What makes my approach to Reiki trauma-sensitive is the awareness that relaxation can’t be assumed, it has to be built collaboratively, moment by moment. I offer sessions that can be no-touch, are consent-led and centre choice, with a genuine invitation to pause, shift, or make adjustments at any point. My focus is on helping your body move towards ease and regulation in a way that feels safe for you.
Discover Reiki Sessions that are Trauma-Sensitive
A space where you have a say in what works for you
If you’ve lived through experiences that were overwhelming at the time and have left an imprint, you’re far from alone. The truth is that most of us carry the weight of something or several things, big or small, that have asked more of us than we could manage. Perhaps it was a birth that didn’t go to plan, a sudden loss or bereavement, an accident that left you shaken, an experience of your boundaries not being respected, a relationship that eroded your sense of self, or the weight of systemic harms such as racism or ableism.
These experiences live not just in memory but in the nervous system. For some, the body becomes vigilant — quick to brace, always scanning for cues of danger, and find it hard to switch off. Others may find themselves feeling numb and struggling to feel connected with others.
Reiki is a non-verbal approach and you don’t need to name what you’ve lived through here. What you will find in my Reiki practice is a trauma-sensitive practitioner who recognises that relaxation cannot be demanded; it has to be invited, slowly and respectfully.
With all my clients I approach the sessions collaboratively, informing you on what to expect and letting you decide for example, if you’d prefer no touch, light-touch, or to skip certain positions altogether. Whether you’d prefer to sit or lie down, have eyes open or closed, sound/music and pacing are all worked out together. With me, you’re always welcome to pause, shift position, or change your mind on anything mid-session. My intention is to create an environment where your nervous system can begin to settle on its own terms — without pressure, expectation, or performance.
*Reiki is not itself a specific treatment aimed at processing trauma, and should not be seem as an alternative for evidenced-based psychological trauma treatments. Nevertheless, Reiki can offer a gentle, grounding support and complement other psychological therapies well (I’d always recommend discussing this with your therapist/counsellor/medical provider if you are receiving support for trauma from other professsionals).
What this Looks Like in Practice
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Before you come, you may want to explore the location page of my website to begin to get a sense of the location and room.
When you arrive, I will familiarise you with the environment, showing you the way in and out, where the toilets are, and encourage you to look around the room to help you land and your system start to calm. We’ll spend time before starting the treatment collaborating on how we can make the space be as relaxing as possible for you.
At the end of the session, I always leave a few minutes for you to transition out of the treatment and ready yourself before heading back outside. If you think you might need a bit more time just let me know and we’ll plan for this.
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Reiki sessions always take place fully-clothed and no products/oils are applied. The only thing I’d suggest you remove for the treatment if you feel comfortable are your shoes, but if you prefer to keep your shoes on that’s fine.
I will show you images of the different hand positions before we begin, and you will be in full control of whether you prefer no-touch, light touch, or if we skip over certain positions:
In reiki practice, no touch typically means the practitioner holding their hands a few inches above the body (but I can be further away if preferred, it would not affect the efficacy of the treatment).
Light touch involves resting my hands gently on the agreed body positions.
Of course our felt sense and preferences can change moment-to-moment so I don’t expect you to know in advance exactly what will feel right. We’ll work together on some ways you could signal to me if your needs or preferences shift part way through. Collaboration and ongoing consent is absolutely at the heart of my work.
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You can choose to have reiki while lying on the treatment bed, sat or lying on a swinging chair, the floor, a static chair, or moving between positions. I also hope to add an aerial yoga swing soon so you could lie down for a cocooning, deep pressure experience!
In sessions, at any point you’re genuinely welcome to shift or move your body, pause the session, and/or take a break to go to the toilet.
You can experiment to discover what feels right for you. This may shift from session to session and that’s totally fine.
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Sound: I recognise how personal sound is when it comes to relaxing. You can choose if you prefer silence, music/sounds from my playlist, or bring your own music.
Sight: You can choose if you close your eyes, keep them open, or e.g. use an eye mask or wear sunglasses. There’s no right or wrong.
Lighting: The room has natural light and soft side lighting.
Scent: I don’t wear perfume or scented products, and I don’t diffuse oils, burn incense, or use candles or any other scents in the room. If scent is important to you to relax, let me know and we can try and think of way you can have access to this without impacting on other clients.
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Some people feel cool when they relax, so I keep a few blankets with different textures on hand. I’d let you place these over you however feels good to you - tucked in tight, left loose, covering just your legs, however feels good to you and you can adjust this at any point in the treatment.
You’re absolutely welcome to bring your own preferred blanket or textured items to sessions. You can also bring a change of clothes if you have extra comfy clothes you’d like to wear for the treatment, (there is a bathroom attached to the room where you could change in total privacy).
If deep pressure helps your body calm, I have a weighted blanket available, and you can bring any of your own weighted or deep pressure items you find helpful.