Energy therapy in San Diego for a nervous system stuck on high
Some weeks, what you need isn’t more effort. It is an hour of stillness, light touch and someone else holding the space so you can stop holding everything. That is what an energy therapy session feels like for most people who try it.
At Saffron & Sage, energy therapy includes reiki, craniosacral therapy and medical qi gong. These practices come from traditions that describe the body in terms of energy. We describe them plainly: what happens in the room, how it feels, and why people book. Because we are an integrative clinic, your sessions can sit alongside acupuncture, massage and care from our doctors.
- Gentle, fully clothed sessions
- Experienced, multi-modality practitioners
- HSA, FSA and LSA welcome
- Best of San Diego, 2020, 2021, 2022
Why people in San Diego book energy therapy
These are the reasons we hear most from people across San Diego, from Little Italy and Downtown to Mission Hills, Balboa Park and Hillcrest. Your practitioner will ask what brings you in and suggest the session that fits.
Needing to slow all the way down
A full calendar, a busy mind and a body that rarely gets to rest.
Energy therapy and stress →
Emotional burnout
Caregivers, clinicians, parents and leaders who give all day and want an hour to receive.
Energy work and burnout →
Wanting gentle touch
Deep pressure isn’t for you, or you want bodywork where you stay fully clothed.
Touch, stress and busy lives →
A reflective, spiritual practice
You are drawn to practices that connect body, mind and spirit.
Understanding energy centers →
Feeling stuck
A season where things feel heavy and you want a different kind of support.
Somatic and energy work →
Midlife and big transitions
Changes in energy, routine and identity that ask for more rest and reflection.
Energy work in midlife →
Head, neck and jaw tension
Craniosacral therapy uses very light touch around the head, neck and spine.
What is craniosacral therapy? →
Slow, mindful movement
Medical qi gong pairs simple movement with breathing you can practice at home.
Gentle movement and the nervous system →What is energy therapy?
Energy therapy is a group of gentle practices, such as reiki, craniosacral therapy and qi gong, that use light touch, hands held near the body, slow movement and breath, within traditions that describe the body in terms of energy.
In a reiki session, you rest on a padded table, fully clothed, while your practitioner places their hands lightly on or just above areas such as the head, shoulders and feet. Craniosacral therapy uses very light, still touch around the skull, neck, spine and sacrum. Medical qi gong comes from Traditional Chinese Medicine and combines simple movements, breathing and focused attention. Sessions can be hands-on, hands-off or sensory, with aromatherapy or sound.
We want to be clear and honest. The ideas behind these practices come from traditional and spiritual systems, not modern medicine, and we don’t make promises about results or claim they change anything in your body. What we can promise is a calm room, an experienced practitioner and an hour that is yours. Many people find that valuable in itself.
How energy therapy fits into integrative care here
At Saffron & Sage, energy work is one part of a bigger picture, not a substitute for medical care. Members often pair it with acupuncture, massage, breathwork or meditation and sound, and our team can see what else is in your care.
If something you are feeling needs medical attention, our practitioners will say so and point you to our acupuncturists, naturopathic doctors or medical team first. You leave each session with a suggestion for what could come next, not a package you have to buy.
Tired all day, wired all night? Read this first.
Our free guide to an overworked stress response, for people who keep performing while sleep and recovery slip. Clear, practical and honest about the evidence.
- Why tired and wired are not opposites
- The common patterns, and when to see a doctor
- A two-week log to bring to your first visit
12 pages. Instant download. Just your name and email, no health questions.
What a session feels like, and what it isn’t
You stay fully clothed the whole time. Your practitioner explains what they will do before they start and asks where touch is welcome. You can ask for hands-off work, or for touch to stop, at any point. The room is quiet, sometimes with soft music or a calming scent.
People describe the experience in different ways: deep relaxation, warmth, tingling, drowsiness, emotion, or nothing much at all. All of these are normal. Some people fall asleep. Energy therapy isn’t diagnosis, isn’t medical treatment and doesn’t replace care from a doctor or licensed therapist.
Prefer no touch?
Ask about:
- Hands-off reiki, with hands held just above the body
- Medical qi gong, which you practice yourself with guidance
- Aromatherapy or sound-based sessions
Your first energy therapy appointment, step by step
- Before you arrive. Wear soft, comfortable clothes, and plan to arrive about 10 minutes early for your first visit.
- Intake. Your practitioner asks about your health history, pregnancy, any injuries or surgery, what is on your mind and your comfort with touch.
- The plan. Your practitioner explains what the session will involve, where their hands will go, and how to ask for changes.
- The session. You rest on the table, fully clothed, while your practitioner works quietly. For qi gong, you move and breathe together.
- After. Take a moment before you stand, drink some water and share anything you noticed. Plan a slower evening if you can.
- How often. Some people come once. Others book every few weeks as a regular reset. You decide.
Meet our San Diego energy therapy practitioners
Energy therapy at Saffron & Sage is offered by practitioners trained in reiki, craniosacral therapy and qi gong. Many are also trained in other modalities, and they work in the same clinic as our acupuncturists, naturopathic doctors and medical team.
Experienced and multi-trained
Practitioners trained in energy work, often alongside bodywork, acupuncture or movement.
Consent comes first
Every session starts with a clear explanation and your say on touch, pace and focus.
Part of a care team
If something needs medical attention, our doctors and acupuncturists are down the hall.
Meet the whole care team → Energy therapy is currently offered by Dr. Scott McFarlane.
