Siobhan Hutchinson of Columbus, New Jersey, has been teaching the healing art of Qigong for more than two decades. She is also a certified healer in Reiki and Eden Energy Medicine. To promote the health benefits of these practices, she has volunteered as the Programming Director of the Global Transformation Project and Chairperson of the Research & Education Committee at the National Qigong Association (NQA). I admire her work and recently had a candid conversation with her about the journey that led her to where she is today.
Growing up in rural New Jersey, Siobhan described her family as conservative. In 1972, when President Richard Nixon visited China, information about Chinese culture and history gradually became more accessible in the U.S. It was during the early 1970s that she first saw videos from China featuring acupuncture and Tai Chi, sparking her fascination. In high school, she and her open-minded mom traveled to Princeton to explore transcendental meditation.
In her mid-20s, Siobhan had the opportunity to take a Tai Chi series. However, the instructor’s aggressive teaching methods and improper stances put undue strain on her knees, which had not fully recovered from years of dancing. Experiencing pain, she was forced to abandon the lessons.
Yet deep down, she felt that what she had encountered wasn’t true Tai Chi. A decade later, she turned to Tai Chi Chih as a way to manage the high stress from her job. This practice, created by Justin Stone—who had studied Qigong, Tai Chi, and Chinese medicine in China—simplifies traditional Tai Chi movements and integrates Qigong elements, including the Six Healing Sounds. Tai Chi Chih has been used in many clinical trials, with notable studies on its efficacy led by Professor Michael Irwin at UCLA.
While Siobhan enjoyed practicing as a student, her teacher encouraged her to undergo rigorous training for teacher accreditation—not necessarily to become an instructor, but to deepen her understanding of the art. She took the advice and later became a certified instructor, eventually teaching Tai Chi in her spare time, driven by her passion for sharing its benefits.
Fate had more in store for her. Teaching at a specialized nursing facility became a transformative experience, inspiring her to pursue higher education in healing sciences. She went on to earn a master’s degree in holistic health from Georgian Court University, where she was also introduced to Reiki, a Japanese Qigong system with hands-on healing techniques. Although she had no initial plans to shift careers, she felt compelled to study Reiki further and became a teacher.
Her holistic health studies also led her to Donna Eden’s Energy Medicine program, which required her to travel to Phoenix, Arizona, several times a year. The scheduling conflicts with her regular job ultimately led her to leave her well-paying position. Yet, she credits Eden’s training with deepening her insight into teaching the healing arts more effectively.
Siobhan’s passion for learning is insatiable. She traveled to China to study with a Qigong master and medical doctor, and she is currently studying Yogic Science with the American Meditation Institute. Her curiosity about consciousness has led her to explore meditation using a brainwave feedback program.
These days, she travels daily to teach at various locations, including assisted living centers, memory care facilities, senior communities, and programs for teenagers with special needs. One of her favorite places to teach is a rehabilitation hospital specializing in adults with traumatic brain injuries. She also offers workshops on Tai Chi, Qigong, Reiki, Numerology, Aromatherapy, and Energy Medicine, focusing on pain relief, stress reduction, and tapping into the body’s natural healing abilities.
Her contributions to the field extend beyond teaching. She has published articles in peer-reviewed journals and presented at the Osher Conferences at Harvard Medical School in 2023. In addition, she plays a key role in the Global Transformation Project, an initiative founded by Bill and Angela Douglas (creators of World Tai Chi & Qigong Day). This project aims to educate people on the science behind mindfulness practices and petition the UN to incorporate mindfulness into education. As the Programming Director, Siobhan has interviewed notable researchers and practitioners, with these insightful discussions available on YouTube.
Reflecting on Siobhan’s journey, one thought lingers in my mind: she never set out to be a teacher, healer, or advocate. Yet, step by step, she has embraced each of these roles. Were these milestone events merely coincidences, or was she destined to walk this path? Perhaps, deep in her heart, she was always meant to—finding fulfillment in healing herself and others.