Clients are the Reiki practitioner’s lifeblood. And because they are, knowledge of their issues becomes paramount for a successful healing session. The standard “hello, how are you?” just doesn’t work. You hear that phrase in the doctor’s office. If the client is well, she or he would not be seeking an appointment. Protocol should be a common element of any Reiki practice.
What then is a proper protocol? Certainly, it is more than “hello, how are you?” True some basic information can be gained during the time a potential client calls for an appointment. You should ask the person if the call is for basic information or for making an appointment. This is a good place for your Reiki skills as a practitioner to come into play. Ask, do you want to know what Reiki is or do you want to know about my credentials? Either question takes your time. Give just enough basic information to this potential Reiki client and then direct them to your website. (You should definitely have a website and it doesn’t have to be fancy.)
During this initial phone call (assume it’s to make an appointment), you can ask the potential client the following questions:
1. Have you had Reiki treatments before?
2. How many?
3. How long ago?
4. What was your reaction to the treatment you had?
5. How did you hear about me?
6. May I schedule you for an appointment?
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The day arrives for the appointment. Do you rush right into the treatment? I hope not. I use a simple but effective check-off sheet and ask the client to respond to the questions.
1. Did you have any alcohol to drink last night? Yes / No
2. Did you have coffee to drink this morning? Yes / No; Afternoon? Yes / No
3. Are you currently on any prescribed medication? Yes / No
4. If you answered yes to the above question, what were these medications for?
5. Have you used any type of pain pill in the last twenty-four hours? Yes / No
6. If you answered yes to the above question what was the nature of the pain? Location of the pain? (Back, shoulders, neck, legs, feet, head, abdomen, etc.)
7. Are you allergic to anything? If so, what?
8. Is the use of essential oils acceptable to you? Yes / No
9. In one or two sentences, state your expectations for this session.
10. Please check which of the following you want: ______No physical touching.
_______Yes, physical touching only in these body areas: neck, head, shoulders, arms, knees, calves, and feet.
Signed by__________________________Date_____________
Print name__________________________.
While the client is completing this form, you can light a candle, turn on some soft music, and wash your hands or any number of things so you do not appear to be impatient while you wait for your client to answer the questions. Once the client has completed the form, sit down with her or him and clarify any questions you may have. During this time, you are establishing a rapport with your client.
Article by Norman W. Wilson, Ph.D.
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Norman W Wilson
Norman W. Wilson has two PhDs. He is a shaman, a Reiki Master, a Crystal Healer, a spiritual counselor, an author of over a dozen books, and hundreds of articles published on the Internet. In his spare time, he operates a podcast called The Chatter Box.
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