You know that person who lights up a room with their eyes and presence because they are so full of life and it oozes out of their pores? Well, I have the pleasure of introducing you to my German spark plug friend, Elli Ritcher. She believes that sustainable healing and transformation are always possible. She has spent the last 24 years acquiring skills in holistic and integrative approaches that address change on a mental, emotional and physical level. Her work is steeped in both science and spirituality. I received her integrative approach through the modality of PSYCH-K. It has changed my life for the better, and it can change yours, too!

RACHEL GLOWACKI: Ellie, the PSYCH-K method has had a healing impact on thousands of people around the globe, including myself. Can you tell us why the PSYCH-K methodology works and what it stands for?

ELLI RITCHER: PSYCH-K stands for “mind keys.” We can use it directly and effortlessly to transform our subconscious mind. Our subconscious mind drives about 95% of our daily experiences. We have the conscious power to make any changes to our perceptions that are empowering and impactful for our well-being.

RG: It is interesting to think that we operate that high from a subconscious level. A hypnotherapist explained to me that “subconscious programming is like the windows running in the background of a computer and we need to swipe out those old windows and update the software of our minds. Subconscious methods go through the back door of the brain/amygdala instead of the front door of the brain/prefrontal cortex.” I can speak from my own experience that I consciously talked my way out of my own negative thinking and discovered that my subconscious programming of unworthiness and not deserving of x, y or z, needed to be updated and synched up. It is exciting to know that research now shows that the neuroplasticity in our brains can be rewired. I loved the way you explained to me about the subconscious and consciousness mind. Can you share how you explain it to your clients?

ER: A lot of people come to this work sharing that they have “tried it all” and feeling like there is “something missing.” We often expand and evolve our consciousness with a lot of great knowledge and information, yet our subconscious mind still operates on the outdated and limited beliefs we have been conditioned with from the first zero to seven years of our lives, and about 70% of those programs are life limiting. We find ourselves stuck or feel blocked because we usually operate from our hard-wired beliefs. Even though we know better, we cannot seem to do better.

We have three minds:

1. The conscious mind which comprises 1-5%.

2. The subconscious mind operates at 95-99%.

3. The superconscious mind makes up our instincts, intuition and inner wisdom.

The aim is to have all three minds in alignment, in cohesion, taking you in the same direction. Upgrading our subconscious beliefs to match our conscious knowledge and superconscious wisdom makes a big difference in our inner lives and opens the possibilities for us to create a new and different reality.

RG: I remember sitting on my living room floor discovering my hard-wiring and literally feeling my brain neurons were rewiring my beliefs about being good enough, valued and deserving of pleasure. It was an intense two hours of trusting myself to go through this process. The next morning, I experienced a physical release out of every orifice of my body, the trauma that was stored in my stomach and throat purged out of my body and I have felt lighter ever since. I gave myself permission to release old thinking patterns for new ones and got to experience first-hand the life-changing benefits of this incredible work. Can you take us through an inquiry exercise that will help us to understand our subconscious brain better?

ER: Your experience was definitely powerful. It is not typical to have that reaction, and everyone is different. I love how this happens for everyone so uniquely. If you want to know what your subconscious programs are, take a look at your life. What is working well? Notice your beliefs and perceptions about that area of your life. You have a supportive subconscious program here and notice what is not working well. What areas, issues or challenges do you repeatedly bump up against that make you do mental gymnastics? This is likely due to your limiting beliefs and/or traumatic or stressful events that contributed to patterns that lead you into the opposite of what you really want. What are your fears about that area of your life? What are your doubts? What are the stressful events in the past that made it all worse? These questions can help you identify beliefs that limit you and possible traumas that contributed. Fear is a limiting belief. In a session, I would ask you to choose what you want to believe in instead, and then facilitate PSYCH-K processes so you can reprogram your subconscious mind and create a new reality.

RG: One of my limiting beliefs was that “I can’t eat anything,” because I am sensitive to foods and I get sick. I wanted to upgrade this belief to, “I can digest everything I put in my mouth.” I have been eating everything I want in moderation and have not gotten sick in months, whereas before I would eat something and immediately need to run to the bathroom. So, I am living proof that reprogramming or rewiring the brain is possible and available.

Thank you, Ellie for sharing with us how to harmonize our minds! I truly believe that everybody needs an Ellie in their lives. Where can these beautiful readers find you or other facilitators in PSYCH-K to support their own healing journeys?

ER: Thank you. You can sign up via elliritcher.com. I facilitate 100% virtual via FaceTime or Zoom, or you can find a facilitator near you via PSYCH-K.com. 

Lead photo by Katerina Jerabkova. Other photos courtesy of Elli Ritcher.

Originally published in the Winter + Spring 2021-22 issue.

RACHEL GLOWACKI is a yoga teacher, writer and thought leader in the kids yoga field. She specializes in mindful movement for all ages and abilities and has been teaching since 1999. She’s an award winning author of the Kids Yogaverse storybook apps. Rachel hopes that one day mindful movement will be taught regularly in schools just like math and science! She believes that a calm brain is a learning brain and a healthy body is a happy body, principles she shares with her students young and old. Rachel lives with her husband and two sons in Edwards, Colorado.