Focus on Alternative and Complementary Therapies
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Focus Alternat Complement Ther©2005 Pharmaceutical Press
Focus Altern Complement Ther 2004; 9: 32–3
This qualitative study explored the experiences of patients suffering from chronic conditions and those of their practitioners during Reiki therapy. Specific research objectives were (i) to better understand how participants describe healing, (ii) to document consecutive Reiki therapeutic encounters as experienced by patients and practitioners over time and (iii) to identify meaningful benefits and other relevant outcomes from both perspectives.
A convenience sample of four patient–practitioner pairs consented to participate in the study and were followed over the course of the Reiki therapy. Data was collected through an initial individual in-depth face-to-face interview with each of the patients and practitioners, several follow-up telephone interviews after every Reiki session and a final face-to-face interview with each participant. These were audio-taped and transcribed. A phenomenological approach was used for data analysis.
Trust and communication were identified as core to the patient–practitioner relationship. Relevant outcomes included decreased medication use, increased ability to sleep, decreased anxiety and increased self-confidence. Healing was seen as a continuum by patients and practitioners. Reiki was considered instrumental in participants’ healing journeys.
The results documented definitions of healing, outcomes of Reiki sessions and the vital link in successful Reiki treatments: the patient–practitioner relationship. These findings lay the groundwork for more appropriate endpoints for evaluating Reiki.
The Department of Community Health and Epidemiology Devolved Scholarship Fund and Hope Cancer Centre supplied funding.
