Reiki & Trauma Recovery
Somatic Therapies
Wilhelm Reich offered some of the earliest explorations of mind-body connection within psychotherapy in the 1930’s. Reich considered Freud’s theories around libido to be reductionist, he believed that libido is not simply sexual, but the innate natural energetic state of all living beings linked to love, joy, gratitude, and connection, he called this orgone energy. Primary impulses of this energy can be overridden by secondary impulses that disenable the body’s natural drive to connection and freedom; these secondary impulses include rejection, fear, anger, and hate. Reich believed that societal ills such as violence, fascism and war are a result of the repression of this life force energy and authoritarian systems and capitalism disable the bodies free flow of energy and therefore our drive to freedom. Reich’s theories around freedom are reminiscent of the human potential movement in the 1960’s and the self-actualising tendency which places value on personal freedom, expression, creativity, and growth.
Reich theorised that the repression or disturbance to the flow of energetic pulsation in the body results in body armour. This armour consists of constricted breathing, muscular tension, and the restriction in physical movement reminiscent of the freeze response which leads to a biopathy of illness and disease. While the free flow of energy encourages a parasympathetic nervous system response which stimulates the immune system and releases tensions from the body; Reich believed this has the potential to cure mental and physical ailments. Working with energy is an ancient art and many practices work with energy flow in the body including acupuncture, reiki, massage, yoga, breathwork, tai chi and chi gung but when Reich developed this idea in Europe in the 1930s, it was a radical and controversial concept. Reich’s work resulted in government intrusion and rejection from psychoanalytic schools. He was investigated and illegally arrested by the FBI as a German Enemy Alien on 12th December 1941 and arrested again with a conviction of contempt on 12th March 1957, he died in prison before his trial. All his printed works were burned, by court order, in a New York incinerator, many reprinted in the 1960s. Bernard Grad studied with Reich and despite being met with resistance his research in the 1960s showed an increase in the rate of wound healing and in the growth of seeds and plants exposed to healing energy.
Reich’s contributions to the development of somatic psychology have now been incorporated into many modern therapies including, bioenergetic analysis, Hakomi, Gestalt Therapy, Somatic Experiencing, and Internal Family Systems (IFS). Quantum Physicists call it bioplasma and IFS calls it self-energy. Humanistic Psychologist Carl Rogers shares ‘it seems that my inner spirit has reached out and touched the inner spirit of the other. Our relationship transcends itself, and has become a part of something larger. Profound growth and healing and energy are present’ (Rogers, 1979:6).
Hands-On Healing
Nursing Professor Dolores Krieger developed Therapeutic Touch (TT) in the 1970s which is now the most widely researched form of energy healing. Research has shown positive effects of TT on pain, nausea, anxiety, fatigue, wound healing, life quality and biochemical parameters. Usui Reiki is a traditional hands-on energy healing method founded by Mikao Usui in Japan which travelled to Britain in the early 1980’s. The Japanese characters rei, means universal spirit, and ki, means life force or energy. The belief in a universal life force energy exists across all culture, in Chinese is it known as Chi, Prana in Sanskrit, Mana in Polynesian and Inua or Sila in Inuktitut. Within reiki it is believed that the practitioner acts as a conduit for the delivery of universal energy to promote the body’s innate ability to heal emotionally, physically, and spiritually. It is believed that suppressed or depleted life force energy is associated with disease, spiritual crisis and emotional and psychological distress and that reiki can provide relief and aid in accessing inner guidance and wisdom from our higher self. Many positive mental and physical health outcomes have been reported including improved wellbeing and cognitive functioning and decreased symptoms of insomnia, fatigue, physical pain, anxiety, and depression. Reiki techniques can provide the client an opportunity to practice presence, explore the body-mind, release energy blocks and shape new reactions and behaviours through corrective experience.
Much of the research on TT, energy healing and reiki has been undertaken within the field of nursing, quantitative and focused on physical health and/or the parameters of psychological wellbeing in relation to physical health conditions. Yet trauma experts such as Arielle Schwartz, Richard Schwartz, Deb Dana, Bessell Van Der Kolk, Stephen Porges and Peter Levine identify the importance of including the body in therapy with trauma survivors. According to Levine the use of touch, either self-touch or touch by the therapist is an important part of the process in trauma healing as it can encourage a feeling of support and safety. Piha (2022) undertook a study on reiki self-healing with homeless individuals suffering from past traumatic events which found that reiki can lessen PTSD symptoms, improve health, healing, and quality of life. Hoppe (2022) found that energy healing showed positive outcomes for women experiencing intimate partner violence trauma and Lanoy (2015) reports positive effects of reiki on the PTSD symptoms of veterans. In her autobiographical book Psychotherapist and CSA survivor Garner (2019) shares how energy healing transformed her life and accelerated her healing following sexual abuse. Magnuson (2002) delivered reiki sessions and training within a therapeutic group for mothers healing from child sexual abuse and interviewed participants about their experience. Several themes were identified including reduced symptoms of trauma, increased relaxation, confidence, and self-esteem, feeling empowered in their own healing, improved relationships, and spiritual awakening. Severe, prolonged or repeated childhood trauma can alter states of consciousness resulting in self-injury, dissociative episodes, isolation, and withdrawal, reiki involves silencing the mind of thoughts, emotions & fears to induce deep relaxation, calmness and a sense of wellbeing and safety which can allow trauma survivors to access previously dissociated memories or parts of self. Embodied trauma can be alchemised through energy healing through the experience of positive lived experience providing the opportunity for posttraumatic growth.
Research indicates that energy healing practice such as reiki have the potential to offer a powerful release and transformation of trauma memories and emotions even in only a limited number of sessions. However, the integration of these experiences is an integral part of somatic and energy work that I feel is missing. Reiki training generally does not promote an understanding of working with embodied and relational trauma. Thus, for trauma survivors the experience can feel unsafe and exacerbate trauma symptoms such as anxiety, dissociation, shame, and loneliness. The opportunity to fully release energy blocks, deepen somatic awareness, practice presence and shape new reactions and behaviours can be lost. Working with a trauma-aware, person-centred and therapeutically trained practitioner could provide a more solid and safe foundation for posttraumatic growth. In the past two decades trauma experts have highlighted the importance between neurobiology and trauma. Most types of energy healing concepts, techniques and training have been around for thousands of years. The implications for reiki practitioners and those offering training is the need to update skills and knowledge to provide trauma safe practices and integrate these into modern-day teachings. If reiki practitioners offered thorough consultations, had a greater awareness, sensitivity, and training of trauma, and offered integration as an essential part of their work with clients this would support a deeper sense of healing and safety. Implications call for a trauma-informed reiki. Ebeling & Runchey (2019) interviewed energy healers for their perspectives on trauma and the findings support the need to update energy healing practices and supplemental training. Additional research on the impact of energy healing for trauma survivors would be beneficial and researchers may consider studying the impact of energy healing for trauma survivors within a setting where the practitioner is both reiki and therapeutically trauma trained such as in the fields of counselling and psychotherapy.
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