Everything You Need to Know About Reiki Energy Healing Sessions | Melbourne
- Fiona Phillips | Certified Japanese Reiki Shihan (Teacher)
- Sep 15
- 16 min read
Updated: 6 days ago
If you’re new to exploring Reiki, chances are you have a lot of questions - how much to expect to pay for a session, what happens during a session, how to find the best Reiki Practitioner near you, how many sessions you might need and whether it’s even going to work for you.
As a certified Reiki Shihan (Teacher) and experienced practitioner based in Fitzroy, Melbourne, I had many of these questions once myself and many of these questions have been asked to me. When I was new to Reiki, I experienced some incredible Reiki sessions and some not-so wonderful ones and I've also had too many clients to mention, who have come to me, after disappointing experiences prior to coming to me.
Through my years of practices and Teaching, I've come to gather a few handy hints that may be able to better assist you on your search and journey with Reiki healing.
By way of background, I specialise in traditional, non-Westernised Japanese Reiki, offering both hands-on and distant sessions, as well as Teaching Japanese Reiki in Melbourne, Australia. I’ve written this guide to help you make informed decisions when it comes to choosing a practitioner and understanding what Reiki can actually do for you. There’s can be lot of vague or even misleading information out there, and my goal is to offer clear guidance that I hope will be helpful for you as well as further reading should you want to dive deeper into any of the topics covered here.
This article gathers a summary of all these topics in in one place, offering guidance on the questions people most commonly ask when exploring Reiki healing.
What is Reiki Really? Where Did It Come From?
Reiki is a spiritual and healing practice utilising Universal life-force Energy that promotes spiritual, physical, mental and emotional healing. It originated in Japan by founder Mikao Usui in the early 20th century.
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What Does a Reiki Energy Healing Session Cost in Melbourne?
As a general rule, a single Reiki Energy Healing session in Melbourne generally ranges from $80 to $120 per hour.
Newer Practitioners or community-style sessions may offer Reiki on the lower end (between $60–$75 per hour) and Senior Teachers (known as Masters/Shihans) or specialist clinics (offering advanced traditional techniques and lesser known traditional practices) may charge on higher end of the scale ($130–$170+ per hour).
Distant Reiki sessions (where a Reiki Practitioner facilitates the session remotely) offer mirror in-person session pricing and will be priced according to the duration of the session.
Recommendation: When looking at price, look for value based on the duration of the session as well as the experience of the Practitioner and specialisation of practice.
Factors that influence cost of a Reiki Session:
Practitioner’s experience - More experienced or highly sought-after practitioners may charge more, including Practitioners who specialise in offering only Reiki (rather than as a side job or amongst a list of many other modalities), or advanced healing techniques and practices. See below for 'How to Chose The Best Reiki Practitioner For Me'.
Location – Centrally located, city-based sessions are often more expensive due to overheads.
Session duration – A 90-minute or 2 hours session costs more than a half-hour or hour session. Take note of the duration when evaluation cost and value.
Home visits – If the practitioner travels to you, they are likely to charge more due to travel time as well as the time is takes to set up and pack up.
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What Happens in a Reiki Energy Healing Session?
Most Reiki sessions begin with an initial consultation, allowing time for you to discuss your needs or what you are hoping to get out of Reiki, and in the first session, the Practitioner will provide an explanation of what Reiki is, what to expect and how the session, allowing as much time as required for you to ask any questions.
Sessions are often conducted in a serene and calming atmosphere, with soft, relaxing music often played in the background. Generally whilst you are receiving Reiki, there is no talking between you and the Practitioner, although the Practitioner may communicate with you if necessary (for example if you are suffering a specific area of pain and the Practitioner needs to confirm the location) and you, of course, are encouraged to communicate with your Practitioner at any time if you are uncertain or feel in any way uncomfortable. This is your healing session and so you should be made to feel absolutely at ease to have full control over how the session transpires.
