In a time when many seek healing beyond the conventional, Kerri J. Husman offers a grounded, time-honored path to personal transformation through core shamanic practices. As a gold-level practitioner with the Foundation for Shamanic Studies, Kerri blends ancient spiritual technologies with deep compassion, providing services such as soul retrieval, power animal retrieval, psychopomp, and Harner Shamanic Counseling. Her work empowers individuals to rediscover their innate spiritual guidance and reclaim lost parts of themselves. Grounded in the teachings of helping spirits and enriched by transpersonal psychology research, Kerri’s offerings promote lasting inner connection, emotional clarity, and spiritual renewal. Whether guiding clients through a soul journey or teaching them how to navigate the spiritual realms on their own, Kerri serves as a bridge between worlds—helping others access the wisdom that has always been within. Join Mystic Mag and read more.
You work across such a rich spectrum of healing practices—from core shamanism to biomagnetic therapy. What first drew you to the spiritual healing path, and how has your journey evolved over time?
I could go back to the very beginning, but in a nutshell: at about age eight, I began to learn about my cultural heritage. Until then, I had believed that we were all of Germanic heritage. And then I learned about the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, and specifically about my very great grandmother from the Mohawk tribe. That was something new, and I was excited.
We lived in the country, and we weren’t very wealthy, and going into town was a big deal. The nearest town was ten miles away, and every two weeks on a Saturday, we would go to the library to get new books. It was during those trips that I started reading about the Indigenous tribes of the northeastern United States, wanting to learn more about what they did.
It was around this time I also was first exposed to shamanism. I asked my mom, “Could I do that?” Immediately, she said, “No, Kerri, you can’t do that. You don’t belong to a tribe.” And that was the end of it — or so I thought.
In my young mind, though, I found a way to pivot. I thought, well, maybe I can be a youth minister, because I enjoyed Sunday school. I never thought of myself as someone who could teach, but I figured if there were stories I could share, maybe that could help other children feel connected to their spiritual side.
And mind you, I was only in third grade. That idea fizzled pretty quickly. It wasn’t until seventh grade that I knew I wanted to be a psychiatrist and work with brains. So things shifted. But that early draw — that yearning for something deeper — never really went away. I just thought there was no way it could ever happen.
Fast forward: I became a psychiatrist. I wore my “medical hat” proudly, and ethically, and assumed there was no space to revisit those early feelings of connection and purpose.
Later, after facing some of my own personal health issues, I began learning about functional medicine and eventually became certified in it. Through this, I was exposed to energy medicine. Interestingly, during every functional medicine training — these were big, 3-5 day intensives — there was always some type of energy practice included. Sometimes it was a movement practice like Tai Chi or Qigong; other times it was a meditation or breathwork. Occasionally, there were exercises where we would assess each other’s energy fields.
At first, I was a bit confused — I thought we were here to learn about curcumin, herbs, and devices! Functional medicine these days is so device-heavy. But quietly and consistently, there was also this emphasis on connecting to the energy field of the patient as a healing modality. It wasn’t something that would show up on the final exam, but it was “sprinkled in” enough to give me permission to pursue it further.
While treating my own health issues with the functional medicine tools I had learned, life threw more challenges at me. My father-in-law developed glioblastoma (brain cancer), and my stepmother had a recurrence of her endometrial cancer, which had metastasized to her spine. Both were struggling in their own ways and both cancers were terminal.
Functional medicine helped slow the progression and ease some symptoms, but I knew there would come a time soon when it could no longer offer much. I realized I needed more tools.
Around this same time, I had a recurrence of Epstein-Barr virus. A colleague, a functional medicine-trained anesthesiologist, suggested I see two mentors of hers. Both are now deceased, but they changed my life.
One of them did an energy healing session with me — over the phone. I had been struggling to breathe for three weeks, barely functioning. During the call, she had me touch different Marma points on my body and instructed me to tell her when the energy shifted. I thought, How am I supposed to know? But sure enough, I could feel it. The energy shifted.
Following her instructions step-by-step, something remarkable happened: my breathing dramatically improved within minutes. I was shocked. She said, “Come in tomorrow so we can double-check.”
I was skeptical, sure that by morning I wouldn’t be able to breathe again. But I woke up feeling better than I had in weeks. And the breathing issues never returned.
When I saw her and her colleague the next day for an in-person healing session, I knew: I need to learn this. I was in awe at how effective it was.
That experience launched me into a fast-track journey of learning Healing Touch. After just Level 1, I was immediately able to use it with my family members, some colleagues, and some clients — especially those facing severe cancer diagnoses — who sought out sessions specifically for healing purposes.
