Reiki

What to Expect at Your First Reiki Session

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Expect to stay fully clothed, usually lying on a padded table, while the practitioner places their hands on or just above a series of positions on your body. According to the International Center for Reiki Training, each position is held for three to ten minutes and a full treatment lasts between 45 and 90 minutes. There is little to prepare beyond knowing what you want from the session and keeping your usual medical care in place.

Before the session

A brief conversation is a reasonable start: what brings you in, any health conditions, and whether you are comfortable with light touch or would prefer hands held just above the body. If you have a medical or psychological condition, the ICRT itself says you do not need to stop seeing your regular doctor or psychologist, and recommends seeing a licensed health care professional alongside any Reiki treatment.

During the session

The ICRT’s description of a treatment is straightforward:

  • Position: you usually lie on a massage table, though treatments can also be given seated or standing.
  • Clothing: you remain fully clothed.
  • Hand positions: the practitioner places their hands on or near your body in a sequence that includes positions around the head and shoulders, the stomach and the feet, sometimes adding others.
  • Timing: each position is held for three to ten minutes, for 45 to 90 minutes in total.

You do not need to do anything during the session.

After the session

The ICRT says people feel refreshed at the end of a treatment. On safety, the NCCIH page on Reiki says Reiki has not been shown to have any harmful effects. If you feel unwell afterward, treat it as you would any other symptom and contact a doctor if it persists, rather than assuming it is part of the session.

What does it cost?

The ICRT puts a typical treatment at between $25 and $100, depending on the area, and notes that some practitioners work for free or for a donation. In a hospital setting, prices can be higher: the Wikipedia article on Reiki cites a 2014 Washington Post report that at least 60 US hospitals offered Reiki at between $40 and $300 per session. Those figures are more than a decade old, so ask about current prices.

A checklist before you book

Confirm the length and price of the session. Ask whether the practitioner uses hands-on or hands-off positions, and say which you prefer. Tell them about any health conditions. Keep any prescribed treatment going, and treat the session as something extra rather than a replacement.

This article is general information, not medical or psychological advice; talk with a licensed clinician about your own situation.

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