Helen,
Emotions, yours or others will not 'hurt' you, unless you decide to 'take it on'. They are simply emotions, meant to tell you something. Once you have the knowledge, it is a simple matter to move on to the next area. You will probably feel in another what is closest to you in the direction of needing to heal.
I think every healing we do on another, teaches us something about ourselves. If you consider it a 'partnership' in healing, there is no need to avoid 'touching' a person where there is a lot of pain. (I am not talking about open wounds in the skin) Once you have experience in helping your client to have the emotional release he/she needs, the reiki flows much faster, clearer, etc.
Hope this helps, Love and Light Priestess