And then the next light bulb went off: I really can learn shamanism.
I had known about the Foundation for Shamanic Studies for years but had been nervous to commit. In 2018, I found a class about five hours away in St. Louis and finally enrolled. I haven’t looked back since.
I was — and continue to be — amazed at how effective these tools are. Healing Touch and shamanism are very different practices: Healing Touch works directly with the energy field, while shamanism works with power from compassionate helping spirits, described by some as energy combined with intelligence and intention. It feels different to work with, but both have been profoundly healing.
These tools have not only helped my family and clients experience remarkable healings, but they also brought something even more priceless: the ease with which my loved ones transitioned from this life to the next. Emotional and spiritual wounds were healed beforehand, making their passing more peaceful.
I had told both my father-in-law and my stepmother, “You can’t die before the end of March 2019, because I need to learn how to help your transition be easier.” They both died in April 2019 — in different states — but in beautiful alignment with that timeframe, and with immeasurable support for their surrounding families as well.
Because of the shamanic training I received, including learning to assist with the dying process, I was able to be fully present with them, explaining and helping in ways I couldn’t have imagined before.
As a Gold Level Core Shamanic Practitioner, you’ve trained deeply in traditional methods—how do you ensure respect for those cultural roots while adapting practices for modern, Western clients?
This is a fantastic question, and I’m so glad you’re asking it. One of the beautiful things about the Foundation for Shamanic Studies is how deeply they have committed to ethical practices, ensuring that we are not engaging in cultural appropriation. This is a critical component, emphasized from the very first class students take.
Now that I’m a guest faculty member teaching students myself, I see firsthand how we help people understand that core shamanism, by definition, refers to the near-universal, universal, and common methods utilized by shamanic practitioners throughout space—meaning across all inhabited continents—and throughout time, going back eons. We don’t know exactly how far back—80,000 years, 100,000 years—but some of these practices are even depicted in ancient cave drawings.
The important thing to understand is that when you dial it back this far, it means almost all of us have ancestors who used these exact core methods. There may have been specific tribal or cultural elements unique to a particular group, region, or trib, and those aspects are respected and not used by us without permission.
There are a very few techniques that are unique and for which we have explicit consent from the originating tribe to teach through the Foundation for Shamanic Studies. When these techniques are used, we explain clearly to students: We are using this technique from this tribe; we have consent to teach it; and we honor and deeply respect this tribe for allowing us to share it.
This commitment to non-appropriation extends into all aspects of practice. For example, when you create a drum, regalia, or decorate a rattle, you are encouraged to receive guidance from your helping spirits on how exactly you should approach the decoration and creation. This ensures you are not copying from others or unintentionally appropriating cultural elements.
Overall, this approach has been profoundly positive and helps uphold the integrity of the work we do.
What type of services do you offer?
At Mammoth Hills Coaching and Wellness, we offer coaching services that incorporate energy psychology. Coaching is very different from psychotherapy because we focus on setting goals and working toward achieving them. During the process, there may be target beliefs—whether conscious or unconscious—that need to be cleared, healed, reframed, and replaced. Wethen work to bring the client’s goals into full resonance so they feel completely aligned with and comfortable with maintaining the achievement of those goals. Once the goals are reached, clients can move forward confidently.
Coaching is typically short-term; a handful of sessions usually addresses the core issues a client wants to work on. I offer these services in small packages, allowing people to focus on and achieve their specific goals.
In addition to coaching, I offer Healing Touch as an energy modality, often combining it with other energy tools. I am trained and certified in Healing Touch for humans (typically a 2-3 year process) and up through Level 3 in Healing Touch for Animals.
However, I am highly allergic to dogs, which can be challenging. As a result, most of my Healing Touch for Animals sessions are conducted remotely or outdoors. Interestingly, Healing Touch for Animals techniques also work effectively on humans, so I frequently apply them in human sessions as well. The reverse, however, is not true—Healing Touch for humans does not translate as effectively to animals. This allows me to offer a wider range of tools for human clients.
Sometimes, during a Healing Touch session, we integrate Biomagnetic Pairs Therapy, which is incredibly powerful. Other times, we incorporate Sound Healing to enhance the experience. This technique of “stacking functions” can create profound results. For example, when adding sound healing to address the fifth layer of the energy field, people often experience significant clearing—sometimes the scent of medicine or diesel fumes will be present, representative of stagnant energies. Clients frequently report powerful sensations and releases during these sessions. Because of the intensity, it’s important for clients to engage in proper self care and get plenty of rest afterward.
