Can Energy Therapies like Reiki Help People with Anxiety

Many of us know what anxiety feels like — a racing heart, restless thoughts, a sense of dread that seems to show up uninvited. Whether it’s occasional or chronic, anxiety can be incredibly disruptive. But did you know that energy-based therapies like Integrated Energy Therapy (IET) or Reiki may offer a gentle, supportive way to bring the nervous system back into balance?

If you’ve ever wondered how these therapies work or whether they’re right for you, read on. Let’s explore how energy therapy interacts with the body, what the science is beginning to say, and how it might help calm the storm inside.

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What Is Energy Therapy or Biofield Therapy?

Energy therapies — also known as biofield therapies — are holistic approaches that support the body’s natural ability to self-regulate and heal. Integrated Energy Therapy (IET), Reiki, Healing Touch, and similar modalities work by gently influencing the human energy field to calm and balance. This field, also called the biofield, surrounds and permeates the body and can become imbalanced or blocked due to stress, trauma, or illness.

In a typical energy therapy session, the practitioner uses light touch or hands held just above the body to facilitate energetic flow. Clients often report feelings of warmth, relaxation, emotional release, or even a sense of peace and clarity.

While these therapies might seem subtle on the outside, their effects on the nervous system can be profound.

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What’s the Connection to the Nervous System?

Modern science is slowly catching up with what energy practitioners have long observed: when the body’s energy is supported, the nervous system shifts into a state of rest, restoration, and healing.

Energy therapies tend to engage the parasympathetic nervous system — the “rest and digest” part of our physiology. This helps to quiet the fight-or-flight response often activated in anxious individuals. You might notice your breath deepening, your muscles relaxing, or your thoughts softening during a session. Over time, repeated sessions can help the body learn how to access this calmer state more easily on its own.

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How Can This Help People Dealing with Anxiety?

Anxiety isn’t just “in your head.” It’s a whole-body experience, often rooted in a complex blend of emotional patterns, past experiences, lifestyle, and even energetic imbalances. That’s why many people are now turning to integrative approaches — and energy therapy is one of them.

A 2024 meta-analysis published in a peer-reviewed medical journal, over 13 separate studies, evaluated Reiki's effects across a wide variety of people — from those with chronic illnesses like fibromyalgia and depression, to everyday adults dealing with generalized anxiety. The results were promising. The study concluded that even short-term Reiki sessions (as few as 2 up to 8) had a significant impact on reducing anxiety.

While Reiki wasn’t a silver bullet for every kind of anxiety, the overall results showed meaningful improvements, particularly for those dealing with health-related anxiety and emotional overwhelm.

In my own practice, I see this regularly. Clients walk in feeling scattered or tense, and leave visibly lighter. Their shoulders drop. Their breathing steadies. And more importantly, they often leave with a greater sense of inner control, which is key to managing anxiety over time.

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Final Thoughts

If you’re dealing with anxiety — whether it’s tied to your health, stress at home or work, or simply that feeling of “too much” — energy therapy might offer a gentle way to find your center again. It's not meant to replace traditional treatment when needed, but rather to support your entire being — body, mind, and spirit — in the healing process.

Whether you choose Integrated Energy Therapy, Reiki, or another energy modality, what matters most is how you feel afterward. If your inner landscape feels a little calmer, a little clearer, or just a little more like “you,” then something powerful is happening.

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Interested in trying a session or learning more? I’d love to support you on your journey. You’re not alone — and healing is possible, one breath at a time.