For the actual session, the Reiki Practitioner places their hands on a series of positions on your clothed body (mainly on the front and back of the torso and head), acting as a conduit between the Reiki and your energy body, and your energy body draws in the energy as needed. In Western practices (which is the majority of Reiki practices in Australia and around the world), they often use set hand positions and time each position. In Japanese Reiki (or those who practice the lesser known traditional form), the placement of the Practitioners hands and the duration of each placement is guided by the unique needs of the client. Such Practitioners are trained to 'sense' which areas of the body need Reiki the most and read sensations in their hands to determine the level of need.
Kekko: A much lesser known technique in the West that was a fundamental practice of the original traditional Japanese system of Reiki, known as Kekko, may be offered (although there are very few people in Australia who are aware of or practice this technique). It is designed to intensify the receipt of Reiki, dissolve any stagnation or toxins into the blood-stream and circulate the blood (to allow or the body to purify and detoxify more efficiently). It can lessen the side effects of Reiki and enhance your healing and involves a series of acupressure points, stroking, sweeping, light stretching and patting. Those who do offer it will demonstrate it using a proxy, after which you can choose to opt-in or opt-out of receiving this Traditional Reiki Technique at the conclusion of your session.
Every practitioner has their own style, but the intention is always the same, to create a space for your system to come into balance.
Many people feel relaxed, clear, emotional, or deeply calm. Some fall asleep. Others might release emotion or experience subtle insights. The outcome is personal, and no two sessions are ever the same.
There will be time at the end of the session to discuss any emotions, insights, questions or any aspect of the experience you may wish to share with your Practitioner. Many Practitioner, might offer you a warm tea at the end of your session to help ground you.
How Many Sessions Will I Need?
This is a difficult question to answer, as it varies depending on what you are looking for our of Reiki and also, allowing Reiki to guide you as you go. As a general rule, a few sessions to begin with is advisable, as this will give you an idea of whether to continue pursuing Reiki as a therapy for you. It gives Reiki a chance to start moving things, whether it be mental, emotional, physical or spiritual. For example, some clients benefit from several sessions in close succession, especially when dealing with chronic stress, emotional grief, trauma, or persistent health issues.
Having said that, some people come once and feel a dramatic shift immediately. This could be if they are feeling heightened emotions due to an event in their life, or a pain or injury that has recently occurred that they are seeing healing or pain relief from. For some clients, they use Reiki as a way to reconnect with themselves, and take some time out of their busy lives, much like they would when booking a massage. This is also an effective way to utilise Reiki.
There’s no one-rule-fits-all, but a good practitioner will help you check in with what feels right and leave it to you to guide your own healing journey. A good Practitioner won’t pressure you into multiple bookings if they’re not needed and they should make you feel confident in making a decision for yourself, using your own instinct, regarding your healing journey.
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What can Reiki Do For Me?
Reiki can support any and every aspect of our experience as humans - this means that Reiki can provide physical, mental, emotional or spiritual support and healing.
On one level Reiki helps increase energy in areas where the body requires energy in order to perform its natural detox function, remove any stagnation and restore strength and flow. On the other hand, Reiki has a quality that is loving, compassionate and deeply relaxing. Reiki can ease stress, calm the nervous system, and bring the body into a deep state of rest where healing naturally happens. Clients often notice physical pain softening or being eliminated all together - from aching shoulders and tight necks, back pain or headaches to long-term discomfort that hasn’t shifted over time with treatments. Many report their sleep improves and they wake feeling lighter and clearer.
On an emotional level, Reiki helps release the heaviness of grief, anxiety, or old patterns that keep you stuck. People often describe a sense of peace, renewed positivity, unexpected clarity, or a deep emotional release that feels renewing and restorative.
