You have decided to try energy healing. Perhaps a friend recommended it, you have read about its benefits, or you simply feel drawn to explore something beyond conventional approaches to wellness. Whatever brought you here, preparing thoughtfully can help you receive the full benefit of your session.
If you have not yet booked, start with our guide on questions to ask before booking an energy healer.
Here is everything you need to know before, during, and after your first energy healing experience.
Before Your Session
Understanding What You Are Walking Into
Energy healing encompasses many modalities—Reiki, pranic healing, chakra balancing, therapeutic touch, quantum healing, and more. While techniques differ, most share common principles:
- The body has an energy system that affects physical, emotional, and mental wellbeing
- This energy can become blocked, depleted, or imbalanced
- Trained practitioners can sense and influence this energy
- Restoring energetic balance supports overall health
You do not need to fully believe in energy healing for it to work. Approaching with openness is enough.
Practical Preparation
Schedule wisely: Choose a time when you will not be rushed. Avoid scheduling important meetings or demanding activities immediately after—you may feel deeply relaxed or need processing time.
Eat lightly: A heavy meal can make you uncomfortable lying down and may dull your sensitivity. Eat something light a few hours before, and avoid alcohol for at least 24 hours prior.
Hydrate well: Energy work often increases awareness of your body. Being well-hydrated supports this process and helps with any detoxification effects afterward.
Dress comfortably: Wear loose, comfortable clothing. You will typically remain fully clothed during the session. Avoid restrictive waistbands, heavy jewelry, or anything that might distract you.
Minimize stimulants: If possible, reduce caffeine intake the day of your session. Stimulants can make it harder to relax and may interfere with subtle awareness.
Mental and Emotional Preparation
Set an intention: What brings you to energy healing? Physical discomfort? Emotional processing? General wellness? Spiritual curiosity? Having a general intention—even if it is simply "I am open to whatever serves my highest good"—gives the session focus.
Release expectations: Paradoxically, the less you expect specific results, the more you may receive. Try not to predetermine what should happen. Let the experience unfold.
Acknowledge any nervousness: It is normal to feel uncertain about something new. Acknowledging nervousness rather than fighting it allows it to pass more easily.
Consider what you want to share: Practitioners often ask about your reasons for seeking healing. You can share as much or as little as feels comfortable. You do not need to disclose your entire history.
Questions to Clarify Beforehand
If you have not already discussed these with your practitioner, consider asking:
- What should I wear?
- Will there be physical touch, and where?
- How long will the session last?
- What should I do during the session—stay still, breathe a certain way?
- Is there anything I should avoid before or after?
- What might I experience during or after the session?
Knowing what to expect reduces anxiety and helps you relax into the experience.
During Your Session
The Typical Flow
While every practitioner works differently, sessions often follow a general pattern:
Intake conversation: Your practitioner may ask about your health, your intentions, and any specific concerns. This helps them tailor the session.
Getting comfortable: You will typically lie on a massage table, fully clothed. Some practitioners have you sit instead. Pillows and blankets are often available for comfort.
Centering and opening: The practitioner may take a moment to center themselves, perhaps with prayer, intention-setting, or simply quiet breathing.
The healing work: The main portion involves the practitioner working with your energy. This may include hands placed lightly on or hovering above various parts of your body, visualization, breathwork guidance, or other techniques specific to their modality.
Closing: Sessions typically end with grounding—helping you return to normal awareness—and gentle transition back to conversation.
Integration discussion: Many practitioners leave time to discuss what you experienced and offer guidance for the coming days.
What You Might Experience
Energy healing produces varied experiences. You might feel:
Physical sensations:
- Warmth or coolness in different areas
- Tingling, pulsing, or vibration
- Heaviness or lightness
- Muscle twitches or releases
- Deep relaxation similar to the edge of sleep
Emotional experiences:
- Unexpected emotions surfacing—tears, laughter, sighs
- Memories arising
- Sense of release or relief
- Feeling of peace or safety
Mental experiences:
- Vivid imagery or colors
- Dream-like states
- Unusual clarity or insights
- Time distortion (session feeling shorter or longer than actual time)
Subtle or nothing noticeable:
- Some people feel very little during sessions but notice effects afterward
- Lack of dramatic experience does not mean nothing happened
- Sensitivity often increases with subsequent sessions
Your Role During the Session
Relax as much as possible: This is your primary job. Let go of needing to do anything. If your mind wanders, that is fine. If you fall asleep, that is fine too.
