Reiki and holistic therapies

Reiki is a gentle, hands-on therapy. You lie down fully clothed while the practitioner rests their hands lightly on or just above you, and most people simply find it deeply restful. It belongs to a wider family of holistic therapies, from Bowen and craniosacral therapy to yoga and mindfulness, that people choose for calm, rest and time for themselves. Many of these practitioners are on professional registers with training standards and a code of conduct, so choosing one with confidence is easy.

What a reiki session is like

A first session starts with a friendly chat about how you're feeling and what you'd like from the time. The practitioner explains what will happen and answers any questions.

You then lie on a treatment couch, fully clothed, with a blanket if you like. Soft music often plays. The practitioner places their hands lightly on, or just above, a series of positions from the head down to the feet, staying in each for a few minutes. There is no massage or manipulation, and you can ask them not to touch you at all.

People describe feeling warmth, gentle tingling, or simply very relaxed, and many fall asleep. A session usually lasts about an hour. Some practitioners also offer reiki at a distance, by video call or at an agreed time.

Other holistic therapies at a glance

• Bowen: a series of gentle, rolling moves over muscles, with short pauses in between while you rest. It can be given through light clothing.
• Kinesiology: the practitioner uses gentle muscle testing, pressing lightly on an arm or leg, to guide a session that may include advice on lifestyle and wellbeing.
• Craniosacral therapy: very light, still touch, mostly around the head, spine and base of the back, while you lie clothed on a couch.
• Alexander technique: one-to-one lessons in which a teacher helps you notice and ease habits of tension in how you sit, stand and move.
• Healing: similar in feel to reiki, a calm hands-on or hands-off session to help you rest.
• Yoga: classes or private sessions of movement, breathing and relaxation. Yoga therapists work one-to-one, shaping the practice around you.
• Meditation and mindfulness: courses or one-to-one teaching in simple ways to settle the mind and pay attention to the present moment. Many courses run over eight weeks.

What people come for

People most often come to a reiki or holistic practitioner for:

• Relaxation and rest
• Stress
• Feeling calmer
• Sleep
• Time for themselves
• A sense of balance and wellbeing
• Posture and moving more easily
• Support through a difficult time
• Learning to switch off

Recognised in NHS guidance. NICE, which advises the NHS, includes group mindfulness and meditation courses, such as mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, among the options to discuss with people who have less severe depression. These are structured programmes led by trained practitioners, usually eight sessions long.

Alongside the rest of your care

Reiki and holistic therapies sit comfortably alongside the rest of your care. They are a calm space for you, not a replacement for your GP, so if you have symptoms that haven't been looked at yet, see your doctor as well. Your practitioner will ask about your health at the first session and will be glad to fit in around any treatment you are having.

How many sessions, and what it costs

Some people book a single reiki session as a treat, and others come regularly, often every week or two for a while and then as they feel they need it. The Alexander technique is usually learned over a series of lessons, and mindfulness and yoga are often taught as courses or weekly classes.

Many reiki practitioners charge around £50 to £70 for an hour. Prices range more widely, from about £15 to £100, depending on where you are and the length of the session, and a first visit can take a little longer. For other holistic therapies, practices list their prices, and many offer packages or a free first chat.

Professional registers

Holistic therapies in the UK are self-regulated through professional registers and bodies. They set training standards and have codes of conduct, and most have a public search so you can look a practitioner up in moments.

• CNHC (the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council) runs a register accredited by the Professional Standards Authority, the body that oversees the UK's health regulators. It registers reiki practitioners, healers, Bowen therapists, kinesiologists, craniosacral therapists, Alexander technique teachers, shiatsu therapists and yoga therapists.
• For reiki, The Reiki Association and the UK Reiki Federation are professional bodies, and both work with CNHC on checking reiki training.
• The Bowen Association UK lists practitioners who are fully qualified and insured and who keep up their training every year.
• The Kinesiology Federation is a professional body for kinesiology and works with CNHC on checking training.
• The Society of Teachers of the Alexander Technique (STAT) has a find-a-teacher search.
• The British Association of Mindfulness-Based Approaches (BAMBA) keeps a register of mindfulness teachers who meet its good practice guidelines.

Choosing your practitioner

Holistic practitioners are happy to talk about how they work. Good things to ask at a first chat:

1. Where did you train, and which qualification do you hold?
2. Which register or professional body are you a member of?
3. Do you have professional insurance?
4. What will a session be like, and how long does it last?
5. How often do people usually come, and what does it cost?
6. Do you offer a free first chat?

Want to look someone up? Check a practitioner's registration → every regulator and register in one place, with links to their public searches.

Common questions