and peace is what I was born to do.”

What are the benefits of personalised meditation, and who is this ideal for?

Just as we brush our teeth daily to clean them, meditation is essential to clean the mind. Personalised meditation combines ancient yogic practices with modern insights, helping clients manage stress, improve mental health, and achieve self-awareness and self-realisation.

What can someone expect from a session? Do they need to prepare anything or follow aftercare?

Before starting personalised meditation, I assess four key areas: the client’s Vedic birth chart, current life situations, lifestyle habits and dominant elemental energy (earth, fire, air or water). This allows me to create a meditation plan tailored to their unique needs.

Sessions typically span eight or more meetings. During this time, I guide clients through techniques such as pranayama (breathwork), movement therapy, dharana (concentration techniques), mantra chanting and dhyana (a state of being in meditation). My goal is to make meditation an integral part of their lifestyle, so it becomes a lasting daily habit.

What do you love most about personalised meditation?

The significant impact I see right from the very first session. It shows in their glowing smile and aura, their very energy has positively been shifted and uplifted as they’ve reached a state of meditation, a flow state
of “no mind”.

What changes would you like to see in the health and wellness industry today? 

I believe in “being the change you wish to see in this world” through action. I believe meditation should be accessible to all. It’s something I wish I’d encountered in school, which is why I’ve started meditation programmes for high-school students to manage their stress around exams, as well as offering free full-moon meditation sessions since January 2024. Watching the participation grow from five to 135 people in less than a year has been inspiring.

Chakra Balancing Meditation

Dr Tania Bardhan

Dr Tania Bardhan

Award-winning luxury spa manager Dr Tania Bardhan has an impressive CV. With two decades of experience managing spas for some of the world’s top hotels, she’s currently Four Seasons’ senior regional director of spas. Her entry into the wellness sector began at university in India, where she majored in homoeopathy and surgery. After joining the workforce, she kept up her own learning in healing modalities such as Reiki, yoga, meditation and acupuncture, of which she’s a qualified practitioner.

Alongside traditional spa treatments at the Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong, a range of alternative therapies is also available. One such treatment is chakra balancing meditation, in which Bardhan has been practising and leading sessions since she was introduced to it 20 years ago. She relishes seeing the impact she has on people’s well-being. “Leading meditation sessions is how I keep the healer in me alive,” she says.

What are the benefits of chakra balancing meditation and who is this ideal for?

Everyone can benefit from this meditation. Benefits include an increased sense of balance, calm and feeling grounded even from the first session. With continued practice, it leads to an increased sense of overall wellbeing, increased focus and better decision-making, and it helps to manage anxiety – to name a few.

What can someone expect from a session? Do they need to prepare anything or follow aftercare?

While I handhold and lead the session, it requires some focus and participation from the person taking it as well. It’s not a simple “lying down” technique, though deep relaxation is one of the benefits from this meditation. For the first few times, I suggest guests don’t rush into sessions and they allow some time for rest afterwards. Once they’ve done the meditation a few times, then they’re easily able to fit it in at the end of a busy workday or at lunchtime.

What do you love most about chakra balancing meditation?

I love that when I’m designing my sessions, I’m able to combine several beautiful techniques of meditation, like breath work, sound healing, mantras and guided visualisation. This allows many first-time guests to experience all these beautiful techniques and sometimes choose one to pursue further. At the same time, the techniques I bring together make it possible for me to design sessions for those that are interested in pursuing this form over a period of time and/or learn how to practise it on their own.

What changes would you like to see in the health and wellness industry today?

It’s been rewarding seeing how much more aware people are of their wellness needs since the pandemic. I certainly see opportunity in a better integration of wellness into mainstream healthcare.

HYPNOTHERAPY

Sonia Samtani

Sonia Samtani

With decades of experience and a deeply personal understanding of healing in her work, Sonia Samtani is one of the city’s most highly regarded and sought-after hypnotherapists. Her path to a career in healing began in childhood, when she struggled with self-confidence, often adopting a coping mechanism of making herself invisible to navigate her insecurities. She began reading self-help books, which then evolved as she studied communication and enrolled
in various courses. 

A pivotal moment came when she worked with the American author and coach Tony Robbins, with whom she first encountered the connection between belief systems and behaviour. “I realised that simply changing behaviour wasn’t enough. Behaviours are a reflection of our underlying beliefs, and to create lasting change you have to go deeper,” she says.

In 2004, she discovered hypnotherapy – a practice that allows her to tap into the subconscious mind and reprogram limiting beliefs from their root. “It was like a laser-focused shift,” she recalls. 

She qualified at a time when hypnotherapy wasn’t mainstream and soon became one of the first to teach hypnotherapy in Hong Kong; her practice, the All About You Centre in Sheung Wan, remains the only English-language hypnotherapy training centre in the city. Today, she works with clients to help them break free from destructive patterns, overcome emotional challenges, and achieve transformative growth.

What are the benefits of hypnotherapy, and who is this ideal for?

People typically come to hypnotherapy to address emotional issues, such as fears, phobias or persistent patterns, like attracting the same kind of toxic relationships or workplace dynamics. This therapy is ideal for those ready to take responsibility for their healing and address the root causes of their struggles. However, it’s not effective for individuals who are in victim mode and expect to be “fixed” without doing the work themselves.

What can someone expect from a session?

Before the first session, we ask clients to fill out an in-depth form with information covering major events that have influenced them and to rate the different areas of their life so we can understand why they’re here and discover the experience that’s led to a belief system that’s causing negative behaviours. The main thing we want to find out is what their objective is and how they expect their life to change after the session, which is usually some sort of behaviour change.

Do they need to follow any aftercare?

Hypnotherapy combines intervention with repetition. After the session, clients should practice repeating affirmations or visualisations for up to 90 days to reinforce the new belief.

What changes would you like to see in the health and wellness industry today?

I’ve seen progress – people are becoming more open to hypnotherapy and mental-health work. But I’d love for more people to understand that mental health is a lifelong journey, similar to physical health. True transformation isn’t about a one-time fix; it’s about ongoing self-reflection and healing throughout life.

(Hero Image: a hypnotherapy session with Sonia Samtani)

This article was first publish on Prestige Hong Kong

The information in this article is accurate as of the date of publication.


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