Reiki

Reiki is a complementary therapy developed in Japan and practiced by a "Reiki Master". Its popularity in the West has increased over recent years, however there is no compelling evidence of its effectiveness.

What the therapy entails

Reiki does not require any physical contact between the patient and the practitioner. The patient remains dressed and the therapist passes their hands over the patient, often holding them in set positions for periods of time.

Typically, a Reiki session can last anything from one to one and a half hours. Multiple treatments may be recommended by the therapist.

Reiki is seen as a whole body treatment (holistic) and can be used for mental as well as physical disorders. The treatment does not attempt to direct itself at a single problem, but rather to address the health (balance) of the complete body.

In Reiki the therapist acts as a channel through which energy is drawn. This energy is determined by the need of the patient and is considered to be a balancing energy that corrects any illness or injury etc by addressing this imbalance.

The belief in Reiki is that this "balancing" energy will be self determining, so neither the patient not the therapist needs to focus on the physical manifestation of the problem. I.e. the energy, through the channel of the Reiki practitioner, will correct the imbalance.

Where to find a therapist

As a complementary and non regulated therapy, Reiki practitioners are not officially registered. This means that you should source a therapist by reputation, through a clinic, or by contacting a "Reiki associated" organisation like The Reiki Association.

Organisations like this are self regulating, which means that they are not subject to independent auditing, however, most require that their member to comply with certain requirements, e.g. best practices, a necessary qualification or completion of training etc.