Can Reiki Help Trauma?

Trauma changes us. Sometimes it’s a single event; sometimes it’s years of stress or harm. Either way, it can live in the body as tension, in the mind as worry, and in the spirit as a heaviness that feels hard to shake.

At Morrigan’s Nest Holistics, we believe healing happens on many levels, and that’s where Reiki can play a gentle but powerful role.

What is Reiki?

Reiki is a Japanese energy-healing practice that supports your body’s natural ability to restore balance. A practitioner places their hands lightly on or just above your body, allowing energy to flow where it’s needed. It’s safe, non-invasive, and can be done in person or at a distance.

For trauma survivors, Reiki offers a space to rest deeply, release tension, and reconnect with a sense of safety.

What the Research Says

A review published in Global Advances in Health and Medicine found Reiki can help with:

• Reducing anxiety, pain, and depression

• Improving vital signs (like heart rate and blood pressure)

• Supporting postoperative recovery when given consistently over several days

One fascinating study found distant Reiki sessions reduced pain and improved daily function for people with herniated discs, results similar to physical therapy and better than medication alone. Reiki was also cost-effective and free of harmful side effects.

How Reiki Might Help with Trauma

When you’ve experienced trauma, your nervous system can get stuck in “fight, flight, or freeze” mode. Reiki sessions often activate the parasympathetic nervous system, the “rest and digest” state, which helps:

• Calm the mind

• Release muscle tension

• Support emotional regulation

• Restore a sense of grounding and safety

From an energetic perspective, trauma can leave “blockages” in our system. Reiki gently moves stagnant energy, making room for peace, clarity, and emotional release.

The Power of Combining Massage, Hypnosis, and Reiki

While Reiki alone can help calm the nervous system, pairing it with other modalities can amplify the benefits — especially for trauma healing. In our practice, we sometimes combine gentle therapeutic massage to release stored tension in the muscles, hypnotherapy to shift unhelpful subconscious patterns, and Reiki to restore energetic balance. This multi-layered approach works on the physical, mental, and energetic levels all at once. For many clients, this blend creates deeper relaxation, faster relief from chronic stress patterns, and a greater sense of empowerment on their healing journey.

Reiki in Our Practice

At Morrigan’s Nest Holistics, we approach Reiki through a trauma-informed lens. That means:

• You’re always in control of your session, we move at your pace

• We create a safe, comfortable environment, whether in-person or remote

• Sessions may be combined with grounding techniques, breathwork, or other holistic supports

Clients often describe feeling lighter, calmer, and more present after Reiki, even if they came in feeling anxious or tense.

A Gentle Complement, Not a Replacement

Reiki is not a substitute for therapy, medical care, or crisis support. But it can be a nurturing companion on your healing journey,  a way to soften the edges, regulate your body, and reconnect with yourself.

Ready to Explore Reiki?

If you’re curious about how Reiki might support your trauma recovery, we’d love to hold that space for you. Book a session, in person or distance, stand alone, or combined with other modalities,  and take the next step toward healing in mind, body, and spirit.

Your healing matters.