Without limiting the scope of what Reiki can offer, here are some examples of what Reiki can help with:
Depression
Anxiety
Stress
Fatigue
Anger
Feeling stuck or emotionally overwhelmed
Emotional upset
Grief
Preparing for pregnancy or birth
experiencing chronic illness
Past or ancestral trauma
Pain & symptom management (including for life-limiting illnesses)
Side effects from treatments (including chemotherapy & radiation)
Physical ailments or injuries
Insomnia or sleep issues
Perimenopausal / Menopausal symptoms
Constipation
Migraines & headaches
Burns & wound healing
Palliative & End of Life care
General health & wellbeing
Spiritual connection, growth and wellbeing
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How to Choose the Right Reiki Practitioner
Choosing the right Practitioner is an essential aspect of your healing journey. It is important that you feel safe and comfortable with your Practitioner and that they are able to hold space for your healing. Reiki can be deeply personal and taking the time to find the best Practitioner for you is recommended. In addition to that, it is important to find a Practitioner that is not only qualified, but that has the requisite skill, experience and practice to support your healing.
Here are some key things to look for if you want an authentic and effective Reiki experience:
Lineage - Reiki is passed down through Reiju (attunement) from teacher to student in a direct line that goes back to Mikao Usui. A genuine practitioner should be able to trace their lineage directly to him. This is important as there are some people who claimed to be 'Reiki Practitioners' who don't come from an authentic lineage.
In-Person Training - Reiju (attunement) is traditionally received in person. Most Reiki associations do not recognise online-only training. This may affect what is being channeled and it may be preferable to find a Practitioner who trained in person.
System Practiced - Understand the different systems and what is offered. There are so many different Westernised versions of Reiki, some which have removed traditional advanced healing techniques and practices and added others, like crystal healing and concepts that are not part of the Japanese scope or approach to healing through Reiki. Some are so changed that is it difficult to tell how much of it is Reiki and how much of it is something else. There are also Japanese systems who have changed the fundamental aspects of the original practice. It is difficult to tell how much this impacts the quality of healing. I've written more about this further down to help you understand which an modified systems and which are more aligned with the traditional practice.
Certification Level - Look for at least Level II training and above. This ensures the practitioner has experience with healing others and not just self-practice.
Daily Practice - A practitioner’s effectiveness is linked to their own spiritual and self-healing habits. Depth of practice corresponds to the intensity of the Practitioner as a Channel.
Experience - Ask whether Reiki is their main profession and how long they have been practicing. Immersion in the work can influence the effectiveness of the Practitioner as a Channel of the Energy.
Intuitive vs Fixed Practice - Traditional practitioners often work intuitively with Byosen, rather than relying on set hand positions and timing each set position. The 'Byosen Technique' is a traditional technique where the Practitioner is trained to sense, through sensations in their hands, where Reiki is needed and understand the level of need for each client. This can make the healing more personalised, efficient and effective.
Hands-On Reiki - Reiki was traditionally hands-on over clothing, not hovering. Hands-on generally brings greater benefit.
Session Length - Longer sessions allow for deeper healing and proper integration time.
Value - Price reflects many things: system, training, experience, session length, depth of practice. It’s not just about the cost but the quality of what is offered.
Insurance - Choose someone who is professionally insured.
Testimonials - Reviews give you a sense of their character, presence, and the impact of their work.
Connection - Reiki is a shared energetic experience between you and the Practitioner. Beyond credentials, the way you feel with the practitioner matters. Get a sense of them through their website, reviews and if you feel the need to, reach out to them to chat before booking a session. If you don't feel connection or aren't quite sure - move on and keep looking. Trust your gut.
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Why Does Lineage/System of Reiki Matter?
Since Mikao Usui created the system of Reiki, and particularly after World War II, Reiki has branched into many different systems. Some estimate there are now over 100, and surprisingly, only around half of these are considered genuine Reiki systems. So it’s helpful to first understand lineage and the different streams of Reiki.
First, it’s important that a practitioner’s lineage traces directly back to Mikao Usui through in-person training.
Second, it’s important to work with someone whose system of Reiki resonates with you.
