Why Reiki Works: Exploring the Physiology of Energetic Healing

I didn’t plan to become a Reiki practitioner.

In fact, when I walked into my first Reiki session, I was deeply skeptical. I had been navigating chronic pain for years—pain that no one could quite explain, and that no medication seemed to touch. I was open to healing, but unsure how waving hands over a body could possibly create any real change.

But it did. And not just a little.

Let me take you back for a moment.

My Journey

At 19, I was diagnosed with cancer. I had also spent my childhood exposed to the deep undercurrents of generational trauma. At 21, I woke up one cold February morning in intense pain, muscle spasms across my body, collapsed arches in my feet, and x-rays that even showed the severity of the strain. Physical therapy, acupuncture, chiropractic care, and drastic dietary changes helped, but only a little. The flare-ups kept coming. My providers were puzzled, but incredibly supportive and helped me the best way they knew how to address the pain.

At the time, I was pursuing a nursing degree, but I had to be honest with myself: my body couldn’t manage the physical demands of the job. So, I pivoted.

Years later, I attended an EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) training. During the training, I processed a single memory using the method we were learning, and that night, I slept better than I had in years. I woke up to a body that felt, for the first time, calm and free of tension. That moment changed everything. I began to understand how deeply my trauma had been stored in my body and how powerful it was to release it.

Over the next four years, I pursued EMDR training and education as well as therapy for myself, gradually working through the backlog of experiences that my body had been carrying. With each session, my pain began to ease. I was reconnecting to myself, and for the first time in a long time, I had hope.

My First Experience with Reiki

In 2024, I decided, almost on a whim, to book a Reiki session. I didn’t read about it beforehand. I didn’t want to invite the placebo effect or bias my experience. I just went.

The session itself was quiet and simple. I left feeling tired and wired, a strange combination that lasted for a couple days. It wasn’t what I expected. But what happened next surprised me: my pain decreased. My sleep improved. My digestion calmed. I felt lighter, more grounded, more myself.

Still skeptical, I pursued my Reiki Level 1 and Level 2 attunements with Rachel Squire at Innerconnections Healing in West Ashley. Supportive and patient through the skepticism, she held space for me in the process of being present. This left the door open for my doubt to turn into curiosity. Again, I had that wired, unsettled sensation, but on a much larger scale and for two whole weeks, but this time, I recognized it for what it was: stagnant energy moving through my system. The readings I had done from Bessel van der Kolk's "The Body Keeps the Score" played over in my mind. Over the days that followed, I experienced better energy, improved mood, and a deep sense of being at home in my body.

So... What Is Reiki, and How Does It Work?

Reiki is often described as an energy-based practice, but that phrase can feel abstract. So let’s talk about the science. From my research, this is what I understand it to be...

Every living being produces an electromagnetic field. It’s a natural result of electrical activity in the body, especially in the heart and brain. In fact, science shows that this field can extend 3 to 4 feet from the body. This is why we can often feel the mood in a room, whether we’re walking into a joyful celebration or sensing tension from a recent argument. These are real, measurable energetic shifts.

When we’re regulated, our breath and heart rate settle into predictable, calming rhythms. Specific frequencies (measured in hertz) that tell the body it’s safe. This allows our parasympathetic nervous system, the "rest and digest" state, to activate. Blood flow returns to the digestive system, sleep improves, and healing begins.

Here’s what’s even more fascinating: when one person is in a regulated, coherent state, their electromagnetic field can positively influence the nervous system of someone nearby. This is known as co-regulation, and it’s something Reiki practitioners intentionally facilitate.

Reiki supports the body in entering that healing state. When we’re lying on a Reiki table, not under threat, and no longer spending energy on vigilance, the body redirects its resources toward restoration. For those with chronic stress, trauma, pain, or dysregulation, this shift is incredibly powerful.

The Endocrine System Connection

Reiki also works along the endocrine system, which governs hormone production and regulation. The traditional hand placements used in Reiki sessions correspond closely to major endocrine glands, such as the thyroid, pituitary, adrenals, and pancreas. This alignment wasn’t accidental. Reiki was founded in 1922 by Mikao Usui in Japan, and although it didn’t use Western medical terms, the practice reflected a profound understanding of how energy flows through and impacts the body’s regulatory systems.

These glands influence everything from stress response and digestion to mood and sleep. By promoting energetic balance in these areas, Reiki helps the body move toward internal equilibrium.

What I’ve Learned—and What I Now Offer

Reiki has taught me to let go of control and allow healing to unfold. I didn’t need to understand it fully to experience its effects. That was one of the most humbling and beautiful lessons I’ve received. Not just as a therapist, but as a person.

I should note that none of this is to say that Reiki is some magic cure and should be used in lieu of medical treatment or mental health therapy. It is a compliment to any other self-care approach you might use.

To round out the emotional and energetic elements I see and support my clients through every day, I now offer Reiki as a stand-alone service or as an integrative part of therapy sessions here at Tides Therapy & Consulting. You don’t have to believe anything specific. You just have to show up as you are.

Every healing journey is different. This has been mine. I’d be honored to support you in yours.

Interested in Reiki or curious if it’s right for you? Check out my page for a deeper explanation or book a session and give it a try.