Medical fixing requires a take-charge approach, especially in surgery or emergency medicine. Patient engagement, on the other hand, is an act of collaboration.

It may be unrealistic to expect physicians to be equally good at both, but pioneering advocates for humanism in medicine such as the Arnold Gold Foundation (founded in 1988) have long suspected that something about the way doctors are educated squeezes out the collaborative people skills, the bedside manner that distinguishes an excellent doctor from a capable one.

The good news is that medical education is changing. However, it will be years before this change impacts the practice of medicine, and in the meantime, the space between science and patient seems to be growing.

Reiki practitioners can serve conventional medicine by making it easier for doctors to engage their patients. Compassionate, well trained, experienced Reiki practitioners can step skillfully into that space, and help, as one of my physician students put it, “prime the patient for healing.”

Whether the patient receives Reiki treatment in a hospital or practices self-treatment at home, the experience of Reiki treatment is generally settling, and leaves patients in a better state of mind from which to partner their doctors. A Reiki practitioner who can communicate and demonstrate this to physicians and health care administrators will likely open the door to collaboration.

Reiki practitioners who understand the pressures that are in play in medicine are better able to communicate how Reiki can help. You can learn more about this dilemma of medical education and practice by reading two of my favorite physician-writers, Emily Transue and Atul Gawande.

Related reading: Letting Go

REIKI AND THE WHIPPETS by Dona M. Duke

A huge raid brought TV crews to our shelter. Forty-eight Whippets were recovered from a hoarder-breeder-puppy mill.

The dogs were isolated in a large conference room, and the task of medical, physical, and temperament assessments began. Only a few staff members and volunteers were allowed in the confined area.

The dogs had had minimal human contact, and no veterinary care. They had been residing in small, crammed cages.

Whippets run 30 miles per hour. Can you imagine not being able to fully move your limbs, knowing you were made to run?

The director asked me to give the dogs Reiki treatments. The cages were large enough for me to sit inside. The first dog was a pregnant female. For 25 minutes, she just laid her head in my lap, relaxing during her treatment. I continued on, staying with some dogs longer than others.

A two-year-old blue male was allowed to wander freely. He was skittish and untrusting, and watched me the whole time.

I treated 16 dogs. When a crew of three arrived at 5 PM to feed the dogs, I knew I was running out of time.

The blue male suddenly walked up to me, sat in my lap, laid his head over my right shoulder with his face looking toward the staff, and pressed his body into mine in such a loving way, as though he wanted to melt right into me!

I placed my hands on each of his shoulders and tried not to move. The staff went silent. He stayed there for 10 minutes. When he walked away, the movements began again to prepare the food, and go on with the work of integrating the dogs back into health, balance, and sociability.

Momma delivered six healthy pups an hour later.

Then it occurred to me–why not ask the experts themselves–you!

Who knows better than you do what your specific questions are, and precisely where you need a fresh perspective? You know exactly where your tongue gets tied–or so loose that you send people scurrying down the block.

Do you have specific questions about the most effective ways to approach physicians and hospital administrators? Or do you need tips on collaboration, how to be a team player, carrying your authority as the Reiki specialist without being overbearing?

Some of you have been waiting for this for a long time. Please help me make it the most powerful support for you that it can be by leaving your question, or a description of when you feel frustrated, or anything else you want me to know. Click here to comment.

The Introduction to Medical Reiki webinar is still available. Click here to register.

“The seminar gave me invaluable practice in how to talk about Reiki in a simple and objective way, and be true to my personal experience,” Anita said. “When I took that confidence and clarity into hospice and a surgery unit, Reiki and I were welcomed by staff. The nurses handed me a list of surgery patients when I arrived on the unit, and hospice staff actively look to refer families for Reiki treatment. I have also found that family members more frequently request continuing Reiki care for their loved ones. The skills I learned in the Medical Reiki class are still paying dividends.”

