Each Tuesday, The

Citizen features a health professional from the

Finger Lakes community in The Banks:

This week, we spotlight Rhonda House, owner of Peace Dreamers in Auburn.

Rhonda House

Hometown: Liverpool

Occupation: Reiki practitioner; owner, Peace Dreamers in Auburn

Q: What is the most rewarding thing about your job?

A: Every single day I turn the key to this place, I'm taking on the biggest gift. We have an opportunity to make people's dreams come true.

Q: What is the biggest challenge?

A: Overcoming people's stereotypes. People hear about the spirituality, and all of the sudden, they recoil. But then people will come in (to Peace Dreamers) on their own and say, “Wow, I feel so relaxed in here. What do you do?” ... Really, when it comes to alternative healing, it's our belief that we don't really heal. Our job here is to get people to believe that they can change.

Q: What is the most common hurdle you come across when trying to get people to change?

A: What I've found since we've opened is that people have forgotten how to dream. I ask them what does wellness look like, and they don't know. We give them the opportunity and the tools they need to find it.

Q: What does wellness look like?

A: If you're in balance, you're right where you're supposed to be. Most people come in here and say they just feel out of balance, or out of whack. That's where we start.

Q: What's the first step to finding that balance?

A: Nearly every single person who comes through the door we teach to ground, center and shield. ... That is the first step for everything that goes on here. We walk around on the earth all the time, and very rarely do we honor the connection we have to it. The second thing we do is try to connect people to the community. It's our responsibility to be connected to each other.

Q: What is your favorite thing about working in the Finger Lakes region?

A: I think there is a huge potential here in the Finger Lakes for us to embrace not only the cultures here, but also the cultures that were here historically. The energy of this place is just beautiful, if you can just get past the hustle bustle.