Interview with Kari Johansen of EarthSound Wellness

Edited by Tyler Isaacs-Dejong

We are super excited to present this interview with Kari of EarthSound Wellness with all of you! 

You can also listen to the recorded interview here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SzMp0_z8E8

Kari is a Shamanic Energy Coach & Natural Health Consultant with a large range of offerings and a large tool box in helping others on their healing journey.

Her work is a full spectrum of holistic offering.

She offers one-on-one coaching, the direction based on what the individual's needs are, from 1-day intensives, to a customized 3-session mini-program, to her signature 12-week programs, Energetic Wellness Transformation or The Power of S.E.L.F. (Soul Education for Living in Fulfillment). Kari offers natural health consulting: the Mind & Body sessions for the straight shooters, or Health & Soul sessions that provide more of a spiritual perspective. She offers BioEnergetic Tuning to locals (tuning fork therapy), and this year she will be offering her workshops online!

Dannika, one of our store managers has been working with Kari for many years and is a big fan of her work:

"When I started my healing journey, I was quite young and Kari's sensitivity, intuitive approach, and overall nurturing energy really helped me pull through some of my most challenging energy blockages. I did many different therapies with Kari. I started out with BioEnergetic Tuning (tuning fork therapy) and this really did help bring my energy centers back into balance. This set the tone for the rest of my healing journey. From there I enrolled in a workshop with other women in the community that I really admired. The strong bonds we had were the cherry on top of the workshop, but the workshop itself helped me go deeper into developing my intuition and developing a stronger trust with my inner knowing. My work with Kari has been broken up over the years and has aided me in different stages of my life. When I had my feet under me, there always seemed to be more work to do :P But because I built a strong foundation, I was able to go through a coaching program with Kari a couple of years ago that really helped me heal my attitudes towards abundance, receiving and growing prosperity. I will continue to work with Kari as long as I live I'm sure :P"

Kari will also be contributing to our newsletter, with a monthly article about various areas of her expertise!

For now, please enjoy our interview with Kari :)

Gaia: Tell us a bit about yourself. Background, upbringing, interests…

Kari: I’m in my mid-40’s. I have two boys (thirteen and just about eight years old) who are with me full time. We like to hike, go to the beach, and go camping in the summer, and in the winter we like to toboggan, ski, and get cozy and watch movies. For myself, I enjoy meditation (which is more of an offering and prayer ceremony for me). I enjoy my work, fasting, and walking daily… Oh, and sleeping! (Haha) I really enjoy a good sleep!

Gaia: What was your life like before you found your spiritual path? Did you have spiritual and healing interests from a young age? What was your life like before you became a healer? What did you do for work?

Kari: Wow, that’s a lot! Let’s see… Before my spiritual path – as it is today, when I was a kid I was certainly spiritual and didn’t know it. It was quiet praying in bed at night. I had an intrinsic Faith. And connecting with a part of me inside that knew and felt things that couldn’t be explained by the outside world. I kept them to myself. No one around me related or understood. If I tried sharing, well, let’s just say I learned quickly that expressing my true feelings or unusual observations didn’t help my sense of belonging – even in my immediate family. So I learned to fit in, and I became very good at it, doing “ALL the right things.” So before I started helping people heal full-time, I had a successful career in corporate records/information consulting and project management.     

Gaia: What guided you to go in the direction of healing as an offering?

Kari: At the beginning of my corporate career I knew it was not “what I wanted to be when I grew up.” It was just a job, I knew I had a passion for something else deep down. I also had numerous health concerns, later discovering they were due to repressing my many sensitivities and my true nature growing up. My health led me to some dire circumstances, including the emergency room. And time and again, mainstream medicine had no answers for me and gave me things that made me feel worse or gave me other issues. Finally, I found myself seeing a master herbalist. It was certainly far more “alternative” then, and I was careful at first who I told about it, but not for long, because when she changed my health 110% for the better, I wanted to shout it from the rooftops!  Annette Bossart, she was my first big inspiration. I said, “If I could do this for just one person in my life, it will have made my entire life worth living.” And I was only a few months into my healing and learning with her. This was the start. I enrolled in a Master Herbology diploma program through night school at Wild Rose College in Calgary. This is where I found my path.

While studying at Wild Rose (in the Herbology program and in other areas of the Natural Healing Arts) I came across Jaki Daniels’ course “The Shaman’s Path.” I knew immediately this was the fork in the road I was looking for. I needed to honor that part of me I had always kept hidden from the people around me and society. Learning from Jaki opened up my world to ancient practices of healing and spiritual, indigenous traditions, and I was HOOKED (to say the least)! It all resonated truth and felt like home… for the first time in my life.

Gaia: Your practice has evolved over the years.. Can you tell us about where you started and what kinds of healing services you offered before the shift in your practice?