Anita shares her experience treating people with dementia as this week’s guest blogger.

REIKI TOUCHES PEOPLE WITH DEMENTIA by Anita Graham

Very recently I treated an 86-year-old woman while volunteering at my local hospital. She was there because of a concussion from a fall. I could see she was withdrawn and confused. As we finished the Reiki treatment she asked if I made house calls. I said yes and thought no more about it.

The next day her husband phoned asking for an appointment. He explained that she had been diagnosed 10 years ago with general dementia. Her family was amazed that she asked that question of me, and moreover that she remembered after I left the room that she wanted more of the same. I found out at the first house call that she had been a yoga teacher and meditator for many years. Her husband speculated that she recognized a similar energy in the Reiki touch.

Another time, I treated a frail 88-year-old with Parkinson’s related dementia. The staff at her facility reported she was mute. About 10 minutes into the treatment she spoke and said, “I’ve never had anything like this before.” At the end of the treatment she related that she was on a train going “home.” I felt moved in witnessing this woman’s expression of comfort and making sense out of her dying process.

Many studies indicate that we humans require touch not only to survive, but to thrive. The necessity for touch doesn’t disappear with age or mental and physical frailty. Reiki treatment offers non-invasive, safe and restful touch. I often treat people with dementia and confusion and continue to experience awe that the gentle power of Reiki touches them at the deepest levels of their being.

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Now you too can learn strategies to become more effective in the mainstream and in health care, on your computer, in the comfort of your own home. July 17 is the deadline for early bird registration for the Introduction to Medical Reiki webinar.

Please click here to share your experiences of how Reiki treatment has benefited people with dementia.

Please fill out this brief poll and share it with your friends. The button under “Vote,” next to “View Results,” makes it easy to share with your Reiki buddies. The more practitioners who respond, the better understanding of our community we will have.

This poll is open to Reiki students and practitioners of all lineages and practice styles, at all levels, whether they have a home practice or a professional practice.

If your entry doesn’t register, you may need to come to ReikiCentral blog to vote. And please share your comments.

Thank you thank you all!

But the ability to help isn’t enough, is it? We also need the power to help.

A physician does not have blanket power to help. Even after medical school and residency, she cannot waltz into any hospital and practice medicine. Physicians need to acquire the knowledge base of medicine, and also address the legal and business aspects of medical practice.

But how can a Reiki practitioner gain the power to help? The path has not been defined, and we are in the process of finding our way. A groundswell of public interest in Reiki practice, and the availability of credible professional Reiki practitioners would move us in the right direction. And did I say “credible?”

What do you think? How does a Reiki practitioner gain the power to help? And more important–how do you?

Addressing these questions will help you get started–

• Is there someone, or a population of people, that you would like to help?
• What are the obstacles between where you are now and being able to help that person/population?
• What is one step you can take to get closer to your goal?
• When will you take it?

Please share your thoughts in a comment, so that we can brainstorm this together.

Related posts: As Common as Aspirin, The Reiki Credibility Challenge

This week, the Syracuse Post-Standard published a piece we can work with. Let me be clear: I don’t agree with everything in this article.

It’s still a good article, and I encourage the Reiki community to rally behind it. Please click here, read the article carefully, and post an intelligent comment (you’ll know why I specify intelligent when you see some of what’s been posted). When media about Reiki draws an unusual number of hits and thoughtful dialogue, it signals the media that the public is interested in Reiki, and that encourages more coverage.

What do I like about this article?

I like that in the photo, the Reiki practitioners are actually touching the patient.

I like that the human story is told, both by the patients and by some hospital personnel.

I like that opposition to Reiki was reported without going tabloid, and I commend both the writer and the paper for this (journalists are sometimes pressured by their editors to rev up the masses with a sensationalist slant).

And I like that the journalist spelled complementary correctly, even though this Reiki program is actually complimentary, given by unpaid Reiki professionals (more about that soon). For now, let us seize the moment, and vote with our clicks.

