Soul Connection, a metaphysical shop and counseling service, opened in Wright City on July 26. 

Owner Melinda Shelby said she sells a variety of products including items like crystals and incense, as well as local honey. She said some of these items are believed to help relieve “negative energy,” whether that be from a person or in a space. Soul Connection is located at 208 Warren Ave. in Wright City. 

Shelby is also a licensed professional counselor in the state of Missouri and is accepting appointments. She previously worked as a counselor in Troy in drug addiction as well as in family counseling at a practice in St. Peters. 

“My mission for Wright City is to provide a safe space for anyone and everyone that feels lost or just wants to talk, or needs something that can be a little bit different from the norm,” said Shelby. 

She said people who hold spiritual beliefs like her feel that the items in her shop, like herbs, incense and crystals can be used to cleanse negative energy and negative thoughts. 

“A belief is that if you would buy sage or some other type of thing similar to that, that you would burn it, and it has good energy in it,” said Shelby. “And it would release the negative energy in the room, and then you would get that calm, positive fill to the room again.”

She also sells tarot cards, which those who believe in psychic readings say can be used to learn information about an individual during a reading. 

Shelby said many spiritual people believe they can connect directly to their “source,” whatever that may be. 

Shelby was raised Catholic, and said her source is God. 

“We in the spiritual realm believe we can connect directly to our source,” said Shelby. “My source is God, I walk with God.”

In addition to counseling services, Shelby also offers hypnotherapy and Reiki healing sessions. 

She said Reiki is a type of massage therapy that involves the movement of energy throughout a person in order to remove “blockages.”

“Reiki is a movement of energy, simply, a person lays on a massage table and you are moving the energies that are stuck within that person’s body,” said Shelby. 

Shelby conceded that some may doubt the efficacy of metaphysical treatments and products, but she leaves that decision up to her customers. 

“If you come into this shop, and you decide I don’t think that’s right for me, I’m not here to tell you what’s right or wrong, that’s for you to choose,” said Shelby. 

The retail shop is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursdays, noon to 6 p.m. on Fridays and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays. 

Those interested in counseling services can either register online at https://www.soulconnectionhealingcenter.com/ or by calling at 636-589-1202.