One of my students is involved in helping people with Addiction and Recovery and asked me to write an article for her website. http://you-calyptus.com/index.php/2019/08/12/reiki-and-addiction-by-reiki-master-teacher-and-non-dual-healer-donna-miller-small-www-reikinewyork-com/ This was an opportunity for me to further research this important topic with a focus on Reiki and Addiction.   I’d like to share how Reiki can help you or a loved one who might be dealing with or recovering from addiction.

What is Reiki, and where and how is it used?

A Japanese technique, Reiki reduces stress and promotes relaxation and healing. It works on the physical, mental /emotional, and spiritual levels. Reiki has been used successfully in many prominent medical settings.  These range from hospitals such as Columbia Presbyterian, Sloan Kettering, Beth Israel and Georgetown University to the Palliative Care Unit of NIH ( National Institute of Health) in Bethesda Md. To learn more about Reiki: https://reikinewyork.com/about-reiki/.

While Reiki is never a replacement for medical intervention, it serves as a powerful adjunct to other major treatments.  Simple to administer and effortless to receive, Reiki requires only that the practitioner use light hand placements on or near the body to transmit healing energy to the client who lies fully clothed on a massage table.

How Can Reiki help with an Addiction?

Reiki supports people going through recovery by enhancing their current treatment program.  Just as Reiki therapy complements cancer treatment, it can be used as a support during the recovery process.

How Reiki helps on three levels – the physical, mental and spiritual

Addiction, whether to drugs, food, alcohol, nicotine etc. is a daily challenge to the individual physically, mentally and emotionally. Below, I’ll address how Reiki heals on these different levels.

On the physical level, Reiki therapy for addiction may help minimize the pain and discomfort that is associated with the detox process.  Headaches, insomnia, body muscle aches, tremors, nausea, anxiety and depression are common withdrawal symptoms.  Reiki with its non-invasive effect has been known to help.   A study published by the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine found that heart rate and diastolic blood pressure readings decreased in people who received Reiki treatments compared to people who received placebo treatments.  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15674004

On the mental level, addicts suffer psychologically, often plagued by negative self-image coupled with toxic thoughts.  Reiki, with its calming effect, brings peace and comfort, so clients can progress in their recovery process.

On the spiritual level, those in recovery often feel they are coming back to a new, different self. As a tool for support, Reiki can help facilitate the transition to this sometimes daunting new life paradigm. Reiki also works on this level in another way by subtly addressing the deeper causes that drive people to destructive behaviors.

 

Where has Reiki been used to help with addiction and recovery?

Lynette Burkert, a Reiki Practitioner, writes about her experiences using Reiki at Hope Ranch, a drug and alcohol treatment center in Triangle Lake, Oregon.  She relates that during this time she became a counselor and administered over 1,500 Reiki sessions with addicts and alcoholics in different stages of recovery – from early detoxification to years of sobriety: https://www.reiki.org/reikinews/reikin20.html .

 

Why learn Reiki? 

It could be helpful to take a class because Reiki can be used for self-treatment on a daily basis.  The beauty of Reiki is that is simple to learn, easy to practice and can be learned by anyone – -no special talents needed!  Level I classes are traditionally given in one day.  When I hold a Reiki class, my students not only learn it, but get a day of healing.  For more about how to find the right Reiki class please see: https://reikinewyork.com/finding-the-right-reiki-class/

 

I hope this article has given you a perspective on how Reiki can help you or a loved one in recovery from addiction.  For more information and to see this post: http://you-calyptus.com/index.php/2019/08/12/reiki-and-addiction-by-reiki-master-teacher-and-non-dual-healer-donna-miller-small-www-reikinewyork-com/.