Have you ever gone into a house, or maybe even a certain room, and felt some unsettling vibes? You may or may not be surprised to know that there’s someone you can call to get rid of that.

This isn't some new age-y Ghostbusters though, but rather the work of Heather Rider, a certified Reiki master also known as The Energy Synergist.

Rider runs a business called Austin Energy Clearings, which is geared at removing “discordant” or “low-level” energies and “stuck emotions” from not only homes, but also businesses. The expected result for the client? An increased feeling of positivity, peacefulness, and productivity in the space.

Rider first got the idea to offer energy clearings when a friend of hers told her how she felt ill at ease and not quite “at home” in her new apartment, and asked if she could do a clearing. After such a successful experience with her friend, Rider knew it was time to expand her suite of energy healing services.

Having gained advanced training in Reiki, as well as additional experience with other energy healing tools, Rider has since created her own style for energy clearings. Upon arriving at a space and after pinpointing any areas of discord, Rider will use a combination of techniques, including placing crystal grids, setting up essential oils in a diffuser, burning sage, using a pendulum, and, of course, performing Reiki.

Energy healing like Reiki is far from new, but as more people become concerned about the toxicity of their food, products, and overall environment, they have turned to holistic ways of living and alternative therapies. This covers a wide range of practices from eating clean and practicing mindfulness to receiving acupuncture and pursuing energy healing.

Rider is aware that there are still plenty of people out there who think that her business is disreputable — or even ridiculous. But she contends that her work is backed by science, and notes that everything around us, including humans, is made of energy and vibrating at its own frequency.

But it’s definitely not all negative reception for Austin Energy Clearings. In fact, Rider is increasingly finding clients in Austin's booming real estate sector.

“I generally serve two types of clients. The first are realtors who have a listing that isn’t selling. There has usually been at least one price reduction on the house and the agent and seller are frustrated that the home isn’t selling and are ready to try an energy clearing before dropping the price again,” says Rider, who is also an affiliate member of the Austin Board of Realtors and presents her services to realtors around two times every quarter.

“I was incredibly surprised at how engaged [the realtors] were and the interest they had in my services,” Rider says. “After one presentation last August, two of the agents in the room booked me to clear houses they had on the market that weren’t selling, and one of the agents referred me to another agent not in the class who had a house that wouldn’t sell. Another agent in the class hired me to clear her own house that she lives in.”

Rider’s other main client base? Home owners who feel “off” in their space. “The client mentions that the house just doesn’t feel right and there usually is at least one room in the house that they don’t like to be in," she explains. "They mention feeling unproductive in the home or mention that there is strained communication with others in the household, which they attribute to the house itself.”

Energy clearings may not be mainstream yet, but Rider has noticed her services becoming more popular as word about what she does gets around. Along with her home and business energy clearings, Rider offers in-office energy healing, distance energy healing, and psychic readings. She also teaches Reiki classes and occasionally puts on other events like ladies night parties.