Reiki Research (W-Z)

Psychodynamic Reiki Counseling ®

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Reiki Research W-Z

Wetzel, W. Reiki Healing: a physiologic perspective. Journal of Holistic Nursing 1989; Vol.7, No. 1 47-54. Available from Wendy Wetzel, 452 Dahlia Street, Fairfield, CA 94533

Clare Weze, Helen L. Leathard, Gretchen Stevens. (2005) Healing by gentle touch in musculoskeletal disorders. Spirituality and Health International 6:4, 200

CrossRef

Clare Weze, Helen L. Leathard, Gretchen Stevens. (2005) Healing by gentle touch in musculoskeletal disorders. Spirituality and Health International 6:4, 200

Healing by Gentle Touch Ameliorates Stress and Other Symptoms in People Suffering with Mental Health Disorders or Psychological Stress

Evidence Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine Aug 25 2006

eCAM 2007 4(1):115-123

· Clare Weze¹, Helen L. Leathard², John Grange³, Peter Tiplady⁴ and Gretchen Stevens¹

¹The Centre for Complementary Care, Muncaster Chase Ravenglass, Cumbria, CA18 1RD, ²Faculty of Health and Social Care, St Martin's College Lancaster, Lancashire LA1 3JD, ³Centre for Infectious Diseases and International Health, Royal Free and University College Medical School 46 Cleveland Street, London W1P 6DB and ⁴Meadow Croft, Wetheral Carlisle, Cumbria CA4 8JG, UK

Previous studies on healing by gentle touch in clients withvarious illnesses indicated substantial improvements in psychologicalwell-being, suggesting that this form of treatment might behelpful for people with impaired quality of mental health. Thepurpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness andsafety of healing by gentle touch in subjects with self-reportedimpairments in their psychological well-being or mental health.One hundred and forty-seven clients who identified

themselvesas having psychological problems received four

treatment sessions.Pre- to post-treatment changes in

psychological and physicalfunctioning were assessed by self-

completed questionnaires whichincluded visual analogue

scales (VAS) and the EuroQoL (EQ-5D).Participants

recorded reductions in stress, anxiety and depressionscores

and increases in relaxation and ability to cope scores(all

P < 0.0004). Improvements were greatest in those withthe

most severe symptoms initially. This open study provides

strong circumstantial evidence that healing by gentle touchis

safe and effective in improving psychological well-beingin

participants with self-reported psychological problems, andalso that it safely complements standard medical treatment.Controlled trials are warranted.

Keywords: alleviation of symptoms – complements medical treatments – gentle touch – healing – psychological well-being – relaxation – stress

For reprints and all correspondence: Clare Weze, St Martin's College, Bowerham, Lancaster, Lancashire LA1 3JD, UK. Tel: +44-1524-221718; E-mail: clare.weze@btinternet.com

Integrative Cancer Therapies, Vol. 6, No. 1, 25-35 (2007)
DOI: 10.1177/1534735406298986
© 2007 SAGE Publications

Clare Weze, BSc(Hons) MSc^{1 *}, Helen L. Leathard, BSc(Hons) PhD¹, Gretchen Stevens, BA²

Healing by gentle touch in musculoskeletal disorders

¹Faculty of Health & Social Care, St Martin's College, Lancaster, Lancs LA1 3JD.
²The Centre for Complementary Care, Muncaster Chase, Muncaster, Cumbria, CA18 1RD.

^*Correspondence to Clare Weze, Faculty of Health & Social Care, St Martin's College, Lancaster, Lancs LA1 3JD.

Keywords faith • healing • placebo response • relaxation • stress • touch

Abstract

The Centre for Complementary Care, Muncaster (The Centre),

provides healing by gentle touch: a non-invasive intervention

that is complementary to conventional medicine and

involves the gentle placing of hands on various parts of the

body. An outcomes study at The Centre has recorded

clients' perceptions of their health status, both before

and after treatment, using validated research tools. A

subgroup of clients attending The Centre with largely

long-term, intractable musculoskeletal disorders (including

osteoarthritis and various joint/back injuries) reported

Significant reductions in stress and pain, increased ability to

cope and to carry out usual activities, improved relaxation

levels, reduced medication use and decreased disability after four healing

sessions. Those participants with the most severe symptoms on entry showed the most substantial improvement. Some of the processes that might be responsible for the improvements in these subjects include the modification of stress and pain pathways by particular psychological and physiological aspects of healing. The psychological mediators include love, caring, willingness to treat and aspects of the therapeutic relationship. The physiological mediators include touch, warmth and relaxation. These interact indirectly with the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and related systems to ease those aspects of the ailment that are exacerbated by stress, thus greatly reducing symptoms

and facilitating endogenous healing mechanisms. The intensity and significance of pain may be lowered by modification of both the interpretation of the sensory input, and the psychological component of the pain experience. This is likely to result in a change in the perception of pain severity, the quality of the pain and the level of distress it produces. These findings suggest that healing may be a valuable adjuvant to other therapeutic interventions. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

· Wirth, D.P. et al. Wound healing and complementary therapies: a review. J Altern Complement Med. 1996; 2(4): 493-502.

Daniel Wirth of Healing Sciences International in

Orinda, California conducted Reiki healing in

forty four minor wounds. Eight and sixteen day

follow-up measurements of the rate of wound

healing were done. After eight days, the treated

groups wounds had shrunk 93.5 percent compared

with 67.3 percent for those not treated. After

sixteen days, the figures were 99.3 and 90.9.

Wirth, D.P. et al. Complementary healing therapies. Int J Psychosom. 1994; 41(1-4): 61-67.

Wirth, D.P., Chang, R.J., Paxton E. And J.B. Haematological indicators of complementary healing intervention Complementary Therapies in Medicine 1996; 4, 14-20.

Wirth, D.P., Brenlan, D.R., Levine, R.J., Rodriguez, C.M. The effect of complementary healing therapy on postoperative pain after surgical removal of impacted third molar teeth. Complementary Therapies in Medicine 1993; 1, 133-138.

Diane Witte, Lauren Dundes. (2001) Harnessing Life Energy or Wishful Thinking? Reiki, Placebo Reiki, Meditation, and Music. Alternative & Complementary Therapies 7:5, 304

(no abstract available)

Dr. John Zimmerman

Dr. John Zimmerman of the University of Colorado using a SQUID (Superconducting Quantum Interference Device) has discovered that magnetic fields several hundred times stronger than background noise are created around the hands of trained healers when doing healing work on patients. The frequencies of the magnetic fields surrounding the hands of the trained healers were of the alpha and theta wave range similar to those seen in the brain of mediators. (Zimmerman 1990 Biomagnetic Fields from Reiki Practitioners Hands - Scientific and Medical Network Cortona Conference)

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