What is Reiki healing and what does a session actually feel like?
Reiki is one of those things a lot of people have heard of but aren't quite sure about. It can sound a bit vague from the outside — something to do with energy and hands — and if you've never experienced it, it's hard to know whether it's for you.
So here's a straightforward explanation of what it actually is, what tends to happen in a session, and the kind of person who usually finds it helpful.
What is Reiki?
Reiki is a Japanese healing practice that was developed in the early 20th century by a man called Mikao Usui. The word itself combines two Japanese concepts: rei, meaning universal or spiritual, and ki, meaning life force energy. Ki is the vital energy that is believed to flow through all living things, and Reiki works on the premise that when this energy is blocked or out of balance, we feel it. Not always in obvious ways, but in the kind of low-level, hard-to-name way that shows up as tension, fatigue, anxiety, or just a persistent feeling of being off.
A Reiki practitioner works by channelling energy through their hands, placing them gently on or slightly above different areas of the body. The intention is to support the body's own capacity to regulate and heal itself, rather than to fix or override anything.
What actually happens in a session?
You arrive, have a brief conversation about how you are feeling and what you are hoping to get from the session, and then lie fully clothed on a treatment table. It is quiet, and there is no pressure to talk or process anything out loud.
The practitioner moves through a sequence of hand positions across the body, spending a few minutes in each area. You do not need to do anything in particular. Most people close their eyes and let themselves rest.
What people notice during a session varies a lot. Some people feel warmth or a gentle tingling. Some feel a heaviness in their body, that sense of finally being able to put something down. Some feel emotional without entirely knowing why. Some feel very little at the time and notice the shift afterwards, in their sleep, their mood, or a quietness they had not expected.
There is no right way to experience it, and nothing is required of you except a willingness to be there.
Who tends to find Reiki helpful?
Reiki works well for a wide range of people, but it tends to be particularly supportive for those who are carrying a lot and have not found a way to put it down yet. A lot of people come because they are exhausted in a way that sleep is not fixing. Others are going through grief, a big life change, or a period of feeling stuck. Some are already doing other therapeutic work and want something gentler to sit alongside it.
Because it is non-invasive and does not require you to talk or analyse, it can be a good starting point for people who are in the earlier stages of healing and need to feel safe before they can go deeper. It is also a genuinely good option if you are someone who finds it hard to switch off, because there is something about the quality of stillness in a Reiki session that is difficult to access on your own.
How is trauma-informed Reiki different?
A trauma-informed approach means the practitioner is paying attention not just to energy but to your nervous system throughout the session. The pace, the touch, and the whole experience are shaped around what feels safe for you specifically. Nothing is imposed, and there is no expectation that you release or process anything in a particular way.
The session is always led by you, even if you do not say a word. Your body sets the pace.
How many sessions do you need?
There is no set answer to this. Some people come once, as a standalone experience of deep rest, and that is enough. Others find that returning regularly over a period of time creates a more sustained shift, particularly when working through anxiety, burnout, or the longer-term effects of stress or trauma.
I would always suggest starting with one session and seeing how you feel. Most people find their body gives them a fairly clear answer about whether it wants more.
Where I offer Reiki
I offer Reiki sessions in person across Richmond, Teddington and Kingston in South West London, and online. Sessions are always shaped around what you need on the day and sometimes draw on breathwork, Qigong or somatic practices alongside the Reiki itself.
If you have questions before booking, feel free to get in touch. There is no obligation, just a conversation.
Find out more about Reiki sessions →
Make Soul Space offers trauma-informed healing sessions in Richmond, Teddington and Kingston, and online. Sessions include Reiki, breathwork, Qigong, therapeutic yoga and somatic release.
