Reiki & energy therapies: what’s known

Reiki was developed in Japan by Mikao Usui. Practitioners place their hands lightly on or just above a person, with the aim of directing energy to support the body’s own healing.

A session usually happens with you fully clothed, lying or sitting comfortably, often in a quiet room with soft music.

In Therapeutic Touch, practitioners enter a meditative state and pass their hands above a person’s body to find and correct imbalances in their “life energy”. Scientific instruments have not been able to detect this energy.

Despite the name, Therapeutic Touch usually involves little or no actual touching.

Qigong is described as using exercises to optimise energy within body, mind and spirit. Unlike Reiki, you do it yourself, with gentle movement, slow breathing and focused attention.

A 2015 Cochrane review found only three small trials. It concluded there is not enough evidence to say whether Reiki is useful for people with anxiety or depression.

A 2022 review of 14 placebo-controlled trials reported that Reiki did better than a placebo for some mental health symptoms. But there were only a few studies in each area, and the authors said the findings are inconclusive.

A 2025 analysis of randomised trials with 661 people found a small improvement in quality of life after Reiki. The size of the effect was modest.

Small effects can come from many things in a session, like rest, quiet and caring attention, not only from the method itself.

A 2026 review of Reiki and Therapeutic Touch in palliative care found some studies reported less pain, anxiety and stress, and people described feeling relaxed and supported. But the certainty of evidence was very low, so no firm conclusions could be drawn.

A 2021 review of 21 recent Therapeutic Touch studies found that most had serious flaws. Only four had a low risk of bias, and no high-quality evidence was found for any benefit claimed.

An earlier Cochrane review (since withdrawn) found no robust evidence that Therapeutic Touch helps wounds heal.

In a study published in JAMA in 1998, 21 Therapeutic Touch practitioners put their hands through a screen. A researcher held her hand over one of theirs, chosen by a coin toss. Practitioners had to say which hand felt her “energy field”.

They chose correctly 44% of the time over 280 tries, which is close to the 50% you’d get by guessing. The lead author was a child at the time, doing a science fair project.

Lying still and relaxing can bring warmth, tingling, heaviness or emotion. These are normal body responses to rest and attention.

Feeling something doesn’t prove an energy field is involved. It shows how strongly the body responds to calm, safety and care.

A placebo effect is a real improvement in symptoms after a treatment with no active ingredient. It involves the brain releasing chemicals like endorphins and dopamine.

Placebo effects mostly help with symptoms the brain shapes, like pain, stress-related sleep problems, tiredness and nausea. They can’t shrink a tumour or cure a disease.

The ritual of treatment, like a visit and caring attention from a practitioner, can change how people feel their symptoms.

A quiet room, soft music, someone focused kindly on you, and permission to rest for an hour are all calming in their own right.

When you relax, your body can shift from its “alarm” state into its “rest” state. The “Stress & your brain” guide explains how.

You can get many of these same calming effects for free, at home, with skills like slow breathing and muscle relaxation.

NCCIH advises not using an unproven practice to put off seeing a health care provider. Talk with your providers before deciding not to use a proven treatment, because stopping or not starting it can have serious consequences.

Be cautious if you’re pushed to buy many sessions upfront, pay for expensive “levels” or courses, or told you’ll get worse if you stop.

You never owe anyone more sessions. It’s okay to stop at any time.

Your rights in any session

• Ask for hands-off (hovering) only
• Ask what will happen before it starts
• Say no to touch on any part of your body
• Stay fully clothed
• Stop the session at any time

A practitioner shouldn’t diagnose physical or mental health conditions, or tell you what trauma you “must” have had. Only qualified health professionals can assess your health.

Reiki and Therapeutic Touch are sometimes offered in palliative and end-of-life care, as comfort alongside medical care.

If you’re offered it during treatment, it’s fine to say yes or no. Ask your care team any questions you have.

Some people see energy healing as spiritual. Others feel it doesn’t fit their faith. Both are valid. You can talk it over with someone you trust, such as a faith leader.

A large 2024 review found yoga and tai chi or qigong eased depression, though the quality of studies varied.

Slow breathing, progressive muscle relaxation and grounding can calm the body’s stress response, and you can do them yourself at no cost.

The American College of Physicians lists massage among first options for short-term low-back pain (low-quality evidence).

A therapist can help with anxiety, low mood and coping with pain, using approaches like cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). They can also help you find what works for you.

Mocking or arguing usually pushes people away. Ask what they get from it. Often it’s rest, comfort, hope or feeling cared for, which are real needs.

Things you could say

• “I’m glad it helps you relax.”
• “Is your doctor in the loop too?”
• “What do you like about it?”

Concern is fair if someone is skipping treatment, spending money they can’t afford, or being pressured. Share your worry calmly, focusing on their wellbeing.

You could say

• “I care about you, and I’m worried about the cost.”
• “Could you try both, and keep your appointments too?”
• “Would you like me to come with you to your next doctor’s visit?”

You might say, “It helps me relax, and I’m still seeing my doctor.” You don’t owe anyone a debate about how you look after yourself.