Healing Energy in Hospice: How Reiki Volunteers Are Bringing Comfort to Gilchrist Patients

When patients at Gilchrist Center Howard County, in their homes, or in senior living communities receive a visit from Cliff Garratt, they’re often met with something gentle, quiet—and deeply healing. Cliff is one of Gilchrist’s dedicated Reiki volunteers, offering energy-based healing sessions to patients and families facing the physical, emotional, and spiritual stress of serious illness.

What Is Reiki?

Reiki is a Japanese healing technique that promotes relaxation and reduces stress and anxiety through gentle touch or by hovering hands just above the body. It’s based on the idea that the practitioner can channel energy into the patient to activate the body’s natural healing processes and restore physical and emotional well-being.

“Reiki isn’t about curing,” Cliff explains. “It’s about comfort. It’s about bringing peace, easing pain, and helping someone feel safe and supported—especially in their final days.”

Research has shown that Reiki may help alleviate pain, reduce anxiety, ease nausea, improve sleep, and foster a sense of calm and connection. For hospice patients, these effects can be especially meaningful.

A Calling to Serve

Cliff’s path to Reiki began long before he became a Gilchrist volunteer. A hydrologist by trade, Cliff spent his career restoring streams and protecting the environment. After retiring at age 70, a reflective moment during a class exercise led him to revisit his experience with Reiki many years earlier in California. “It came to me that I wanted to serve—and Reiki was how I could do that,” he recalls.

Cliff spent six months finding the right teacher and eventually became a certified Reiki Master Practitioner and Teacher, trained in four different lineages. “Each technique is a tool in the toolbox,” he says. “When I work with someone, I’m guided by their energy—and only use what is needed.”

Building a Program at Gilchrist

When Cliff joined Gilchrist 11 years ago, the Reiki program at the Howard Center didn’t yet exist. Working alongside the volunteer coordinator and clinical manager, Cliff helped build the program from the ground up—starting with weekly visits and eventually attending team meetings (IDT) to help determine which patients might benefit from Reiki.

Since then, he has trained more than 35 volunteers in Level 1 Reiki, preparing them to offer this service to patients and families throughout the region.

“We’re a part of the holistic volunteer team,” Cliff says. “And our role is to help people feel more at ease—patients, families, and even staff.”

The Power of Presence

Reiki sessions at Gilchrist typically last five to ten minutes. Sometimes Cliff will gently place his hands on the person; other times, he works a few inches above the body, depending on the patient’s preferences and needs. Patients don’t need to move or change positions—Reiki meets them exactly where they are.

“There are times I walk into a room and the patient is anxious or in pain,” he says. “By the time I leave, their breathing has slowed, their body has softened, and there’s a sense of peace in the room. It’s subtle, but it’s powerful.”

He also offers Reiki to staff and family members. “Caregivers carry so much,” Cliff says. “Being able to offer them even a few minutes of peace makes a difference.”

Honoring Choice

Cliff is quick to emphasize that Reiki is never imposed. “Consent is everything. I always explain what Reiki is and ask permission—either from the patient directly or through their healthcare proxy. If they’re not interested, that’s okay. But if they are, it can be a transformative experience.”

And for those who are unsure, Cliff hopes this blog helps remove some of the mystery. “A lot of people say no because they just don’t know what it is. Once they understand, many change their minds.”

A Vision for the Future

“The impact is there—we see it every day,” he says. “It’s a simple but profound way to bring comfort.” As one of the pioneers of the Reiki volunteer program, Cliff continues to lead by example—offering his time, his hands, and his heart to those in need.

“It does good,” he says simply. “That’s what keeps me coming back.”

If you or a loved one are receiving care through Gilchrist and are interested in learning more about Reiki or our holistic volunteer services, please speak with your care team or visit https://gilchristcares.org/volunteer/