Breathe naturally: Unless the practitioner guides specific breathing, just breathe normally. Some people unconsciously hold their breath—if you notice this, simply return to natural breathing.
Stay open to what arises: If emotions come up, let them. If images appear, notice them. Resist the urge to analyze during the session—there will be time for that later.
Communicate if needed: If you are uncomfortable, too hot or cold, or need anything, speak up. If something feels wrong, you can always stop the session.
Trust the process: Your job is to receive. Your practitioner is holding the space and guiding the energy. You do not need to make anything happen.
After Your Session
Immediate Aftercare
Take your time getting up: Do not rush off the table. Sit up slowly, take a few breaths, and let yourself reorient before standing.
Drink water: Hydration supports your body in processing whatever shifted during the session. Drink plenty of water for the next 24-48 hours.
Avoid rushing into activity: If possible, keep the rest of your day gentle. Energy work continues processing after the session ends.
Eat grounding foods: If you feel spacey or ungrounded, eating something—especially protein or root vegetables—can help you feel more settled.
What to Expect in the Following Days
Physical responses:
- Fatigue or increased energy (both are normal)
- Changes in sleep patterns
- Physical symptoms temporarily intensifying before improving
- Increased body awareness
Emotional responses:
- Emotions continuing to surface
- Dreams becoming more vivid or significant
- Mood shifts
- Sense of lightness or release
Mental clarity:
- Insights arriving about your life or situations
- Increased intuition
- New perspectives on old problems
The healing response: Sometimes things feel worse before they feel better. This is sometimes called a "healing crisis" or "detox response." If you experience temporary symptom increase, it typically passes within a day or two and often precedes improvement.
Integration Practices
To maximize the benefit of your session:
Rest when possible: Your body is processing. Honor its need for downtime.
Journal: Write about your experience while it is fresh. Record sensations, emotions, images, and any insights. You may notice more as you write.
Continue hydrating: Water supports energetic and physical processing.
Limit substances: Alcohol, recreational drugs, and even excessive caffeine can interfere with integration. Stay clean for a few days if possible.
Spend time in nature: Natural environments support grounding and continued healing.
Be gentle with yourself: Avoid harsh self-criticism or pushing yourself too hard in the days following a session.
Notice changes: Pay attention to shifts—in your body, mood, energy levels, relationships, or perspectives. Sometimes changes are subtle but significant.
When to Contact Your Practitioner
Reach out if you experience:
- Intense emotional distress that does not pass
- Physical symptoms that concern you
- Questions about what you experienced
- Need for guidance on integration
Good practitioners welcome follow-up questions and care about your continued wellbeing.
Making the Most of Energy Healing
Single Sessions vs. Series
One session can produce noticeable benefits, but energy healing often works cumulatively:
- Single sessions are good for trying energy healing, addressing specific acute concerns, or maintenance once you have established balance
- A series (often 3-6 sessions) allows deeper work on chronic issues and builds on previous sessions
Discuss with your practitioner whether single or multiple sessions suit your goals.
Combining with Other Approaches
Energy healing complements rather than replaces other care:
- Continue medical treatment for health conditions
- Maintain therapy for mental health support
- Use energy healing as part of an integrated approach to wellbeing
The best practitioners support your whole health picture, not just their piece of it.
Developing Your Own Sensitivity
Over time, you may become more aware of your own energy:
- Notice how different environments affect you
- Sense when your energy is depleted or balanced
- Recognize emotional energy in your body
- Develop practices that support your own energetic health
Many people find energy healing awakens their own intuitive capacities.
Finding Energy Healers on SpiriVerse
Ready to experience energy healing but unsure where to find a qualified practitioner? SpiriVerse connects seekers with vetted energy healers who bring training, experience, and ethical practice to their work.
Browse practitioner profiles to find someone whose approach resonates. Read reviews from others who have worked with them. Book with confidence knowing you are connecting with someone committed to your wellbeing.
Your first energy healing session might be the beginning of a transformative journey. Approach it with openness, prepare thoughtfully, and trust the process.
Ready to begin? Find vetted energy healers on SpiriVerse who can guide your first experience with skill and care.
