Reiki can be deeply calming, but the field is unregulated, so who you choose matters. A Reiki Master on how to find a safe, trustworthy practitioner.

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Calm, consent-led Reiki session at Healing Arts Center in Virginia Beach

"I asked if they could change the music, but they just ignored me," a client told me about a previous Reiki experience. "Then they used aromatherapy after I specifically told them certain smells are triggering for me. When I became uncomfortable, the practitioner told me I 'needed to get over what triggered me' and that 'if I loved myself more, I wouldn't be so easily irritated.'"

Description of image: This image shows a close-up view of two people's hands clasped together in what appears to be a supportive gesture. One person, wearing a blue button-up shirt and what looks like an orange/rust-colored shawl or cardigan, is having their hand held by another person wearing a light brown/beige ribbed sweater.

From my heart to yours: If you've been manipulated by someone in the wellness industry, it's not your fault. Your desire for healing was pure. The manipulation says everything about them and nothing about you. There are ethical practitioners out there – don't let the predatory ones steal your hope.