Broadly, Reiki today falls into two main categories: Japanese Reiki and Western Reiki. Although many systems call themselves “Japanese” or “traditional,” the vast majority worldwide are Western systems. All Western systems trace back to Hawayo Takata, and all are modified versions of the original practice. When you look at a Reiki healer's lineage, if you see Hawayo Takata's name, you know it is a Western Reiki system that they practice.
When Takata brough Reiki to the the West, she removed many of the traditional techniques, changed the symbols and the Reiju, replaced intuitive healer (through a complex understanding of energetic feedback in the practitioner's hand) with fixed hand positions she created, and removed two important toxin-clearing methods that were part of the original healing process.
After Takata, further systems, from people that came through her, were created, each adding, removing or adapting practices. Over time these changes shifted many systems far from the original form of Reiki, even though they still carry the name.
To add another layer of complexity, some systems founded in Japan, cateogirsed as 'Japanese' Reiki' also adapt or modify the original teachings, removing fundamental techniques or altering Reiju and symbols, so even “Japanese-based” Reiki does not always mean “traditional.”
Why does this matter? All Reiki is Reiki if the lineage goes back to Usui, but some systems stay much closer to the traditional Japanese spiritual and healing practices, while others blend, change, simplify or Westernise them. This can influence the depth and quality of the treatment you receive.
Japanese systems such as Jikiden Reiki and the teachings preserved within the Arjava Petter Institute honour the original practice, unchanged. Other Japanese systems, like Komyo ReikiDo and Gendai Reiki, are still Japanese in origin but have modified the Reiju, symbols and some of the traditional techniques. All remaining systems around the world fall under the umbrella of Western or Westernised Reiki, and the practices can vary widely, save to save that all are greatly modified systems from the original practice.
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What If It Doesn’t Work?
Sometimes the results from Reiki are immediate and obvious. Other times they unfold more slowly or even in ways you might not expect. You may come in for pain relief but end up clearing a long-held unhealthy emotional pattern that has held your back for many years, yet because you are focussed on the pain not being removed, you may not notice the emotional release you have experienced.
Reiki works where it’s most needed, clearing imbalances, healing old patterns, and restoring harmony on physical, emotional, mental and spiritual levels. The absence of an immediate change doesn’t mean Reiki hasn’t worked. Sometimes, it's like planting a seed - it is the first step in cultivating further healing and growth. These initial shifts can be subtle as the work may be happening out of sight. In such cases, the shifts are like a domino effect of healing that doesn't become apparent immediately but eventually makes itself known. It can takes time to recognise it. It often means something deeper is at play, laying the foundation for lasting growth and healing.
Alternatively, sometimes its a matter of you don't always notice what is absent and tend to focus on what is present. For example, just recently a client came with a list of chronic ailments, including fatigue, shoulder pain, back pain and leg cramping. We worked on the fatigue and back pain to begin with (and planned to address the shoulder pain and cramping later). When she arrived for her second session, whilst her back pain had improved slightly, it was still present and therefore when asked if she had any improvements since her first session, she felt that there was no real change. When I asked her about her fatigue specifically, she seemed surprised that I asked. She had completely forgotten that fatigue was an issue, because the fatigue was no longer present as a result of the Reiki. In other words, sometimes we don't recognise what is no longer present.
The reality is, Reiki is always doing good work. Sometimes it is very obvious and immediate and other times, it is much more subtle. But there is no doubt that over time, Reiki creates space for real shifts.
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Common Myths & Questions
Common Misconceptions About Reiki
“There’s no scientific proof.”
Skeptics often say Reiki lacks evidence. In fact, existing studies show cleared and objectively measurable benefits such as lower blood pressure, heart rate, and cortisol levels, along with reduced pain and faster recovery times. Reiki is now offered in more than 900 hospitals and hospices worldwide, including Mayo Clinic and Johns Hopkins.
“Reiki might cause harm.”
This is one of the biggest myths. Research and decades of practice consistently show Reiki as safe, with no documented risks or contraindications.
Occasionally, people may feel tired or experience mild effects such as headaches, nausea, or flu-like symptoms after a session. These are short-lived and a natural part of the healing process, no different to emotional release in counselling or detox symptoms after giving up sugar.
