Reiki is a gentle practice where I place my hands lightly on or near your body to help it settle. It doesn't hurt, it doesn't require you to do anything, and most people describe it as warm, calming, or simply restful. It's not a religion and it's not a medical treatment. Think of it as one more way to help your body feel safe.Reiki, Woven Into Your Care
❋ What is Reiki? I've practiced Reiki for over ten years, and I bring it into my work as a doula because I've seen what it does for a nervous system under stress.
I became a Reiki practitioner at 15 years old. Alongside it, I studied Psychology, learning how the mind and the body hold and release what they carry. The more sessions I gave, the more I felt something wanted to be added, so I studied contemporary dance and JourneyDance, and started weaving movement into my sessions.
That's the practice I bring to you now: stillness when your body wants stillness, and movement when it doesn't. Ten years of energy work, a psychology background, and a dancer's instinct for what a body is trying to say, all held together in one session.
A quieter place to land, trimester by trimester
Pregnancy asks a lot of your body and your nervous system, and Reiki gives you a space to simply be, without needing to explain anything or perform for anyone. In a prenatal visit, we might spend a few quiet minutes together: your hand on your belly, mine near your shoulders, no agenda beyond helping you settle.During Pregnancy
A steady hand, if and when you want it
Reiki during labour is never a plan we stick to no matter what. It's simply here if the moment calls for it: a hand resting on your back between contractions, a few quiet minutes while you rest, something to help your body find its rhythm again. You stay in charge of what your labour looks like, and Reiki is one more tool in the room if you want it.During Birth
Support for the body that just did something enormous
Your body worked hard, and it deserves care after, not just praise. In the postpartum weeks, Reiki can help with physical recovery, an anxious mind, and the simple exhaustion of the newborn stage. Sometimes it's ten quiet minutes while your baby sleeps nearby. Sometimes it's part of a longer postpartum visit.During Postpartum
What Happens in a Reiki Session
Every session is shaped around you, so this is a guide, not a script.
01
We start with a check-in
I'll ask how you're feeling in your body and what's on your mind. There's no need to have the right words. However you show up is fine.
02
You find a comfortable position
You can lie down, sit, or even stay right where you are if you're breastfeeding. Nothing about this requires you to stop what you're doing.
03
We settle in
I place my hands lightly on or near your body, and we let your breath slow down. Many people feel warmth, a light tingling, or simply a deep sense of calm. Others feel nothing dramatic at all, and that's fine too.
04
Your body may ask for movement
As a dancer, I pay attention to what wants to shift, a stretch, a sway, a change in position, and I'll gently invite that if it feels right. You're always free to stay still instead.
05
We close slowly
I'll bring you back gently, and we'll talk about anything that came up, if you'd like to.
06
Chat with me →
There's no wrong way to experience a session. My job is to follow your body's lead, not the other way around.
What the Research Says
A small but growing body of research has looked at Reiki in maternity care:The studies are still small, so I don't present Reiki as proven medicine. I see it as a gentle, evidence-informed complement to the care you're already receiving, never a replacement for it.
Reiki for Women Hospitalized with Obstetric and Gynecological Conditions
A published study looked at Reiki's effect on pain and anxiety in women hospitalized for obstetric and gynecological conditions, not just healthy pregnancy and birth, but the harder moments too, like complications or a difficult diagnosis. The research found that Reiki sessions were linked to reduced pain and lower anxiety during a hospital stay.
It's a reminder that Reiki isn't only for a calm, expected birth. It can offer real comfort in the moments that don't go as planned, when a gentle, steady presence matters most.
Questions You May Have
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Yes. Reiki is gentle and non-invasive, and it doesn't involve any physical manipulation.
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No. Many people find it simply calming, whether or not they think about it as "energy." You don't need to believe anything for it to be worth trying.
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Included in all care packages, booking the sessions would be weaved into prenatal/postpartum visits.
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Yes. Partners carry their own weight through pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum weeks, and they deserve care too. If your partner would like a session, I'm happy to offer it, either alongside yours or on its own.
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No. Reiki is a complement to the care from your midwife or doctor, never a replacement for it.
