Types of Energy Healing, Compared

Short answer: The best-known types of energy healing are Reiki, Therapeutic Touch and Healing Touch, where a practitioner works with their hands on or just above your body, and qigong, a movement and breathing practice you do yourself. [S01] [S04] [S07] [S08] The hands-on methods share a belief in an energy field around the body, but there's no scientific evidence that this field exists, and studies of their effects are small and mixed. [S01] [S10] Qigong has more research, mostly as gentle exercise. [S08] All of them appear low risk, as long as they're used alongside medical care, not instead of it. [S01] [S07] [S10]

"Energy healing" covers a family of practices researchers often group as biofield therapies. A 2025 map of the research counted 353 human studies, led by Reiki, Therapeutic Touch and Healing Touch. [S09] This guide compares the main types: where each comes from, what a session is like and what the evidence shows.

Energy healing types at a glance

Reiki

Reiki is the most widely studied energy practice. Practitioners place their hands lightly on or just above you, with the aim of directing energy to support your own healing response. [S01] It's based on an Eastern belief in an energy that supports the body's natural healing abilities. [S01]

The evidence: NIH's National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) says Reiki hasn't been clearly shown to be effective for any health-related purpose. Most studies haven't been high quality and the results have been inconsistent. [S01]

• A Cochrane review of Reiki for anxiety and depression found only three studies, with just 25 people with anxiety and 17 with depression. It found no evidence of benefit or harm and called the evidence insufficient. [S02]
• A 2022 review of 14 placebo-controlled studies found Reiki did better than placebo for some mental health measures, especially stress and depression in people with significant symptoms. [S03] But the authors said there were too few studies in each area to be conclusive, and most studies had some risk of bias. [S03]

Safety: NCCIH says Reiki hasn't been shown to have harmful effects. [S01] If you're curious, our first Reiki session guide walks through what happens.

Therapeutic Touch

Despite its name, Therapeutic Touch often involves no touch at all. It was developed by nurse Dolores Krieger, PhD, and Dora Kunz, who began teaching it to nursing students at New York University in the early 1970s. [S04]

What happens: The practitioner first centers themselves, then passes their hands over your body from head to toe, about 2 to 6 inches from the skin, to "assess" your energy field. [S05] They then use sweeping motions to "clear" and "balance" it. [S05] You stay clothed, and a session usually lasts no more than 20 minutes. [S04]

The evidence: In the 2025 research map, Therapeutic Touch had the second-most studies after Reiki. [S09] It's also the subject of one of the best-known tests of the energy-field idea. In a 1998 JAMA study, 21 practitioners with 1 to 27 years' experience tried to sense which of their hands was near the investigator's hidden hand. They chose correctly in 44% of 280 trials, close to what guessing alone would produce, and more experience didn't help. [S06] The study was small, its authors were openly critical of the practice, and it drew many letters in response. [S06] Still, it's consistent with NCCIH's view that there's no scientific evidence for the energy field these practices describe. [S01]

Healing Touch

Healing Touch is a structured program of energy-based techniques developed by a nurse. Practitioners train through five standardized levels totaling 108 hours, and the program is endorsed by the American Holistic Nurses Association. [S11] The Healing Touch Program describes it as a "heart-centered" approach that supports relaxation and the body's own capacity for healing. [S07]

What happens: A session usually starts with a short conversation about your needs. You lie on a table or sit in a chair, fully clothed, while the practitioner uses gentle touch or works just above your body. Sessions generally last 40 to 60 minutes. [S07] You don't need to believe in it for a session to go ahead. [S07]

The evidence: Healing Touch has been studied less than Reiki or Therapeutic Touch. [S09] Much of the research is in cancer care (see below). Notably, the program itself says Healing Touch isn't a medical treatment and doesn't diagnose, treat or cure disease. [S07]

Qigong

Qigong is different from the others: rather than being treated, you do the practice yourself. It developed in China as part of traditional Chinese medicine and combines regulation of the mind, breath, and body movement and posture. [S08] Dynamic forms emphasize movement, while meditative forms focus on breath and attention with almost no movement. [S08] Tai chi, when practiced for health, is considered a form of qigong. [S08]

