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Reiki therapy · Arlington, VA
A gentle, non-invasive relaxation practice offered as optional, complementary programming alongside PHP and IOP — fully clothed, consent-based, and never a substitute for therapy or medication.
Medically reviewed by the VABH Medical Team
What it is
A straightforward, honest description of the practice — what it offers, and what it doesn't claim to do.
Reiki is a quiet practice involving a trained practitioner's light or near-body hand placement, done fully clothed, while you sit or lie comfortably. We describe it plainly: it's a relaxation practice, not a medical treatment.
You stay fully clothed throughout. The practitioner asks before each session whether you're comfortable with light touch, hands hovering just above the body, or no touch at all — and that choice can change session to session.
A session usually runs 20–30 minutes in a quiet room. The practitioner moves slowly through a sequence of hand positions while you rest, often with soft lighting and minimal conversation.
Reiki has roots as an energy-healing practice, but we don't present energy-healing claims as established fact. What's well supported is that many clients report feeling calmer and less tense afterward — that's the honest claim we make, and the only one.
Research on reiki is limited and largely centers on subjective relaxation and comfort rather than treatment of any diagnosis. We don't claim it reduces cravings, treats depression or anxiety, or replaces evidence-based therapy.
For clients carrying physical tension from anxiety, withdrawal, or chronic stress, a quiet 20–30 minutes of guided rest can be a welcome break in an otherwise demanding treatment day — nothing more claimed, nothing less offered.
Reiki sits alongside your individual therapy, group therapy, and medication management — it does not replace any of them. If you skip it entirely, your clinical treatment plan is unaffected.
No one is required to participate, and there's no pressure or judgment for declining. Some clients try it once and pass thereafter; others make it a regular part of their program day. Both are fine.
Where it fits in your program
Reiki is never offered as a stand-alone treatment — it's one optional option within a program built on evidence-based therapy and, when appropriate, medication.
Offered periodically as one relaxation-focused option within the structured PHP day, alongside — never instead of — individual and group therapy.
Available on select days for clients who find a quiet reset helpful between the more demanding parts of group work.
Not part of standard weekly outpatient visits, but clients can ask our team whether periodic group sessions are available.
Some clients choose to continue relaxation practices like reiki independently after completing PHP or IOP, as one small piece of a broader self-care plan.
Across the river from Maryland
Our Arlington center is a short drive from Bethesda, Montgomery County, and Prince George's County. Maryland clients regularly attend in-person PHP and IOP here, including days that offer complementary sessions like reiki. Telehealth sessions for individual therapy and medication management are available for Virginia residents.
Common questions
It's a gentle, non-invasive relaxation practice involving light or near-body touch from a trained practitioner while you rest, fully clothed, in a quiet room. It has historical roots in energy-healing tradition, but we don't present that as established fact — what we can honestly say is that many clients find it calming.
No. We don't make that claim. Reiki is offered as optional relaxation support alongside your clinical treatment. Evidence for reiki is limited to subjective relaxation and comfort — it is not a treatment for any diagnosed condition.
No. Sessions are fully clothed, and the practitioner asks your preference before starting — light touch, hovering hands with no contact, or no touch at all. You can change your preference at any time, including mid-session.
No. It's entirely optional. Declining it has no effect on your standing in PHP, IOP, or outpatient care.
No. We're direct about this: reiki is a complementary relaxation practice, not psychotherapy or psychiatric treatment. It never substitutes for your individual therapy, group therapy, or medication management.
Trained practitioners facilitate reiki sessions as part of the center's complementary programming, coordinated with — not separate from — your clinical care team.
No, it's offered in person at our Arlington center as part of the PHP and IOP day. Individual therapy and medication management are available by telehealth statewide in Virginia; in-person programs serve Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, DC residents.
In-person care at 5400 Shawnee Road, Arlington, VA for VA, MD, and DC residents. Telehealth for Virginia residents only.
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Insurance accepted
PHP and IOP program days that include complementary sessions like reiki are billed as part of your standard behavioral health benefit — not as a separate wellness charge. Most major commercial plans cover our programs, including Anthem, CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, Aetna, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare, Optum, Sentara Health Plans, UMR, and Johns Hopkins Health Plans. Send us your card and we'll confirm your benefits before you begin.
Don't see your plan? Call us — we also work with out-of-network benefits and self-pay.