Haley Mazanec book, “Three Strikes Can’t Take Me Out”

 Carlos Sessions Testimonial

… something magical about scoring a bargain for what could potentially be a life-altering experience. I found a Reiki master in Torrance offering sessions for a fraction of the usual cost. Was it unconventional? Sure. But I’m a sucker for a deal, and honestly, it felt like fate was nudging me in his direction. I booked the session, and just like that, the excitement began to bubble.

Carlos greeted me with a presence so calm and grounding that it felt like stepping into a sanctuary. He was warm and welcoming, and before we even began, he walked me through the philosophy of Reiki in a way that was both poetic and practical. He told me stories about his years of experience, about clients who had walked in broken and left healed some after just one session, others after a few. He even shared that he’d been teaching Reiki for decades, helping others tap into their healing potential. His voice, his energy, and everything about him reassured me that I was in good hands.

When we finally moved to the treatment room, it was like stepping into a cocoon of serenity. Soft light bathed the room, and harmonious sound bath music played in the background, creating an atmosphere so soothing I felt my tension start to melt away. Carlos had thought of everything propping my legs for ultimate comfort, tucking me in under a cozy blanket, and guiding me into a meditative state with his gentle voice. I could feel myself sinking into the bed, my body softening as my spirit began to rest.

As the session progressed, Carlos placed his hands over my chakras, one by one, moving through each energy point with care. I fell deeper and deeper into the meditation until I felt like I wasn’t even in my body anymore. Then, the tears started- silent, unbidden, and entirely necessary. Again. They poured from me like a flood, carrying with them pieces of the pain and toxicity I had been holding onto for far too long.

And then, something extraordinary happened. When he placed his hands behind my neck and gently lifted my head, I was transported. In front of me appeared a blinding, radiant light a light so pure and mesmerizing it felt like it was calling me in. I wanted to move toward it, to cross into whatever peaceful realm it promised, but I couldn’t. A powerful, unseen force held me back, tethering me in place.

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The sensation was like something out of a sci-fi movie, the kind of moment where the protagonist is on the brink of stepping into a portal but is caught in a struggle with the gravitational pull of two worlds. My entire being felt like it was vibrating, caught in a tug-of-war between the light and the force holding me back. It was surreal, like the most vivid dream you’ve ever had but experienced while completely awake.

When the session ended, I woke up feeling like I’d been through a cosmic battle and somehow came out the other side. My body felt lighter, my mind calmer, and my spirit… freer. Like, woah. WOW. Carlos and I sat down afterward to talk about what I’d experienced, and as I described the tears, the light, and the force pulling at me, I could see his eyes light up with understanding.

It was the wildest thing I’d ever experienced, but it was also profoundly healing. That session didn’t fix everything it wasn’t a magical cure but it cracked open something inside me. It gave me a glimpse of what was possible, of the peace that might be waiting for me if I kept moving forward. And for the first time in a long time, I felt a spark of hope.

As I spilled everything to Carlos the tears, the vision, the tug-of-war between the light and the force holding me back-my intuition wasn’t just whispering, it was screaming at full volume: You need to do it again. You have to cross into the light. It was as if the experience had planted a seed, and now my soul was begging for the next chapter. I tucked that thought away, knowing I wasn’t quite done with this journey.

Our conversation shifted, and before I knew it, Carlos dropped a bombshell that left me reeling. He mentioned a book-Women Who Love Psychopaths. I nearly choked. What?! The same book my divorce attorney had recommended just recently? The one I’d just bought for myself? The synchronicity of it all gave me chills. I felt like the universe was winking at me, nudging me to pay attention.

And then Carlos, with his calm, knowing demeanor, added another layer to the revelation. He explained how, in his experience, many women who endure deeply toxic or abusive relationships often end up having their gallbladders removed. He believed that heartbreak especially the kind that

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comes from being a victim of emotional or physical abuse can manifest physically, sometimes with startling precision.

I was floored. My brain went into overdrive as I told him about Grey Knight, about my cancer surgery, and how the surgeons had removed my gallbladder during the process. Was this why? Could this theory–this connection between love, heartbreak, and physical trauma-actually explain it? The more I thought about it, the more it made sense. My gallbladder, my heartbreak, my survival–it all felt intertwined in a way I couldn’t fully comprehend but also couldn’t dismiss.

By the end of our conversation, I was vibrating with curiosity, revelation, and a touch of exhaustion. Carlos wrapped up by recommending a detox bath to help enhance the healing process. It sounded nice in theory, but by the time I got home, I was done. I barely had the energy to stand, let alone draw a bath. My body, mind, and spirit felt like they’d been wrung out and hung up to dry. For someone who prides herself on resilience, I was thoroughly humbled.

And then, the detox hit me. Two hours after leaving Carlos, I found myself sprinting to the bathroom and calling out of work. Every hour. On the hour. It was like clockwork, a relentless purge that left no corner of my body untouched. By nightfall, it wasn’t just inconvenient it was comical. I messaged Carlos, half-panicked and half-laughing, asking if this was normal.

His response? “Oh, yes! That’s the detox phase?

Ah, that kind of detox. Got it.

What followed was a marathon I hadn’t known I signed up for. My body went through a full-on evacuation, leaving me drained yet strangely… lighter.

The purge carried on for days, but so did something else.

Beneath the physical exhaustion, I felt the most profound sense of peace I’d ever known.

And I mean ever.

I’m not talking about the kind of peace you feel after a good nap or a relaxing day at the beach. This was something deeper, purer- a calm that radiated from my very core. My mind was quiet for the first time in months,

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maybe years. My body, though still recovering, felt weightless, as if I’d shed more than just toxins. And my spirit? My spirit was soaring.

It wasn’t just internal. I could see it, too. I caught my reflection in the mirror and barely recognized myself. I was glowing radiating a light from within that felt otherworldly. I looked like I’d been kissed by the universe, shining brighter than any diamond, exuding a warmth that wasn’t just visible but palpable. I felt untouchable, like nothing in the world could tarnish this newfound solitude and serenity.

For those few days, I floated on clouds. Music sounded sweeter, food tasted richer, and even the little annoyances of life couldn’t touch me. If you’d seen me, you might’ve thought I was on something_ some magical, hallucinogenic journey. But no. This was all me, all natural, all Reiki.

And while the glow didn’t last forever, its impact did. That session was a turning point, a pivotal curve on my healing path. It didn’t just show me what was possible it made me believe in the process. For the first time in what felt like forever, I wasn’t just existing. I was living. Thriving. And in those fleeting days of pure bliss, I caught a glimpse of what healing really looked like, what peace really felt like.

It was proof that my soul was still capable of shining, even after everything. And for the first time, I knew I was on the right path.

Of course, that conversation with Carlos about Women Wbo Love Psychopaths lit a fire in my soul a relentless need to know more, to understand everything. I was wired, buzzing with curiosity, but the thought of sitting down to actually read the book? That felt like an Olympic-level feat my brain wasn’t prepared for. Concentration and I had been strangers lately.

No matter how hard I tried to reel it in, my mind was like a browser with twenty-seven tabs open, half of them frozen, the other half playing some chaotic background music I couldn’t mute.

I’d managed to dabble in a few self-help books along the way- little lifelines that helped pry my mind and heart open just enough to breathe. But still, focus wasn’t coming to me the way it used to. I wasn’t the same sharp, locked-in version of myself, and honestly? It was frustrating as hell.

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