Reiki has been part of complementary healthcare in Australia for decades.

The most comprehensive attempt to answer this question is a 2017 review published in the Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary & Alternative Medicine.

Researchers examined thirteen peer-reviewed clinical studies that met strict criteria — each with more than 20 participants receiving Reiki.

The review's author concluded this body of evidence supports Reiki as a safe, gentle complementary therapy that appears to work by activating the parasympathetic nervous system — the body's "rest and digest" state responsible for calming stress responses.

What the evidence consistently point to is Reiki's value as a relaxation-inducing, stress-reducing practice — a legitimate complementary therapy that many people find genuinely calming, particularly for the subjective, quality-of-life symptoms that sit alongside illness: stress, anxiety, disrupted sleep, and general tension.

Reiki fits into a broader wellness picture — not as a replacement for medical care, but as something that sits alongside it.

Keep your existing care team involved. Reiki works best as a complement to medical treatment.

Notice how you actually feel after your reiki treatment.

If you're curious what a session actually involves before booking, our Reiki page walks through the process step by step.

Sources referenced:

McManus, D.E. (2017). Reiki Has Broad Potential as a Complementary Health Therapy. Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary & Alternative Medicine, 22(4), 1051–1057.