Reiki treatment is balancing to the individual’s system. The more balanced a system is, the less stressed it is. The less stressed the system is, the more resilient it is, and the more efficiently it self-heals. Reiki treatment encourages the receiver’s system to regain balance and thus optimizes self-healing. Reiki treatment supports and does not override the body’s natural process of self-healing.

When Reiki treatment is used as part of a comprehensive treatment plan for someone with a medical diagnosis, the Reiki treatment does not address the disease or any symptom directly. Rather, Reiki treatment encourages the person’s system toward balance so that the person is better able to address both the disease, and the side effects of medical treatment. Reiki treatment supports the person undergoing medical treatment, and does not interfere with the processes involved in the medical treatment.

Besides looking at the treatment itself, health care also looks at how a treatment is delivered, meaning how it gets to the patient. It is conceivable, for example, that there might be reasons why a treatment that might help a patient cannot be safely delivered to that patient. For example, some cancer patients who could theoretically be helped by massage might be too fragile to be able to safely receive massage, or there might be limitations as to what parts of the body could be safely massaged (perhaps hands and feet only).

Reiki treatment is most commonly delivered through light, non-invasive contact. The Reiki practitioner’s hand can also be held just above the body. In a quarantine situation, the Reiki practitioner offers treatment while wearing gloves. Since Reiki touch is non-manipulative (or non-contact), it carries no contraindications.

Reiki treatment involves no substances. The receiver is not asked to swallow anything, nor is any substance applied to the skin. There is nothing material involved in Reiki treatment that could interfere with medical care or impact the receiver’s health.

Therefore, from a health care perspective, there are no known medical contraindications, no time when Reiki treatment is unsafe.

It is always safe to offer Reiki treatment, as long as you are also taking care of whatever else is needed. For example, in an emergency, you can place a Reiki hand on the victim while calling 911. Reiki is not a replacement for needed conventional medical care, but used sensibly, Reiki can be a valuable resource that can help improve health care outcomes.

If you have a specific question or comment, please post it below.

Since there are no agreed-upon standards for Reiki education, Reiki certificates are essentially meaningless. A First degree (beginning level) student might have more training than someone who advertises herself as a Reiki master. This creates a credibility challenge both for people who are new to Reiki, and  for  practitioners who want to showcase their credibility.

How can this challenge be met? If you are new to Reiki, what should you look for? And what can Reiki practitioners communicate to help someone new feel safe enough to follow Dr. Oz’s suggestion to give Reiki a try?

Usually a combination of gut feeling and information tips the trust scale in a Reiki practitioner’s favor. Here are some questions that can help gauge a Reiki practitioner’s credibility quotient, followed by my thoughts on the responses to look for. Most of the questions are a matter of gathering information that needs to be evaluated as a whole; to me, only one is a dealbreaker:

