What to Expect in an Emotion Code Session with Dr. Stefanie Bodie, ND (in-person or virtual)
1) We begin by getting you “settled” (in-person)
You’ll come into my office and sit down.
We’ll do a few minutes of gentle breath work to help your system feel calm, present, and aligned to begin.
2) We choose a focus (or we let your body lead)
You can pick what feels best:
Goal-based: anxiety, grief, confidence, sleep, relationships, chronic stress, etc.
Event-based: a specific season of life or memory you want support around.
Body-led: we simply ask what your subconscious is ready to release right now.
Discover Healing website describes the Emotion Code as a method to identify and release “trapped emotions” (energetic residue from past events) using muscle testing and magnetic energy.
3) We identify trapped emotions through muscle testing
We use muscle testing to “ask” your subconscious what emotion is trapped and ready to clear.
The goal is not to dig up everything—just what no longer serves you now.
Discover Healing explains this as accessing information from the subconscious via muscle testing, then clearing the trapped emotion.
4) We release the emotion along the Governing Meridian
Once an emotion is identified:
I’ll swipe a magnet (or my hand) over the Governing Meridian (the midline pathway used in this method).
In my sessions, this is typically 3–5 swipes, paired with a slow inhale/exhale.
Discover Healing website notes a common guideline of three passes, and also mentions that inherited trapped emotions may be cleared with more passes (e.g., 10) and then confirmed.
5) We confirm the release (and repeat)
Discover Healing emphasizes that after release, practitioners check to confirm the energy is gone before moving on.
Most bodies will release around ~10 trapped emotions in a session (sometimes a bit more), and we stop when your system indicates it’s complete for the day.
6) How it usually feels
Most clients describe it as:
a warmth or opening in the chest
lightness in the shoulders/neck
feeling “more space,” calmer, or clearer
Sometimes there’s an emotional release (tears, deep breath, feeling seen), and sometimes it’s quiet and subtle.
7) What you may notice over the next week
Common changes include:
you respond differently to stress (less reactive, more grounded)
fewer old triggers or less intensity around them
more emotional clarity and “choice” (better emotional intelligence)
a more aligned emotional state moving forward
What a Virtual Emotion Code Session Looks Like
Virtual sessions can be done via FaceTime, Zoom, or phone (whatever is easiest).
1) You get comfortable wherever you are
You can be on the couch, in bed, walking outside, or doing your normal day. You don’t have to be in a meditative state.
2) I use “proxy” muscle testing (a distance-based method)
In Emotion Code, distance sessions work by accessing the subconscious mind, which isn’t limited by physical space. Using proxy muscle testing, I ask the body’s subconscious what it’s ready to release, just as I would in an in-person session.
In The Emotion Code, Dr. Nelson explains that this works through a non-local connection—meaning the information stored in the body’s energy field can be accessed without needing the physical body present. Some practitioners describe this using ideas from quantum physics, such as quantum entanglement, which shows that connection and information exchange are not limited by time or distance.
From a grounded perspective, what matters most is this:
The subconscious holds the information
Conscious intention creates coherence
The body directs what is safe and ready to clear
The session isn’t about force or “sending energy.” It’s about listening to the body’s own guidance system and allowing it to update once the emotional information is released.
Client-friendly way to say it:
“We don’t need your arm in the room for your body to respond—your subconscious still leads what’s ready to clear, even at a distance.”)
3) We release emotions the same way (even virtually)
During a virtual session, I use myself as the proxy for muscle testing. This simply means I’m asking your subconscious—through focused intention and testing—what emotion is ready to be addressed, even though we’re not in the same room.
Once an emotion is identified, we release it the same way as an in-person session. I clear it through the Governing Meridian using gentle hand or magnet swipes while you breathe slowly and comfortably. Sometimes I guide you through the breathing; other times we breathe together. Your body leads the pace.
After each release, I check back in with your system to confirm the emotion has cleared, then continue until your body indicates the session is complete.
The process is the same—
same questions, same releases, same confirmation—just a different location.
Sessions for Children, Adults Who Don’t Want to Talk, and Animals
Kids (and adults): no talking required
Children don’t always have words for what they feel.
Discover Healing websit especifically notes that the Emotion Code can help because it allows you to communicate with the subconscious even when a child can’t articulate what’s going on.
In practice, this can look like: sitting on the floor, playing, coloring, or just letting them be comfortable while we clear what’s ready.
Animals
Discover Healing website describes that pets/animals can benefit from Emotion Code and similar energy healing approaches, and that people often notice behavior/attitude shifts after sessions.
For animals, we can:
use a surrogate/proxy approach, similar to virtual work, or
I can muscle test for the animal the way I do for distance sessions.
Time + pacing
Most sessions are ~30 minutes.
The body is in charge of the pace: we only release what your system indicates is ready.
Gentle note (good for your website/footer)
The Emotion Code is a complementary wellness approach intended to support emotional balance and mind-body well-being. It’s not a medical diagnosis or replacement for emergency or medical care. (Dr. Nelson’s book itself notes it is based on his observations/experience and is not presented as a diagnostic tool.)