At Sunflower NeuroLymph Therapy, Reiki is offered in a peaceful boutique setting in Merriam, Kansas. Sessions are provided by Valerie Briggs, OTR/L, CLT, an occupational therapist and certified lymphedema therapist with more than 20 years of experience in rehabilitation, neurological recovery, oncology care, and whole person health.
The clinic is located inside Indigo Rose Salon at 9424 Johnson Drive in Merriam, convenient to Shawnee, Mission, Overland Park, Lenexa, Prairie Village, Kansas City, Kansas, and Kansas City, Missouri.
What Is Reiki?
Reiki is a Japanese energy practice centered on the flow of universal life energy. During a session, the practitioner places their hands lightly on or just above the body while the recipient rests comfortably and remains fully clothed.
Reiki gives you a space where nothing is being demanded of you. As the room becomes quiet, many people notice their breathing deepen, their jaw soften, and their thoughts become less crowded. Some experience warmth, tingling, gentle waves of sensation, emotion, imagery, or an expansive sense of peace. Others simply recognize that they feel more settled than when they arrived.
People seek Reiki for many reasons, including:
- Deep relaxation
- Emotional grounding
- Support during stressful life changes
- Greater connection with the body
- Spiritual reflection
- Rest during medical treatment or recovery
- Relief from feeling energetically depleted
- A renewed sense of clarity, presence, and inner direction
You do not need to know how Reiki works before receiving it. Keep an open mind and show willingness to receive.
What Is Medical Reiki?
Medical Reiki is a term used for Reiki offered within the realities of health care, surgery, cancer treatment, rehabilitation, and physical recovery.
At Sunflower NeuroLymph Therapy, I describe my approach as medically informed Reiki. My occupational therapy and lymphedema background shapes how each session is planned. Positioning, scars, swelling, fatigue, sensory changes, movement restrictions, surgical precautions, and emotional comfort can all be considered while preserving the intuitive and energetic nature of Reiki.
This creates a distinctive experience. You receive energy work from someone who understands both the physical demands of recovery and the quieter inner experience of living through a major health change.
A medically informed session may be especially meaningful for someone moving through:
- Breast cancer treatment or recovery
- Surgery preparation or postoperative healing
- Knee or joint replacement recovery
- Stroke or neurological rehabilitation
- Lymphedema or persistent swelling
- Chronic pain or fatigue
- Caregiver stress
- A period of emotional or spiritual transition
Reiki, Energy, and the Human Biofield
The word biofield is used by researchers to describe a proposed field of energy and information associated with living systems. Reiki, Healing Touch, Therapeutic Touch, and external Qigong are commonly studied as biofield therapies.
Gonzalez, Sutherland, and Olalde describe the body as a complex, dynamic, self organizing system. Their 2019 article presents the biofield as a framework for understanding how energy, information, resonance, and whole body organization may relate to restorative health. This model gives language to an experience that many people already recognize intuitively: changes in one part of our physical, emotional, or energetic life can be felt throughout the whole person.
Biofield research is also broader than many people realize. A 2025 scoping review identified 353 human intervention studies, including 255 randomized trials. Eighty eight of those studies specifically examined Reiki. Pain and cancer were among the most frequently studied areas. The findings included positive, mixed, and nonsignificant results, creating a substantial evidence map while also showing the need for more consistent research methods.
A separate 2025 analysis of randomized trials involving 661 participants found a small overall improvement in quality of life following Reiki. The researchers examined Reiki across cancer care, surgical recovery, chronic conditions, and general wellness.
Reiki and Knee Replacement
Reiki has been studied as supportive care around knee replacement surgery.
In a blinded pilot study of 46 people undergoing knee replacement, participants received Reiki, simulated Reiki, or standard care. The Reiki group showed significant reductions in pain, anxiety, blood pressure, and breathing rate. Because this was a small pilot study, it was intended to guide larger research, but its findings offer an encouraging look at Reiki during a physically and emotionally demanding recovery.
A larger 2026 review of 15 randomized surgical studies found that perioperative Reiki was associated with reduced postoperative pain at 24 and 48 hours. It was also associated with improvements in anxiety and blood pressure at 48 hours. The researchers rated the evidence as moderate to low certainty, while identifying Reiki as a promising supportive option in surgical care.
For someone preparing for or recovering from joint replacement, a Reiki session can offer protected time for rest, emotional steadiness, and reconnection with a body working hard to heal.
Reiki and Breast Cancer Support
Breast cancer treatment can affect far more than the area being treated. It may influence energy, sleep, comfort, body trust, emotional well being, and the feeling of being at home in one’s body.
