A lot more than you might think goes into preparing for your reiki treatment.
When I first get an enquiry, I’ll work out with a client what’s the best time for them to come. Or if they book online through Bookwell, then I need to check my calendar to make sure that time is free and confirm the appointment through Bookwell.
Then, for all clients who are coming, I send an SMS with some instructions about how to find me (as it’s a bit tricky to find the entrance in the small alley in Surry Hills) which also reminds them of the time of their appointment and the cost. It also means they have my phone number in case they get lost, want to ask further questions or need to cancel or rebook.
I’ve also learned that if someone doesn’t respond to that SMS, there’s a chance that they didn’t receive the message, and I should SMS again closer to the time and date of the appointment. Also, if someone books over a week in advance, it’s useful for me to try to remember to send a reminder, as clients do sometimes forget about a treatment if they book too far in advance (and don’t put it in their calendar).
Before the treatment, I need to make sure that the room is ready. Is the speaker charged so I can play music during the treatment? Is my Square charged for taking credit card payments? Do I also have change for those who pay in cash? Is the room tidy, and have I set up the reiki table with towels and pillows?
Twenty minutes before a treatment is when I’ve learned to be ready. Usually new clients are between 5 and 10 minutes early. Repeat clients, because they know the location, usually time their visit more closely to the appointment time, but often, understandably, clients give themselves a good amount of time to find the place, or they leave work early (who doesn’t want to do that?). If a client is five minutes late, I’ll send an SMS to ask if they need help finding me!
Being ready for the treatment means that I’ve made tea to offer when the client comes and sits down. Even if someone doesn’t want tea, I think it’s a nice thing to offer, and a nice way to sit down and feel like they’ve arrived somewhere. I also light the five tea light candles that I have in the room. Whether it’s sunny or dark, I’ve always liked candles, and the feeling of warmth they bring to a space. One of the candles is in my tea warmer, which I’ve discovered can keep the tea warm for the whole treatment!
To make sure we’re not disturbed during the treatment, I switch my fitness device to silent (if I don’t do this, it will buzz and tell me to “MOVE” during the treatment) but I don’t turn my phone to airplane mode until I’m sure the client has arrived. I also turn on my speaker, open the Spotify app on my iPhone and connect them, to play music during the treatment which I hope is relaxing and gentle and can also help block out any background noise from the street and neighbourhood.
When a client arrives, I buzz them in, greet them at the door, and welcome them to the apartment. I’ll ask them to remove their shoes at the door and offer them the use of the bathroom before we start (when I started proactively offering this, I was surprised how many clients took me up on the offer, which makes me wonder how many clients before that were uncomfortably realising during a treatment that they needed to go to the bathroom!). Then, I’ll ask the client to take a seat, introduce them to Thor, the reiki cat, if he’s decided to grace us with his presence, offer tea, and ask a client what brings them to reiki that day.
And finally, we’re ready to begin!
Discover the gifts and benefits of a session of Japanese reiki therapy, healing energy from an experienced practitioner. Visit my website or Facebook page for more information and SMS, email, call me or book online if you’d like to make an appointment.
Clients come from all over Sydney to see me, and I’ve also had clients who are visiting Sydney from Melbourne, Brisbane and the Gold Coast come and see me while they’re here for business, conferences or meeting families. While it’s easiest to get to me from the CBD, Darlinghurst, Paddington, Kings Cross, Redfern and Potts Point, I’m pretty easy to get to from anywhere in Sydney.