Effect of Reiki on Measures of Well-Being in Low-Income Patients with Mental Health Diagnoses

Background: More than 1 in 5 US adults live with mental illness. Novel therapies as complements to standard therapies are needed to improve patient well-being. Reiki is a biofield therapy that may improve well-being in mental health. Objective: The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of providing Reiki at a behavioral health clinic serving a low-income population. The secondary aim was to evaluate outcomes in terms of patients’ symptoms, emotions, and feelings before and after Reiki. Methods: This was a mixed-methods, feasibility pilot study with a pre-post experimental design. Reiki was offered to adult outpatients at a community behavioral health center in Rochester, Minnesota. Patients with a stable mental health diagnosis seen between July 22, 2021, and May 18, 2023, completed surveys before and after the Reiki intervention and provided qualitative feedback. Patients were asked to report their ratings of pain, anxiety, fatigue, and feelings (eg, happy, calm) on 0- to 10-point numeric rating scales. Data were analyzed with Wilcoxon signed rank tests. Results: Among 91 patients who completed a Reiki session during the study period, 74 (81%) were women. Major depressive disorder (71%), posttraumatic stress disorder (47%), and generalized anxiety disorder (43%) were the most common diagnoses. The study was feasible in terms of recruitment, retention, data quality, acceptability, and fidelity of the intervention. Patient ratings of pain, fatigue, anxiety, stress, sadness, and agitation were significantly lower, and ratings of happiness, energy levels, relaxation, and calmness were significantly higher after a single Reiki session. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that Reiki is feasible and could be fit into the flow of clinical care in an outpatient behavioral health clinic. It improved positive emotions and feelings and decreased negative measures. Implementing Reiki in clinical practice should be further explored to improve mental health and well-being.