How Reiki Supports Healing After Trauma

Healing Arts Center is offering free Reiki sessions to ODU students and staff in Virginia Beach. Learn how Reiki supports nervous system regulation and emotional support during difficult times.

When difficult events occur, their effects often manifest in our bodies. Stress, shock, and trauma can cause tension, sleeplessness, and a constant sense of agitation—these are not only emotional, but physical responses.

Reiki is a gentle, non-invasive practice that works with the body rather than against it. Encouraging energy to flow freely helps create the conditions the body needs to begin finding its way back to balance. Sessions are calm, restorative, and entirely paced around your comfort.

Here is what research tells us about how Reiki supports the healing process:

It gives your nervous system a chance to rest. When we experience stress or trauma, our nervous system can get stuck in a state of high alert. Reiki gently encourages the body to shift out of that state. Research published in the Journal of Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine found that participants experienced significantly reduced anxiety and stress levels after Reiki sessions, along with a greater feeling of calm that carried into their daily lives.

It helps move stuck emotions. Trauma has a way of getting stored in the body long after the event has passed. Reiki supports the release of that stored tension, creating room for emotional processing and balance. Research in the Journal of Counseling and Development found that energy-based practices like Reiki helped people work through deep emotional material, with measurable reductions in symptoms of depression and emotional distress.

It helps you sleep again. Few things are more disruptive after a hard experience than losing the ability to rest. Reiki addresses the underlying anxiety that keeps the mind running when the body needs sleep. A study in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine found that participants reported considerable improvements in sleep quality after receiving Reiki, falling asleep more easily, and waking feeling more restored.

It reduces hypervigilance. That constant feeling of being on guard, scanning for danger, and unable to fully relax is something Reiki can help address. Research supported by the US Department of Veterans Affairs found that complementary practices, including Reiki, helped reduce hyperarousal in people carrying trauma, supporting better affective regulation and an increased sense of feeling grounded in the present moment.

It builds resilience over time. Healing isn't a single moment but a gradual process built on constant care and support. Research published in the Journal of Holistic Nursing found that people who received regular Reiki sessions reported feeling more emotionally balanced, more self-aware, and better able to navigate stress without feeling stressed out.

Reiki is not a replacement for therapy or medical treatment, but it is a meaningful complement to both. It offers a quiet, supportive practice that meets you exactly where you are.

Victoria, our trauma-informed Reiki practitioner at Healing Arts Center, brings care, patience, and deep respect to every session. She works without prejudice, follows your lead, and honors your limits around touch and comfort at every step.

If you are part of the ODU community, we invite you to book your free Reiki session at Healing Arts Center. ODU students and staff can reserve a spot by calling us at (757) 251-9301 or email info@healingartsvb.com.

📍 4652 Haygood Rd, Suite A, Virginia Beach, VA 23455

Healing Arts Center offers trauma-informed Reiki sessions in Virginia Beach that support nervous system regulation, stress relief, and emotional balance.

If you would like to learn more about how Reiki works with the body after stressful experiences, you can read our article How Reiki Supports Healing After Trauma, which explores how Reiki may help the nervous system settle, improve sleep, and support emotional balance.
https://www.healingartsvb.com/blog/how-reiki-supports-healing-after-trauma

Reiki complements, but does not replace, medical or mental health care.