Kari: It was at that point, actually doing a ‘Shamanic Journey’ assignment, where I received what Spirit told me was my “greatest gift on this Earth,” and, to my surprise, I was given a tuning fork! (Haha) I had no idea at the time, but feeling obligated to look into it I discovered tuning forks are used as tools in vibrational healing. I took a course on tuning fork healing and the instructor told me I had a natural talent – I felt it. It just made sense and I knew exactly how to use them.

So began my path of study and practice in energy medicine. In the early days of my work with the tuning forks as a healing tool, I developed my signature methodology. It’s called BioEnergetic Tuning Therapy (BioET) and I still offer it to people locally, but on occasion. Approximately eleven years ago I noticed… an increasing need to teach & guide my clients in their overall health, alongside their Tuning sessions, in support of more complete, lasting healing. I began see the time spent doing this with them increasing organically, holding a greater importance. At the same time I was delving deeper into my Shamanic studies, personal work, exploration and discovery. And I received a very clear message that I needed to “help people learn to heal themselves”. Meaning, BioET was helping them heal, but they needed to be more responsible for their own healing path and empowered to take hold of it. That message is really what brought me to the major shift in my practice.

Gaia: Can you tell us about your practice now? What do you focus on in helping people?

Kari: That shift, it was a tough pill to swallow, but (like the red pill in the Matrix) I had no choice – I learned years before, when Spirit guides, you heed that guidance without question. The decision was made, I just wasn’t sure how to go about it. And it was scary, I had a strong footing in my BioET practice at that time and was enjoying offering spiritual connection workshops. But, along with Spirit’s guidance, the Universe was lining me up too (as it always does), windows opened for my practice to evolve, some in disguise as hardship. Many Spiritual “tests” (as they say), but all leading me to be better equipped to “Help people learn to heal themselves.” 

So, in search of the “HOW” I came to realize the health and wellness teaching and guidance I had been offering was essentially what is well known today as coaching. So, in order to be qualified and have a method for providing structure to and streamlining what I was already doing, I got a Health Coach Certification.  It’s been a process, that’s for sure! Especially with two little kiddos in tow along the way. But now, I’ve fully integrated my background in herbology, nutrition, shamanic healing, energy medicine (and everything else), with my skills in supporting and guiding people into better health and wellness. I have several service offerings and currently serve North America and West Europe. If anyone is interested, they can find what I offer on my website: It’s EarthSoundWellness.ca

Gaia: I notice that you focus on supporting empaths more in your work these days. Why is this? What is the importance of offering support to these highly sensitive people?

Kari: This is actually just one area where I specialize. I suppose the importance is in my personal journey as an empath. As a child, as I said, I felt things and knew things others didn’t notice. It was a tough and lonely childhood, and that lead into the health challenges I mentioned – not only physical, but mental, emotional, and spiritual. I feel my path of healing and growth as an empath has divinely driven me in this direction. Empaths are often misunderstood, often don’t understand themselves, and need real support and guidance from someone who gets it!

Gaia: Can you tell us about your “Empowered Empath Group” on Facebook and how someone might go about joining it?

Kari: Oh! Well, I forgot about people joining it. (Haha) I’m glad you mentioned it. I will make sure there is a link on my website. And, for anyone who wants to search it up on Facebook, I believe it’s the only group with that name, but the full name is “Empowered Empath – Healing Experiences & Support.” I created this group as a place for empaths or highly sensitive people to come together with others like us. And to share my availability to support and help with any healing or growth challenges they may be facing.

Gaia: What do you feel you offer as a healer. Personally, not services wise.

Kari: That’s a good question… It’s hard to differentiate myself – what I personally offer, from my work services. I guess it’s because my spiritual self, guides my work so much. I guess… things I haven’t mentioned are my abilities as an empath, what I call “high-degree empath” where I am able to tap into and energetically translate almost anything. And along with that, being a medical intuitive (from the Biochemical perspective). These really, I think set me apart.  From a broader perspective, I have a highly knowledgeable, wise, and committed “Spiritual Team” who provide invaluable insights and information I could never imagine on my own. This relates very much to the instances of channeling I do in sessions. On an even more personal level, I offer my 100% dedication to helping my clients. I’m passionate about my work and I’m gratefully obligated to fulfill it as my purpose. 

Gaia: What are your hopes and wishes for the people that you work with?

Kari: What I want most for my clients is for them to achieve whatever they set out to have, be or do in working with me. I always set the intention for them before each session, that is;  “to have a meaningful experience in healing or growth that they can carry with them throughout their days”.

Gaia: What is your vision for the world and humanity?

Actually, I was going to mention this with my previous answer. My ultimate hopes & wishes are in the EarthSound Wellness business Mission & Vision Statements. They’re a tall order, call me a dreamer! {Haha}  But, we can’t get anywhere if we don’t believe in & work for our dreams.  If you’re interested, check them out on my website, EarthSoundWellness.ca

Gaia: Are there any other personal spiritual practices you have? Do you mind sharing about them?

Kari: The regular meditation I do and teach to my clients. It’s (like I said) more of an offering and prayer ceremony. It’s quite involved with many different essences offered, and processes of connecting with Spirit and higher consciousnesses, energetic cleansing, chakra clearing, balancing and alignment, and more… I have many other spiritual practices but it’s really a whole topic in itself.

