If you have heard about Reiki but still don’t understand what it is, you are not alone. This ancient Japanese healing therapy is being talked about more and more as western cultures like ours seek to explore holistic ways to heal not just our bodies but our “whole selves”—body, mind and spirit.

I am a Reiki Master—and the first to admit that initially I didn’t embrace this designation. I was skeptical, yet inescapably drawn to energy work. I noticed energy daily in my personal life and as a massage therapist—feeling heat and vibrations in my hands as I worked. I felt and experienced the emotional energy of others and learned to create crucial boundaries in my work as a social worker. Energy was obvious to me and all around me, yet I was reluctant to embrace it. It is only recently that I have started to acknowledge why sharing my awareness of energy, chakras and auras felt uncomfortable.

I was fearful that I would be viewed as unprofessional or “wacky.” I was reluctant to label “my” form of energy work and be connected to an organized group. And on some level, I think I was afraid to even recognize this as real within myself. Because of this, or maybe despite this, I chose to study Reiki to find a way to explain to others what I was experiencing. As I dug deeper into my studies things began to shift for me. I began to experience the powerful simplicity of working with Reiki, and I met many, many others who have validated my own experiences. I have been able to integrate energy work into my practice as a therapist, massage therapist and Reiki practitioner. And I have created and facilitated numerous educational and experiential exercises, workshops, support groups and Reiki classes to help people explore the connections between their mind, body, spirit and emotions.

So, what is Reiki? The simple description is that Rei (universal or higher wisdom) Ki (life energy) is a gentle treatment modality that has been used throughout history to encourage balance, harmony and healing. Reiki practitioners are attuned to facilitate the client’s natural healing process through gentle touch above or lightly on the fully clothed client. Some of the benefits that people have described to me include feelings of relaxation, decreased pain, overall increased feelings of well-being and awareness, or clarity of how to move forward in tackling an issue that has left them feeling out of balance.

There is a growing interest in studying how Reiki may be helpful as an integrative therapy for healing in our modern health care system. More research needs to be done, but there are some studies that indicate cancer patients report improvements in quality-of-life metrics such as decreased anxiety, stress and pain.

As a co-chair of the Integrative Oncology SIG, I am very excited to let you know that our colleague Eva Marie Morse, Oncology Reiki Therapist/Reiki Master, will be presenting on Reiki at this year’s AOSW Annual Conference in Atlanta. Eva has been working with Reiki for many years and has pioneered a program at her local hospital in Kentucky. About the presentation Eva says, “Come explore current research and case studies, gain tips and tools for your organization and for your own practice, and experience Reiki therapy for yourself! This is a presentation you’ll be buzzing about. The Integrative Oncology SIG session will be offered for CEUs. Anyone interested in the topic is welcome to attend.”

I am grateful to have the opportunity to share a little bit about Reiki and finally speak openly about this topic. In some ways I feel as though the closet door has opened up for me. I would love to encourage others to be open to this healing energetic work as well. As research into the benefits of Reiki continues, the Integrative Oncology SIG will add additional articles so AOSW members can remain informed about the newest developments. We will be adding links to relevant articles on our forum and resource list very soon. In the meantime, please contribute your ideas and expertise to our SIG forum so all of us can learn new ways to increase the provision of integrative oncology care for our patients and their families.