Staying Professional in a Personal Setting

It is an unfortunate fact, in many areas, that the cost of running a brick and mortar Reiki practice is simply too expensive to maintain. The most cost effective business location is to work from home, and can work very well indeed. But how do we maintain professionalism in our personal space? It is an important question, and one that must be asked if we wish to be taken seriously.

There are a few aspects that can keep the air of professionalism while working from our personal space, read on for greater detail:

• Reduce expectation
• Open door policy
• Subtle presentation
• Swift transition
• Let the treatment begin

In essence, if the client is open to change and has a desire to heal, Reiki will speak for itself but we are all guilty of passing judgment on our first impression. Our human hardwiring forces us to, it is a very helpful defense system and as Reiki practitioners, we can take steps to make the first impression as safe and comfortable as possible.

Assuming we have a brand new client, their expectations begin at first contact. Maybe we’ve had a conversation or have been messaging, no doubt we sound professional and have built rapport. When it comes to booking, it is helpful for them to hear that the treatment room is in a residential area, or more precise, in our home. This takes away the guesswork from their journey, uncertainty is one of the biggest mood killers out there, and for first time Reiki clients, the anticipation may already be high. Receiving our client in the calmest possible state will only enhance their Reiki experience.

Which brings us beautifully to our next point, greeting our client. Revisiting those pesky expectations for moment; we want our client to be confident that this will be a great experience, so something as simple as knocking on the door, hoping it’s the right address can feel quite uncomfortable. By confirming the address and how we will greet them, is a sure fire way to instill confidence in the process. A confirmation e-mail or message will give our client something to refer to; a simple to read instruction is a great way to confirm this info. Eg:

Appointment:	1hr Reiki treatment
Address:	In house at Reiki For You 25 Residential Street My Suburb ADD ZIP
Time:	10:30am
Instruction:	As a first time customer, please arrive 10 minutes early to complete an intake form. I will be here to greet you at the door
Comments:	The house will have a blue door with yellow flowers on the porch, please ring the bell when you arrive and I will greet you promptly.

We must be sure to honor the instruction.

Their next step will be into your home. This is vitally important for two reasons; we are our business so our home should naturally reflect who we are, to clinically prepare our home for clients will look and feel false. Reiki is a therapy that works so closely to our true selves, to offer treatments in a place that is anything but us, will be received with suspicion and uncertainty. And secondly, it must be clean, peaceful and smell good. The way in which our clients experience their world (kinesthetically, visually or auditory) will dictate how they remember this particular experience and how they relay it. And of course, the olfactory system (sense of smell) is more closely linked with memory than any of our senses.

A few steps can achieve a personally professional environment:

Declutter – good for the soul as well as first impressions
Let the dust settle – hoover at least an hour before, to allow dust particles to settle
Clean – using natural or low odor products
Avoid Cooking – strong smelling food, for maybe a few hours prior to clients arriving (an easy one!)
Lightly scent the entrance – flowers placed away from the door or essential oils can be used sparingly (be considerate of possible sensitivities of the client)

Personal hygiene shouldn’t need a mention but is always good to re-visit.

The meet and greet should move swiftly onto the treatment room, when we linger in the surroundings of our home, the appointment begins to loose it’s professionalism.

We welcome our client in, close the door behind them, request they leave their shoes on and lead them to the treatment room. By asking simple questions regarding the weather or their drive over, will take attention to their short-term memory, which in turn takes attention away from their immediate surroundings. We want them to remember their treatment with us rather than our family photos.

Once we enter our treatment room, which will be arranged to enrich our client’s experience, and likely be similar than in a public location, we want our client to become aware of their surroundings and we begin our process as a professional Reiki practitioner.

Staying professional in a home setting can and should be interpreted in relation to your style of practice and personal preferences. And by sending Reiki to our home business, will also help manifest the atmosphere we want to create for our clients.

Wishing you every success in your home business and remember to #ShareSomeReiki

Article by Amy Brandon

Free eBook download: We’ve created an eBook with our best articles on this topic, and offer it for free to all our newsletter subscribers.

Originally from the UK, Amy Brandon learned Reiki in Perth, Western Australia, where she was initiated into Reiki 1, 2 and Master levels of the Usui Shiki Ryoho system. After a few years of treating and teaching Reiki in Houston, TX, Amy has returned to Perth and continues in the position of Vice Chairperson and Volunteer Coordinator for the Reiki Association of Western Australia, she enjoys teaching the Usui system of Reiki and her own course for Animal Reiki.
Links:
https://sharesomereiki.com 
https://www.facebook.com/sharesomereiki/