What Happens When You Combine Psychotherapy with Reiki?

Here's something you might not expect to hear from a licensed therapist: sometimes talk therapy alone isn’t enough. As much as I love holding space for insight, processing, and emotional growth, I’ve also learned that healing doesn’t just live in the mind. It lives in the body. It lives in the nervous system. It lives in the energetic imprints we carry (often unconsciously).

 

That’s why I started integrating Reiki into my therapy practice. It’s honestly been a game-changer.

 

Before I ever became a therapist, I was a client. I know what it’s like to crave peace when your thoughts are racing, to want relief from anxiety that seems to live in your bones. Traditional therapy certainly helped, but when I started exploring energy healing through Reiki, I found something I didn’t know I was missing. Stillness. Softness. A way to feel safe in my own body again.

 

Now, I offer that same experience to my clients—and the shifts I witness are nothing short of beautiful.

 

What Is Reiki, and How Can It Support Therapy?

Reiki is a Japanese energy healing practice that gently encourages balance in the body, mind, and spirit. It’s subtle, but powerful. Rather than focusing on “fixing” a symptom, Reiki invites the body into a relaxed, receptive state where healing can happen more naturally. Think of it as a quiet invitation to regulate the nervous system and reconnect with your inner self.

 

When paired with therapy, Reiki doesn’t replace the talk-based work. It supports it. It softens the edges. It helps clients integrate what they’re learning cognitively on a deeper, somatic level.

 

And in a world that constantly asks us to be in our heads, that kind of embodied support is deeply healing. 

 

The Benefits of Combining Reiki and Therapy

1. Deepening Emotional Processing
Sometimes clients are working through trauma, grief, or chronic stress and end find it difficult to put their experiences into words. Reiki provides an opportunity to keep moving through the healing process, even when talking becomes too much. It meets people where they are, without demanding anything from them. That in itself is healing.

 

2. Calming the Nervous System
We live in a world that rarely lets us slow down. Reiki encourages a state of rest and regulation, which can reduce symptoms of anxiety, insomnia, and even chronic pain. When the nervous system feels safe, therapy becomes more accessible and effective.

 

3. Reconnecting With the Body
Many people come to therapy feeling disconnected from their physical selves, especially if they’ve experienced trauma. Reiki helps restore that connection gently. There’s no need to relive or retell painful stories in order to access healing. The body gets to lead.

 

4. Enhancing Intuition and Self-Trust
Something magical happens when clients begin to tune in to their own energetic shifts. They start to notice what feels heavy, what brings peace, and what needs their attention. Reiki doesn’t just support healing; it helps people trust their own inner wisdom. That’s huge in therapeutic work.

 

5. Creating a Ritual of Care
Therapy is already a sacred space. Adding Reiki brings a layer of intentionality that can feel ceremonial in the best way. Clients often describe sessions as grounding, soothing, or like “pressing a reset button.” That kind of nourishment makes a difference, especially in long-term mental health care. 

 

A Holistic Approach to Mental Health

The combination of Reiki and therapy is not about being trendy or alternative for the sake of it. It’s about honoring the full scope of what healing truly requires: Mind, body, spirit. All of it matters.

 

In my practice, I stay rooted in evidence-based therapy approaches, while creating space for energetic healing when it feels supportive. Every session is guided by the client’s needs and consent. This isn’t one-size-fits-all work. It’s tailored, intuitive, and deeply relational.

 

Because here’s the truth: you don’t have to choose between science and soul. You get to have both. 

 

If you're curious about what Reiki in therapy might feel like, or you’re already on a healing path and looking for deeper support, I’d be honored to hold space for you. Integrative therapy has changed my life, and I’ve seen it change the lives of so many others, too.

 

You deserve to feel whole.