Lastly, I also offer Core Shamanism healing sessions, which use a variety of shamanic techniques. Additionally, I provide Harner Shamanic Counseling, a specialized series of sessions designed to teach journeying skills. In this process, clients narrate their journeys, allowing them to record and review their experiences later. This builds strong discernment and skill in shamanic journeying, making it a truly beautiful and empowering offering.
You integrate biomagnetic pairs therapy, which is rooted in balancing the body’s pH levels. How do you blend scientific approaches like this with spiritually-guided healing methods?
When someone comes in with chronic or acute pain—or even if they arrive with an unexpected migraine after scheduling their session weeks ago—the wonderful thing about a healing session is that they don’t have to do anything. They simply lie on the massage table, with the heater on or off according to their comfort and relax while we work.
During the session, we can use magnets to help restore the pH balance in specific areas. For example, if someone has a bad hip or their SI joint is acting up, we can easily use biomagnetic pairs to address those issues.
If a client is post-chemotherapy or post-radiation and needs support for lymphatic drainage and their excretory system, we may place biomagnetic pairs over areas such as the kidneys, or on specific meridian points like the spleen meridian, to encourage energetic flow while also performing lymphatic drainage techniques through the Healing Touch protocol.
We can also combine approaches. If someone simply comes in feeling highly stressed, there are specific points where we can place magnets. Some of these points follow the meridians, while others align with the chakras. It’s a fascinating blend of systems.
Dr. Isaac Goiz Durán’s work with Biomagnetic Pairs Therapy is truly phenomenal. Although he passed away a few years ago, his legacy continues. Dr. Goiz was a Mexican physician, but today, practitioners of biomagnetic pairs therapy come from a wide variety of backgrounds—engineers, health coaches, and everything in between—not just medical doctors.
One of the wonderful aspects of this modality is its versatility. For example, if someone is coming in for an ancestral trauma release session, working on healing generational wounds in their lineage, but happens to have a migraine that day, we can still apply biomagnetic pairs during that session. It’s a supportive tool we can integrate seamlessly to enhance overall health and wellness.
Healing Touch for Animals is a beautiful offering. How do animals typically respond to energy healing, and what’s been one of your most memorable experiences in this realm?
My animals actually come up to me and stand in a certain way, or if I’m walking, they will stop in front of me — that’s their signal that they need some work. Oftentimes, it’s something really simple, just to support the flow between the chakras or to restore the Hara line. Sometimes it’s just doing a little field repatterning over the hips.
I have two large dogs — livestock guardian dogs — who are 12 years old, so they’re getting close to the end of their lives. They get a little achy, and one of them recently had major surgery due to a joint issue. We have specific tools that we can offer to help ease that discomfort. Usually, after just a couple of minutes of energy work, they get what they need and move on with their walk.
Most animals will simply lie down — it doesn’t take much. They start to feel the energy flowing and just decide, “I think it’s time to lay down now.” You can see how relaxed they become; they might yawn, and the tension in their bodies visibly releases. It’s very clear that they enjoy it. And again, if they didn’t want the work, they simply wouldn’t request it — they would just continue walking and not stop in front of me. Over time, they’ve essentially trained me.
I should mention, even though I’m allergic to dogs, I still work with them — but I have to be outdoors with them. I do have dogs, but after touching them, I have to change my clothes and shower. It’s just one of those things.
I also have a beautiful story to share. When I was first learning Healing Touch for Animals (I had only completed Level 1 training), a good friend and colleague of mine — a functional medicine doctor on the East Coast — posted that her Miniature Pinscher had been run over by a car. This was a tiny dog, just a few pounds, and she had been rushed to the hospital. She was unresponsive and heavily sedated due to a brain injury. As the veterinary team tried to lighten the sedation, the dog still wasn’t waking up — she was in a coma, unresponsive even to painful stimuli. They were preparing to pull the plug.
My colleague asked me if there was anything I could do. I immediately did an hour-long distance energy healing session, using every tool I had at the time. By the end of the hour, the dog was awake and walking! Was she walking perfectly? No — she wasn’t 100%, and not all of the damage was gone. But she was up, alert, and alive. She ended up living another three years before passing away from an unrelated cause. It was an incredible experience.
Even my cats help with my energy work. When I work from home — doing distance healing sessions across the country — my cats will hop onto the massage table. I’ll have a flat body form set up to represent the client, and the cats will lay exactly where additional work is needed. I usually already know where the problem areas are, based on my scan and what the client has shared, and the cats will confirm it. Their purring vibrates within the healing frequency range for humans, so even though the actual client might be 1,000 miles away, the cats’ presence and frequency support the session beautifully.
