Reiki, a form of energy healing, can be a powerful tool for improving mental health by promoting relaxation, reducing stress, and balancing emotional energy. This gentle practice involves a trained practitioner channeling healing energy through light touch or by hovering hands over the body, helping to release blocked energy and create a sense of calm. Many people who experience anxiety, depression, or overwhelming emotions find that Reiki sessions provide a soothing environment to reset and reconnect with themselves. By encouraging a state of deep relaxation, Reiki helps reduce tension, quiet the mind, and foster a sense of inner peace, making it a supportive complement to traditional mental health treatments. Contact Seaglass today to learn more about the value of Reiki and mental health treatment.
What Is Reiki?
Reiki is a Japanese practice that holistically heals and benefits the body, mind, and spirit. It was developed by a Buddhist monk in Japan, but Reiki doesn’t connect to any religion. In essence, Reiki is based on energy healing. This alternative healing practice carries the belief that each person contains a “life-force energy” that corresponds to their wellness. Low energy is equivalent to sickness, including addiction and mental illness. Thus, the aim of Reiki treatment is to bring the energy up high again. At Seaglass, we utilize Reiki as a complementary healing method to be combined with traditional therapy and medication management. Reiki has benefits for mental health, like mood disorders, behavioral disorders, and stress.
Reiki as a Long-Term Treatment for Mental Health
As with many alternative healing practices, true wellness is developed over time. Consistency certainly has a positive effect on your mental, physical, and spiritual well-being. Thus, we recommend Reiki as a long-term complementary practice for the best effects. Individuals who participate in only one or two sessions won’t experience the full results of Reiki on their body and energy. It is not a one-session quick fix for an illness. In essence, Reiki is a health journey that we help take our guests on during their time in our center. Additionally, after they complete our levels of care and graduate from rehab, individuals can remain connected to Reiki by finding a Reiki studio.
How Does Reiki for Mental Health Work?
As mentioned, Reiki sessions focus on improving one’s internal energy. Reiki does this by moving energy throughout the body in a massage-style practice. Yet, it uses touching and light pressing rather than kneading or rubbing. Reiki therapists place their hands in different positions on or above the client’s body. Importantly, Reiki sessions are relaxing and calming to reduce anxiety and stress. Similar to the environment of a massage studio, Reiki sessions allow you to relax with calming music, scents, and lighting.
Reiki Sessions with a Therapist
Individuals undergo Reiki sessions with a holistic therapist who is trained in Reiki healing. You shouldn’t expect to feel pain because Reiki therapists use only light touching around your body. Yet, you can let them know what areas you’d like to focus on before or during your session. However, Reiki hand positions typically span the entire body, from head to feet. At Seaglass, you can consistently participate in Reiki, regardless of whether you struggle with addiction or mental illness.
Reiki and Mental Health: How Does It Help?
If you’re wondering what Reiki’s benefits are on mental health, this is a common question to ask about any alternative healing method. Reiki helps to foster strong mental health by focusing on energy flow, elimination of toxins, and balancing of the body. According to various studies done on Reiki and mental health, the practice can improve stress, anxiety, depression, and trauma symptoms. Notably, through regular Reiki healing sessions, you can build upon previous sessions for whole-body improvement.
Stress Reduction
People of all backgrounds and situations can benefit from Reiki for stress. Simply, stress is the body’s response to feeling overwhelmed and out of control. It can severely impact a person and send them into poor mental health. Reiki helps to decrease individuals’ stress levels through treatment sessions. Simply partaking in a Reiki session is a relaxing experience, similar to a massage treatment. Yet, as your Reiki therapist moves around your body, expect to feel a deeper sense of calm.
Anxiety Reduction
Similarly, Reiki is a beneficial treatment for anxiety when combined with evidence-based therapy for mental illness. Just as Reiki sessions are a calming and relaxing experience for stress, they can help individuals with anxiety disorders. Notably, Reiki for anxiety has been studied to show an improvement in stress symptoms in both the body and mind. As part of treatment, clients can participate in Reiki meditation to help themselves be engaged and “unblocked” during and after sessions.
Improves Depression Symptoms
Depression is a common mental health disorder that affects more women than men. In fact, women are 2-3 times more likely to develop depression, with one in eight women developing a depressive disorder. Depression often includes symptoms of sadness, hopelessness, anxiety, and physical ailments. Notably, Reiki for depression is a beneficial complementary therapy because it helps calm the nervous system. As such, it helps to reduce mood symptoms and place the individual in a more balanced state.
Improves Trauma Symptoms
Individuals with trauma can also benefit from Reiki sessions. People with trauma often block their feelings and hide their symptoms. Yet, blocked trauma can never be fully healed and will fester over time. We provide trauma-informed care at Seaglass. When Reiki is utilized, individuals experience greater emotional openness and recovery.
Promotes Emotional Resilience
Above all, Reiki is believed to promote emotional resilience through multiple sessions. This ancient practice is intended to offer ongoing, long-term support in addition to other holistic healing activities. At Seaglass, we walk women down the path of emotional healing and maturity by providing tools and skills to maintain their health. As they grow on their recovery journey, Reiki is a beneficial holistic rehab treatment that encourages deeper wellness.
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Who Is Reiki Right For?
Anyone can benefit from holistic therapies like Reiki, which promotes healing of the mind, body, and spirit. Regardless of whether you have a history of mental illness, substance abuse, or dual diagnosis, Reiki can help. To receive the most from Reiki and other complementary therapies, we help our guests focus on their holistic wellness in other ways. This way, they prioritize their mental, physical, and spiritual wellness most effectively. For instance, we teach simple practices like healthy eating, nature therapy, meditation, and journaling for mental health. If you have questions about our holistic therapy options, including Reiki, please reach out to our intake team.
Other Options for Women’s Mental Health Treatment
The effects of Reiki on issues like mental health and chronic pain can be very helpful. Reiki and mental health go hand in hand when it comes to healing. Reiki therapy conducted by professional Reiki practitioners reduces stress, alleviates symptoms of anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, or depression, and helps someone feel great about themselves and their lives.
This form of energy healing on its own is not the best way to overcome your mental illness. At Seaglass, our women-only recovery center, we help guests improve their total-body wellness through a comprehensive healing approach. You can work through each of our levels of care or create a flexible and customized treatment plan.
Don’t wait to receive help for your mental illness. Please reach out today to see how our women’s recovery programming and the power of Reiki can have lasting improvement on your life!