Gaia: Are there any spiritual philosophies, beliefs, or paths you are drawn to that you would like to learn more about?

Kari: I have integrated so much into my work, I find for the most part I just end up delving deeper into each to increase or better my knowledge base. But something I have only a basic understanding of, and have always been interested in and would love to learn more thoroughly is Ayurvedic Medicine.

Gaia: How do you think you have grown as a person in the last year?

Kari: Another great question! Hummm… You know, just when you get settled there’s always another layer to healing and growth. In the past year I, yet again gained an even greater, more profound depth of certainty in my connection with my higher power and (as I like to say) a “trust & faith that the Universe has my back.” I’ve also grown into a whole new level of Self-love and taking care of myself. As a single parent I think I lost track of that for a while.

Gaia: What is one thing you would like to grow about yourself in 2022?

Kari: I’m glad you asked. I firmly believe that to grow we must heal something (and vice versa). Based on this, I want to make an important point; that we are ALL always healing & growing. If not, we’re dying. I’ve found over the years that many people think a healer or guru isn’t good enough unless they are perfect or “done their healing.” Not true. In fact, it’s only the BEST healers who are unapologetically on a continual path of their own healing and growth. And ideally, they’re only a few steps ahead of the person they’re helping. That said, I’m glad you asked this, because I just TODAY added a couple things for myself to work on and hadn’t yet acknowledged them. I won’t get into the gory details (Haha) but I can say for sure, if I successfully grow out of these two obstacles I will feel like a whole new person – yet again! 

Gaia: What is your sun sign and do you feel you relate to it? If you know what your moon and ascendant signs are, do you feel like they reflect in your personality?

Kari: My sun sign is Aquarius and I definitely relate to it on many levels, one being that I’m ridiculously proud to be Aquarius – which is a very Aquarian trait! (Haha) My rising sign is Libra and moon sign Cancer. I relate to these very much. For example (respectively), I often build bridges for people in conflict. I do this automatically, unless I purposely stop myself. I find it a successful trait in my work and group friendships. My moon sign, on the other hand, brings in my least favorite trait (in conflict with my sun sign). It’s caused some minor turmoil in my past but it’s not at all troublesome in my life right now. 

Gaia: Tell us about more about the readings you offer and other products or services you offer?

Kari: It’s a wide range really, being that my work is full-spectrum holistic. Coaching services offer various approaches depending on one's needs. From one-day intensives, or a customized three-session mini-program, to my signature twelve-week programs, Energetic Wellness Transformation or The Power of S.E.L.F. (Soul Education for Living in Fulfillment). I offer natural health consulting: the Mind & Body sessions for the straight shooters, or Health & Soul sessions that provide more of a spiritual perspective. I offer BioEnergetic tuning to locals, and this year I will be offering my workshops online.

I offer initial/introduction calls that are always free. I won’t work with someone who I’m not sure I can help – so we need to chat first. If I can’t, I will provide a referral or suggestions in a positive direction. 

It’s worth mentioning some things not always clear in my services; I specialize in spiritual healing or post-ceremony integration, and as said before, empath awareness, healing, and empowerment. I also offer support as an alternative health advocate, specifically focused on helping individuals navigate the broad world of the Natural Healing Arts and find the right modalities for their needs, quickly, before spending countless hours and dollars “trying different things,” which can be a long path!  

Gaia: Where can we find more information about accessing your products and services?

Kari: If you’re interested in learning more about my services the easiest way to go about it would be to check out my website. And even better, go there and book a free intro call so we can meet, get focused on your direction, and find out if my work is the right decision for you. My website (again) is EarthSoundWellness.ca and there’s a link to schedule that free call right on the first page. 

In the near future, I will have a page on my site of products as well. I’m very excited. These will be items I have recommended for years. I stand by them and encourage my clients, friends, and family to own in support of their best health and wellness.

Gaia: We are so excited to be collaborating with you in our bi-weekly newsletter, with your contribution being once monthly. Can you give us an ‘in’ as to some of the themes you will be covering?

Kari: Well, I don’t know. That would be spoiling the surprise! (Haha) I don’t have a concrete plan, generally speaking. I will aim to be current and relatable, offer outside-the-box tips and practical advice. Themes, with me, are always health and wellness but that is a big basket – from the physical, mental, emotional, spiritual bodies, to the energetics of life, work, money and relationships. I’m excited too!  

Gaia: What would be in your shopping bag at Gaia Rising?

Kari: Ooooh! Virtual shopping!! Hmmm. Let’s see… Number one, definitely a good variety of resins! Maybe an extra sage, cedar and sweet grass smudge. Some crystals for my pockets to support my chakras in this crazy world. And since it’s virtual and no cost… I’ll splurge and get those earrings and pendant I’ve been wanting!

We are going to be collaborating with Kari on a special offer in the near future! Stay tuned for details!