Reiki
I posted this as a comment to a post over at girladvice and realized I definitely want to keep this for myself as well.
I'm actually level II certified. I definitely agree that it doesn't necessarily help with much, unless you believe it (probably where the mood elevation in some patients comes from). There are a couple of things that it DEFINITELY helps with though. One being stress/anxiety because it (the practice of moving your hands here and there and focusing using imagery and 'mantras') really moves you to a calm place, a place of intention and control. A lot of people with anxiety/stress don't feel control on a regular basis, so the regular practice of the actions of using Reiki are very beneficial.
Another thing that Reiki is extremely good for is the idea of healing touch. There are tons of studies out there proving that babies will die if they receive no human touch. I believe that in childhood and beyond, touch is still extremely important. Even touching yourself (not in a sexual way, per say) can be important. This is another reason Reiki can indeed have beneficial results is because it's human to human contact.
I'm actually level II certified. I definitely agree that it doesn't necessarily help with much, unless you believe it (probably where the mood elevation in some patients comes from). There are a couple of things that it DEFINITELY helps with though. One being stress/anxiety because it (the practice of moving your hands here and there and focusing using imagery and 'mantras') really moves you to a calm place, a place of intention and control. A lot of people with anxiety/stress don't feel control on a regular basis, so the regular practice of the actions of using Reiki are very beneficial.
Another thing that Reiki is extremely good for is the idea of healing touch. There are tons of studies out there proving that babies will die if they receive no human touch. I believe that in childhood and beyond, touch is still extremely important. Even touching yourself (not in a sexual way, per say) can be important. This is another reason Reiki can indeed have beneficial results is because it's human to human contact.