The evidence: Because qigong is a form of gentle exercise, it has a different and somewhat larger evidence base. NCCIH summarizes small studies suggesting it may help people with fibromyalgia, improve function and mood alongside standard treatment for COPD, and support balance and fall prevention. [S08] Many of the studies are small, and NCCIH notes the evidence is conflicting for pain. [S08]

Safety: NCCIH says qigong appears safe, with side effects similar to other exercise. There's no research on its safety in pregnancy, so check with your clinician first if you're pregnant. [S08]

There's also "external qigong," where a practitioner directs qi toward you rather than you practicing it. It's studied as a biofield therapy and has far fewer studies. [S09]

Other energy healing practices

The 2025 research map also included intercessory prayer, laying-on of hands, and "distant" or remote healing, each with only a handful of studies. [S09] Polarity therapy, another hands-on method, was included in a review of energy therapies in cancer care. [S10]

What the research shows overall

The clearest summary comes from cancer care, where energy healing is often offered as a comfort therapy. A 2023 review of 21 studies with 1,375 patients looked at Reiki, Therapeutic Touch, Healing Touch and polarity therapy. [S10]

• Most studies found no effect. [S10]
• Some showed short-term improvements in quality of life, pain and nausea, but no long-term differences. [S10]
• The higher-quality studies found no difference between energy healing and comparisons such as placebo, massage, relaxation or a friendly visit. Only lower-quality studies showed significant effects. [S10]
• The risk of side effects appeared small. [S10]

The broader 2025 evidence map found about half of the studies reported positive results, but it described the research rather than judging its quality, and some authors are connected to groups that fund this research. [S09]

Put together, many people find these sessions relaxing, and that may be valuable on its own. But the benefits seen in trials may come from rest, attention and expectation rather than energy transfer. If calm is your goal, you might also explore practices you can do anywhere, such as breathwork, which we cover alongside other approaches in our guide to nervous system regulation.

How to choose and stay safe

• Know what you want. For a passive, restful experience, Reiki or Healing Touch may suit you. For a self-practice you can build on, qigong or tai chi may be a better fit. [S07] [S08]
• Keep your medical care. Use energy healing alongside, not instead of, treatment for a health condition. The Healing Touch Program says the same. [S07]
• Ask about training. Therapeutic Touch and Healing Touch have their own teaching organizations. [S04] [S11] Ask a practitioner how they trained and what a session involves.
• Speak up. Tell the practitioner if you'd rather not be touched, or if you have pain or injuries.
• Be wary of big promises. Be cautious with anyone who claims to cure disease or asks you to stop medicine.

Frequently asked questions

What are the main types of energy healing?

The most-studied are Reiki, Therapeutic Touch and Healing Touch, where a practitioner works with hands on or just above your body, and qigong, which you practice yourself through movement, breathing and focus. Others include external qigong, polarity therapy and distant healing.

What's the difference between Reiki and Healing Touch?

Both use light touch or hands held just above the body. Reiki is based on an Eastern belief in a supportive life energy, while Healing Touch was developed by a nurse and is taught as a structured five-level program. Healing Touch sessions generally run 40 to 60 minutes.

Does energy healing actually work?

For hands-on methods, the research is small and mixed. Some trials report short-term improvements in stress, pain or nausea, but higher-quality studies often find no difference from placebo or ordinary attention, and there's no evidence the energy field itself exists.

Is energy healing safe?

Reiki and related methods haven't been shown to cause harm, and side effects appear rare. The main risk is using them instead of medical care for a health problem. Qigong is gentle exercise; check first if you're pregnant or have limits on movement.

Which type of energy healing should I try first?

If you want to be treated, a Reiki or Healing Touch session is a gentle way to see how you respond. If you'd rather build a daily practice, qigong or tai chi classes have more research behind them, largely as exercise.