If you’re aware of the ever-changing world of health, you may have noticed that energy healing is gaining popularity. Perhaps you’ve seen clips of Julianne Hough receiving healing, heard about your sister-in-law’s fervor for Reiki, or heard about your co-worker’s extensive crystal collection. Whatever has sparked your interest, chances are you still want to know what energy healing is.

Energy healing (also known as energy work) is a broad type of health filled with many different modalities and perspectives. As such, dissecting it can be a confusing subject. To help understand it, we spoke with a number of energy healers and conducted some research to answer at least some of the questions you desperately need to address. Here, learn what energy healing is, the different types of energy healing tools and treatments, and the reasons you might want to consider trying it for yourself.

What is energy healing?
Energy healing has its roots in Ayurveda and traditional Chinese medicine. It comes in many forms, including Reiki, acupuncture and crystal healing; Millana Snow, an energy healer and founder of Wellness Official, says you can get different experiences from different teachers. Essentially, it is the act of channeling and changing the energy flowing through your body as a form of healing.

Energy healing “uses subtle energies – such as colors or wavelengths of sound frequencies – to restore a sense of relaxation and well-being,” says Alexis Alvarez, a Modern Sanctuary ‘s Intuitive Energy Worker, who practices different forms of energy healing, including crystal healing and Reiki. “The theory is that energy work can be beneficial for mental, emotional and physical problems or illnesses because they always start with an energy imbalance in the first place.” The goal is to regulate the energy centers and heal imbalances to bring the body back to a “state of harmony” or balance within the body.

Different Energy Healing Tools and Treatments
Energy healing does not refer to a single process. It encompasses many different healing modalities, “diagnosing or healing by manipulating the pulsing energy that passes through every cell in our bodies,” says Jill Blakeway, PhD, acupuncture and Chinese medicine, and author of “Energy Medicine: The Science and Mystery. The Way to Healing.”

One of the most popular approaches – and one that is supported by most scientific research – is acupuncture, which is used to treat a plethora of problems, including menstrual issues, fertility, pain, allergies and stress. Interestingly, Blackwell says it is the only energy healing technique licensed in the United States.

Studies have shown that acupuncture “increases blood circulation, thermal imaging shows it reduces inflammation, and blood tests confirm it prompts the body to produce its own painkillers called endorphins,” Blackwell says. “It’s also more mechanical than other forms of energy medicine.”

Related: My fear of needles didn’t stop me from getting acupuncture, and that’s why I’m going back

Snow has developed her own practice, which she calls integrative energy healing-which she likens to the “antithesis of acupuncture. Her approach works from the inside (think: your emotional, mental and spiritual state) to affect your body.

Another common energy healing technique is Reiki, which is sometimes used to reduce stress and pain. Johns Hopkins Medicine describes it as an energy healing practice where “the hand is placed on or gently touches the body, as in ‘pressing the hand’.” Reiki practitioners will “use their hands to channel energy into your body, improving the flow and balancing your energy to support healing,” according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Other forms of energy healing include sound healing, chromotherapy (also known as color therapy) and crystal healing.

“The use of crystals in science has to do with their ability to transform energy,” explains Blackwell. “The technical term for this is piezoelectricity, which means that they can convert energy from one form to another. Crystals vibrate at their own frequency, and it is possible to measure the frequency emitted by a particular type of crystal. This makes them an excellent conduit for energy, which is why they are used for energy healing.”

Different crystals are said to have different energetic components. For example, amber is reported to promote emotional and physical healing, while moon feldspar is said to have a calming effect.

Utilizing crystals is one of the many ways you can practice energy healing in your daily life without having to schedule an appointment with a practitioner, Alvarez said. “Some people listen to Aum Shinrikyo chanting, a specific frequency of sound in order to relieve stress,” she adds. “Using colored light bulbs can quickly adjust your mood. Essential oils are also a great and practical energy tool that we can use to feel better. The chemicals in the scents we smell can have a direct impact on our psyche.”

Energy healing can also be combined with other common wellness practices such as meditation, breathing and mind-body movement.

In short, the field is awash with different healing approaches – but not all of them are supported by extensive scientific research. Therefore, if you want to try energy healing, consider seeking guidance from a licensed professional or medical professional.

What does a session with an energy healer look like?
What does energy healing look like? With snow, it starts with meditation, breathing, and you will consciously change your breathing patterns to change your mental and physical state. From there, “I start working on your chakra system, the seven main chakras,” Snow says. This, she says, helps unblock your energy channels and brings you back to “a natural state of bliss.

The goal of this practice is to “go deep into the subconscious and see how your mental stories and thoughts are trapped in that energy, that emotion, that physical illness,” Snow says.

That said, because there are many different types of energy healing, your experience will vary depending on the practitioner and the way they use it.

Can you do remote energy work?
If you’re considering trying energy healing but can’t make an IRL appointment, or if you’re having trouble finding a practitioner in your area, we have good news: you don’t have to do it in person. Snow has led online energy healing sessions for two years, right down to health officials and says you can still get benefits without leaving home. She even hosts sessions via Instagram Live.

“You put on your headphones, lie down and I start guiding you into meditation to help you go deeper into your subconscious,” Snow says. She was guiding clients to breathe before sending them energy. “It breaks the premise that space and time are both illusions,” she explains. “Energy doesn’t need a container of physical space. It can go anywhere it needs to go.” Snow’s remote clients say it actually feels like she’s in the room with them – as if they can feel her hand touching them. “That might sound a little intimidating,” Snow laughs. “I assure you, it’s not scary. It’s all positive, loving energy.”

What can you expect from energy healing?
In Snow’s experience, most people don’t try energy healing until they’re going through a challenging time, whether it’s work, health or relationships. “They kind of hit a wall,” she says.

However, energy healing can actually benefit anyone, no matter where they are. “I hope most people don’t have to become very difficult before they come to me,” Snow says. If energy healing – or even other aspects of it, such as breathing or meditation – is part of your daily activities, you will be more attuned to your mind and body. If something is going wrong in your life, staying in touch with yourself will help you understand it more quickly and have the ability to make changes. “That’s my ultimate hope for all my clients,” Snow says. “They get into the kind of practice where they can have that power and clarity on their own.”