How much does energy therapy cost? Two ways to start
Your first visit is where the relationship starts. A first appointment runs much like any other: a short intake, your session, and a few minutes at the end to talk about what comes next. If you add a consultation, your practitioner takes a fuller history and reviews your labs, if you have them. Pick the way in that suits you.
First visit and consultation
Your first appointment and a full consultation together, for half the usual price.
Book your first visitNew patients. Through October 31, 2026.
Your first appointment
Start with a single first appointment, then decide what comes next.
Book my first appointmentNew patients. Through October 31, 2026.
Then, as a member
Monthly credits you can use for energy therapy and the rest of your plan. Craniosacral therapy uses two non-medical credits; medical qi gong uses one. Ask us about membership on your discovery call.
Use pre-tax dollars
May be eligible for some services, especially when a provider recommends them. Check eligibility with your plan administrator. We're direct pay and don't bill insurance. How HSA, FSA and LSA work here Get our free HSA and FSA guide
Have your most recent labs? Upload them here for a free overview.
Upload a recent lab report and get a plain-language overview of what each marker measures. You arrive at your first visit with better questions, and our team starts from what you already have.
Upload my lab reportFree. Takes about a minute. Your file is processed in real time and is not stored. Educational only, not medical advice or a diagnosis.
- UploadA recent lab report, as a PDF or a photo.
- ReadA plain-language overview of what each marker measures.
- Talk it throughWith our team on a free discovery call, if you would like.
Energy therapy near Little Italy, San Diego
Saffron & Sage is on State Street, just north of Little Italy, a short drive from Downtown, Bankers Hill, Mission Hills, Point Loma and North Park. Many members come in before or after work.
Saffron & Sage
2555 State St, San Diego, CA 92101
(619) 933-2340 · Get directions
Hours: Monday and Thursday 8 to 2, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday 8 to 8.
Energy therapy FAQs
What is energy therapy?
Energy therapy is a group of gentle practices, including reiki, craniosacral therapy and qi gong, that use light touch, hands held near the body, slow movement and breath. They come from traditions that describe the body in terms of energy.
How much does energy therapy cost in San Diego at Saffron & Sage?
New patients can book a first visit and consultation together for $300, normally $600, or a first appointment for $250, normally $300. After that, members use monthly credits. Craniosacral therapy uses two non-medical credits and medical qi gong uses one.
What does reiki feel like?
Most people describe it as deeply relaxing. Some notice warmth, tingling or heaviness; some feel emotional; some fall asleep; some notice very little. All of that is normal.
Does energy therapy work? Is there evidence?
We want to be honest. The ideas behind reiki, craniosacral therapy and qi gong come from traditional and spiritual systems, and research on them is limited and mixed. We don’t claim they change anything in your body. People book them because they value the calm, the gentle touch and the time to rest.
Is energy therapy safe?
These are very gentle practices. Tell us at intake if you are pregnant, have had recent surgery or a head or neck injury, or have any condition you are being treated for. Energy therapy should never replace medical care or delay seeing a doctor.
Do I have to undress?
No. You stay fully clothed for reiki, craniosacral therapy and qi gong. Wear something soft and comfortable.
Will my practitioner touch me?
Only with your permission. Reiki can be done hands-on or hands-off, craniosacral therapy uses very light touch, and qi gong involves no touch at all. You can change your mind at any time.
How long is a session?
Plan for about an hour for most sessions, including a short intake.
How often should I book energy therapy?
That is up to you. Some people come once when life feels heavy; others book every few weeks as part of a regular routine.
Reiki vs massage: what’s the difference?
Massage works hands-on with muscle and connective tissue, with pressure you can feel. Reiki uses light or no touch while you rest fully clothed. Many members enjoy both, sometimes on the same day.
What is craniosacral therapy?
Craniosacral therapy is a very gentle, hands-on practice in which the practitioner rests their hands lightly on the head, neck, spine and sacrum. It is quiet and slow, and you stay fully clothed.
Can I use HSA or FSA for energy therapy?
We’re a direct pay clinic and don’t bill insurance. HSA, FSA and LSA dollars may be used for some services, especially when a provider recommends them. Check eligibility with your plan administrator.
Do I need to be a member?
No. You can start with a first visit or a free discovery call, then decide whether membership makes sense for you.
Where are you located?
2555 State St, San Diego, CA 92101, just north of Little Italy.
Ready when you are
Book your first visit and consultation for $300, normally $600. Not sure yet? Request a free discovery call. Our team will listen to what's going on and help you pick the right energy therapy session and practitioner. No cost, no pressure.
Or call (619) 933-2340
All medical services are provided by Kasawa Medical APC dba Saffron & Sage MD. Energy therapy at Saffron & Sage is a wellness practice. It isn’t diagnosis or medical treatment and doesn’t replace care from a doctor or licensed therapist. Please tell us at intake about pregnancy, recent surgery, injuries or conditions you are being treated for. If you are in crisis, call or text 988. In an emergency, call 911.
Functional medicine news and tips, straight to your inbox
Plain-language articles from our doctors, seasonal wellness tips, and first word on events and member offers. One email a month.
Unsubscribe anytime. We never ask for health information here.
Thank you.
Your first monthly issue of the Saffron & Sage Journal is on its way. In the meantime, here's a good place to start:
Read: The stress blind spotDemo only: nothing was sent or saved. When live, this adds the person to Saffron's email list and sends a welcome email.