What is Reiki and How Does it Help Us in the Fight Against Cancer
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Dear Patients, Friends, & Family,
We rigorously and consistently scour the data looking for modalities and techniques that can offer true healing for our patients with the goal of optimal wellness. We love our oncologists, but our field is unfortunately not comprehensive enough when considering safe, non-toxic, and gentle therapies that can have profound long-lasting effects, during treatment AND in survivorship.
Here at AIM, we aren’t interested in survivorship, but thrivorship. We want to see our patients become optimally well. We believe that looks different for each individual and can be achieved, at every stage of life.
Given the growing clinical evidence and the moving experience many have with body work, we have decided to include Reiki this year, and to add to it: essential oil therapy, flower remedies, infrared heat with crystals, pressure therapy, sound therapy, and guided visualization.
What is Reiki?
The word ‘Reiki’ comes from the Japanese word ‘Rei’ meaning “Universal Life” and ‘Ki’ meaning “Energy”. It is a subtle and effective form of energy work to balance physical and emotional energies and facilitate an environment for healing physically, mentally, and emotionally.
How does Reiki work?
Once referred by one of our AIM doctors, your medical team, or your mental health therapist, we will schedule you for a one-hour session. I will tell you a bit about Reiki and answer any questions that you may have, then we will spend 10-15 minutes on a consultation where we talk about your concerns and goals.
We plan to use multiple healing modalities that have growing evidence that they fight cancer on a deep level along with our reiki sessions. Our intention is to introduce a parasympathetic response and calm the nervous system while achieving the following health goals:
Restore Clarity of Thought
Reduce Stress
Reduce Anxiety
Cope with Grief and Loss
Help release Resentment and Grievances
Help with trauma and PTSD
Help with systemic inflammation
Restore sleep
Reconnect and restore trust in the body and our internal ability to heal.
How will we accomplish this?
We will prepare the space using aromatherapy individualized to your specific needs. Aromatherapy is a healing treatment that uses natural plant extracts medicinally to promote health and well-being. Data shows that aromatherapy can improve sleep quality, reduce anxiety levels, and has the potential for improving cognitive function.
We will integrate a sound wave therapy called binaural beats, which are tones of specific frequencies to encourage healing. Listening to binaural beats can significantly decrease sympathetic response and increase parasympathetic response, meaning they improve physical and psychological indications of stress. Certain frequencies may improve cognitive function, sleep, and anxiety.
Depending on your needs and with consult from our mental health therapist, we may instead choose a weighted blanket that has evidence that it helps with introducing a parasympathetic response for some and guided visualization formulated to fight cancer, optimize immune function, treat anxiety, or address PTSD. Guided visualizations have been shown to be highly effective in improving sleep, reducing stress, and helping to process resentment, grief, and trauma.
Our therapeutic bed will be equipped with infrared heat to increase circulation, lower inflammation, and soothe muscles. Our infrared mat delivers a therapeutic level of deeply penetrative heat that can induce a healing response. If you are unable to lay flat on a table, we can modify using a seated method. Our infrared mats deliver heat with crystals: jade and tourmaline. To enhance the meditative and energetic experience, you may choose a crystal that you feel drawn to, to hold, or to place on your body to direct your attention and focus.
During the treatment, and with your permission, I will place my hands in specific placements over the endocrine glands and nerve plexuses, hovering about 1-3 inches above your body. As you know, the body is made of energy; from the atoms that make up our being to the chemical and electrical impulses that keep us alive, there is a constant flow of energy at work throughout the body. I am trained to focus positive, healing energy through this exercise to support your body’s natural ability to heal. Reiki helps to restore homeostasis within the human energy field to cultivate a healing environment for physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual wellbeing. Reiki can help lower pain, anxiety, fatigue, and has data in improving these specific to oncology patients.
During our session, you may feel a subtle vibration, heat, pressure, tingling, something like magnets, or nothing at all. You may have an emotional release. You may suddenly cry, laugh, or want to talk. These are all OK and quite common. The most common experience is a feeling of deep relaxation and release of stress and tension.
It is important to drink a lot of water after your Reiki treatment to aid in the cleansing process. You will be offered a clean glass of water enhanced with a flower essence remedy before and after treatment. These remedies can help process deeper emotions that may surface through the sessions.
In a study published in 2016, researchers divided 122 people into three groups: Massage + Rest (G1), Massage + Reiki (G2), and a Control group without intervention (G3). The groups were evaluated using scales to manage stress and anxiety after 2 sessions a week for 4 weeks. The researchers found a 33% reduction in stress and 21% reduction in anxiety, with the greatest gains being in the group that did both Reiki and massage.
Stay posted because we plan to bring on massage next.
Want to know more?
Call Associates of Integrative Medicine at (248) 798-2942 or send us a message through the Contact Us page on our website, aimnatural.com to book your appointment.
Be Well,
Sydney, Certified Reiki Practitioner, Level II
PMID: 26211735
PMID: 20377818
PMID: 22171868
PMID: 28544507
PMID: 26163604
PMID: 24582620
PMID: 27901219