• When were you trained to each level that you practice?
  It’s optimal for each level of Reiki training to be given separately, with adequate time to practice before going to the next level. You need only a First degree practitioner to give you hands-on treatment.
• How many hours long was your training at each level?
  Eight to 12 hours of a group class is adequate for First or again for Second degree. There is much controversy about Reiki master training. Traditionally, becoming a Reiki master was a serious commitment to teach that was offered to only a handful of senior students. This is rarely honored today. Most Reiki masters don’t even teach, so you really have to consider what being a Reiki master means to the individual, and what’s important to you.
• Was your training in-person with a Reiki master?
  Internet training does not replace the onsite presence of a qualified Reiki master and her availability to provide you continuing support.
• What clinical experience do you have? Have you offered Reiki treatment to people outside your family and friends (and pets, if applicable)?
  This question will help you get to know the practitioner better, and provides valuable information for you to factor into your choice. Remember that a practitioner need not be a professional to give you a treatment, but if someone is advertising himself as a professional and charging you, he should have the training and experience to back it up.
• What happens during your Reiki sessions?
  I’d take it as a bad sign if the practitioner gets all cosmic on you at this point. What you’re looking for here is a down-to-earth description of the experience, that you will lie fully clothed on a treatment table, that the practitioner will place hands lightly and non-invasively, how long the session will last, that you will be receiving a Reiki-only session (no crystals, no massage, etc., unless, of course, that is your choice).
• Where will the Reiki session take place?
  Expect a professional to have a private, dedicated treatment space.
• What is the fee and how/when is it paid?
  Fees for Reiki treatment vary enormously depending on location, the practitioner’s level of experience, and whether she is practices Reiki full time or has another source of income. Keep looking until you find a situation that is financially comfortable for you. Remember you can also forego treatment from someone else, and choose to learn to practice First degree self-treatment, a one-time investment that pays lifelong dividends.
• What is your unique perspective as a Reiki practitioner?
  This is where the practitioner has a chance to shine and show you how professional he is, or you may watch him dive off the deep end…
• Do you practice Reiki self-treatment every day?
  Here is the DEALBREAKER. Daily self-practice is the most important way that we develop our understanding of Reiki. Someone who recognizes Reiki as a healing practice (like meditation and yoga) and who actually practices daily self-treatment, will be able to support you with greater depth and confidence than someone who regards Reiki merely as a treatment for others, or for when she’s not feeling well. Why would you want to receive a treatment from a practitioner who doesn’t value Reiki enough to use it to protect and maintain her own health and well-being?

Keep in mind that you don’t need a professional to receive a Reiki treatment. You can receive a Reiki treatment from a friend who practices. But if you are paying someone who considers herself to be a Reiki professional, make sure she meets your professional standards.

And use your common sense. If you don’t like a practitioner, go on to the next.

Any other points you would add? Please post a comment below.

Think of the people in your (extended) family who are most different from you (and put aside how many times you tried to talk to them about Reiki in the past). Thanks to Dr. Oz, Cousin Vinny is now encouraged that maybe this Reiki thing will relieve the pain in his arthritic joints. Aunt Sally is hoping Reiki treatment will help her sleep after years of insomnia.

They turn to the internet to learn more. Do they see much that speaks to them?

Probably not.

But they trust Dr. Oz, so they soldier on. Now they are standing in front of the community bulletin board at the local health food store, a store they may be visiting for the very first time, looking for a Reiki practitioner, and they see a number of listings. They wonder how to know who is credible. Common sense helps, but still, they’re losing confidence and wishing they had more to go on…

The public expects health-care professionals to have meaningful credentials, but Reiki practice is not regulated in that way. There are no agreed upon standards for Reiki training or treatment. Some people become “instant powerful Reiki masters;” others take longer training, but start charging for their services without having any supervision or professional training. How can people new to Reiki know who is credible?

And without meaningful credentialing in the field, how can serious Reiki professionals distinguish themselves in their communities?

Here’s the current situation. We have three groups in need of help:

1. The public needs help finding credible Reiki professionals.
2. Credible professionals need help connecting with clients.
3. Reiki practitioners need help developing themselves as credible professionals.

I made a short video that can help all three groups. Click here to view it on my Reiki video page.

If you agree with the criteria I mention, please share the link. If you find the video helpful, you are welcome to add the video to your site.

If  you have something to add, or you don’t agree with what I’ve said, please post a thoughtful comment so we can discuss it here. Let’s pool our collective wisdom and experience to meet the credibility challenge. We need to raise the credibility of our practice if Reiki is to become available in the mainstream.

Let’s address this challenge as a community. If we do this in a respectful, inclusive way, we can inspire Reiki practitioners of all perspectives and practice styles to raise the credibility of Reiki practice before the public. We want to maintain Reiki diversity so that individuals can make connections that are meaningful for them, and we need to maintain high professional standards if we are to earn the public’s trust and respect.