A 2026 systematic review examined four Reiki studies involving 339 people with breast cancer. The studies suggested potential improvements in fatigue, comfort, mood, mental well being, and quality of life. Reiki was generally described as safe and well tolerated, including when sessions were provided during chemotherapy.
My experience in oncology rehabilitation and lymphedema care brings an additional layer of understanding to these sessions. Reiki can be adapted for tenderness, limited shoulder movement, surgical positioning, sensory changes, scars, fatigue, and concerns about swelling.
The intention is to create a place where you can rest without needing to explain every part of what you have been carrying.
What Does a Reiki Session Feel Like?
Every session is personal. You may lie comfortably or receive Reiki in a supported seated position. Before beginning, we will briefly discuss what brought you in, how your body is feeling, and what you would like from the experience.
During the session, my hands may rest lightly on the body or remain just above it, according to your comfort and consent. There is no kneading, forceful pressure, or physical manipulation.
You may feel deeply relaxed. You may notice colors, memories, sensations, or emotional movement. You may fall asleep. You may experience quiet without needing to interpret it.
Afterward, many people describe feeling lighter, clearer, peaceful, spacious, grounded, or more connected to themselves. The experience may continue to unfold gently over the following hours or days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I find Reiki near me in Kansas City?
Sunflower NeuroLymph Therapy offers in person Reiki inside Indigo Rose Salon at 9424 Johnson Drive in Merriam, Kansas. The location is convenient to Johnson County and the greater Kansas City area.If you are searching for Reiki in Kansas City, you may be looking for more than a quiet hour. You may want to feel grounded in your body, clearer in your mind, and connected to the part of yourself that remains steady beneath stress, illness, surgery, or change.
Is Reiki religious?
Reiki is a spiritual energy practice, but it does not require adherence to a particular religion. People from many spiritual traditions, as well as people without a spiritual affiliation, receive Reiki.
Do I need to believe in Reiki for a session to be meaningful?
No particular belief is required. Curiosity, openness, and a willingness to rest are enough.
Is Reiki the same as massage?
No. Reiki is generally received while fully clothed and does not use massage, kneading, or tissue manipulation. The practitioner’s hands rest lightly on the body or remain just above it.
Can Reiki be used during breast cancer care or surgical recovery?
Reiki can be adapted to accommodate fatigue, scars, tenderness, swelling precautions, limited movement, and comfortable positioning. Please share your recent procedures, restrictions, and current concerns before the session so your experience can be thoughtfully personalized.
Return to Yourself
There are seasons when the body needs skilled care. There are also moments when the whole person needs quiet, attention, and room to receive.
Reiki offers that room.
If you are ready to feel more grounded, more connected, and more at ease within yourself, schedule a Reiki session with Valerie Briggs at Sunflower NeuroLymph Therapy in Merriam, Kansas.
Reiki is offered as complementary support and does not replace medical evaluation or prescribed treatment.
References
Baldwin, A. L., Vitale, A., Brownell, E., Kryak, E., & Rand, W. (2017). Effects of Reiki on pain, anxiety, and blood pressure in patients undergoing knee replacement: A pilot study. Holistic Nursing Practice, 31(2), 80–89.https://doi.org/10.1097/HNP.0000000000000195
Gonzalez, M. J., Sutherland, E., & Olalde, J. (2019). Quantum functional energy medicine: The next frontier of restorative medicine. Journal of Restorative Medicine, 9(1), 1–7.https://doi.org/10.14200/jrm.2019.0114
Liu, K., Qin, Z., Qin, Y., Li, Y., Liu, Q., Gao, F., Zhang, P., & Wang, W. (2025). Effects of Reiki therapy on quality of life: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Systematic Reviews, 14, 72.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13643-025-02811-5
Sprengel, M. L., Teo, L., Allen, S., Ijssennagger, N., Hammerschlag, R., Dyer, N. L., & Crawford, C. (2025). Biofield therapies clinical research landscape: A scoping review and interactive evidence map. Journal of Integrative and Complementary Medicine, 31(5), 406–430.https://doi.org/10.1089/jicm.2024.0773
Turan, Z., & Tülüce, D. (2026). The effects of Reiki practice on breast cancer patients: A systematic review. Supportive Care in Cancer, 34(7), 670.https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-026-10889-3
Wang, H., Ma, Q., Wang, L., & Chen, F. (2026). The effectiveness of Reiki in surgical care: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Intensive and Critical Care Nursing, 98, 104534.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iccn.2026.104534