Far from being harmful, these experiences are signs of energy shifting and healing taking place.
“Everyone experiences it differently, so it can’t be reliable.”
People do experience Reiki in different ways, some feel an immediate shift, others notice changes later. Two people with the same ailment might have different experiences where one experiences relief from the physical issue and other experience emotional relief or shifts. This doesn’t mean Reiki is inconsistent. It means Reiki addresses what is most needed at the time, which can look different for each person.
“It’s unregulated, so anyone can claim to be a Practitioner.”
While Reiki isn’t regulated like conventional medicine, practitioners in Australia are bound by the National Code of Conduct for health workers. Professional associations such as Reiki Australia and the Australian Reiki Alliance require recognised training standards and provide oversight. Asking about a practitioner’s training, lineage, and insurance is the best way to ensure professionalism.
“It’s just placebo.”
This claim ignores the evidence. Studies, including on distance Reiki and in animals, have shown positive outcomes beyond placebo. Research confirms Reiki stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, reducing pain, anxiety, and depression, and improving quality of life.
“It’s not covered by insurance, so it must not be valid.”
Insurance gaps do remain, but Reiki’s widespread use in hospitals is changing this landscape. In the meantime, Reiki shares and community sessions make it accessible at little or no cost for those wanting Reiki but who don't have the financial means to pursue it.
“You might feel worse afterwards.”
Most people leave a session deeply relaxed and uplifted and it’s true that some clients experience emotional release or temporary physical discomfort similar to detoxing symptoms. These are signs of detox and healing, not harm. Any short-lived symptoms are simply the body’s way of clearing what is no longer needed, whether it be emotional or physical.
“Isn’t Reiki just massage?”
Reiki is sometimes mistakenly called “Reiki massage.” This confusion usually comes from massage therapists who also practise Reiki and advertise blended services. But Reiki and massage are very different:
Massage manipulates muscles and soft tissue through pressure and movement.
Reiki uses still hand placements to channel energy and restore balance on all levels.
Reiki-infused massage can enhance a massage treatment, but the Reiki is secondary. For full energetic healing, a stand-alone Reiki session is far more effective.
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Conclusion
If you're new to Reiki, it’s natural to have questions, to be curious or even have a healthy dose of skepticism. My hope is that I have been able to answer some of the most common questions and concerns as well as some of the misconceptions about Reiki and that through both this articles and the further reading available, you can reach a point of clarity and comfort when moving ahead in your healing journey with Reiki, confident about how to find the best Practitioner for you and clarity about what to expect from your session and for your healing.
Reiki is an incredibly healing modality that uniquely addresses all aspects of the human experience and is really an incredible tool to add to your healing journey. I wish you all the best in your path ahead and in your relationship with Reiki and your healing.
Reiki in Melbourne
If you have any questions, or want to chat to more about Reiki please contact me and we can arrange a time to chat. If you would like to book a Reiki session in Melbourne (or distance Reiki worldwide), you can book an appointment here or if you would like to learn Reiki yourself, sign up for a Reiki course here. I look forward to connecting with you for Reiki!
Warmest,
Fiona x
Fiona Phillips
Certified Reiki Shihan (Teacher/Master) and Practitioner
Trained in the Jikiden Reiki & Frank Arjava Petter Lineages
Within The Space | Melbourne
FURTHER RESOURCES
Reiki Australia: The Growing Use of Reiki in Hospital and Clinical Settings (and studies that supports its use for patients)
National Library of Medicine (PubMed Central): Reiki Is Better Than Placebo and Has Broad Potential as a Complementary Health Therapy
Reiki Australia – Reiki Research — a page with research relevant to Reiki Australia and how researchers are evaluating Reiki locally.
Australian Reiki Connection – Scientific Research Papers — a collection of studies (stress, pain, anxiety etc) relevant to Reiki.
– Legal obligations for complementary health workers, including Reiki practitioners.
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