What I See From This Chair as a Reiki Practitioner

By Victoria Duarte, certified mindfulness and somatic coach, Reiki practitioner, and co-founder of Healing Arts Center

Every time a client books a Reiki session, I feel grateful.

Every time someone comes in curious, trying this for the first time, I give thanks that I am the one who gets to introduce them to it.

Every time someone tells me they want to open their heart, even though they are scared and know it means facing what stands between them and connection, I give thanks they are doing that work here.

I sit with people who are grieving. I see their light when they believe it has gone out. I sit with people who are finding the courage to start over. I sit with people who are finding the patience to trust themselves again.

What I hear most often

Of everything clients tell me, one thing comes up more than the rest. They tried something before, somewhere else, and it hurt. Maybe a practitioner pushed past what they were ready for. Maybe they were told what they should be feeling instead of being asked. Maybe the space felt more interested in its own idea of them than in the person on the table.

People carry that with them. They wonder whether the problem was the modality, the practitioner, or themselves.

It usually was not them.

What that means for how I work

If you are returning after something went wrong, the pace is yours. You can tell me what you do not want touched—physically or otherwise. You can ask what I am doing and why at any point. You can decide partway through that today is not the day. That is a complete sentence, with nothing owed after it.

Consent is not just a form you sign at the start and then live with for an hour. It is present throughout the whole session, checked as we go.

Why I say thank you

Thank you for being part of this community. Thank you for trusting me with what you are carrying, and for letting me sit close to it. Thank you for arriving on the days when cancelling would have been easier, and for saying out loud the thing you had not said to anyone yet. Thank you for allowing me to be a witness to your process.

Frequently asked

Can I try Reiki again if a previous session or time in the wellness space felt bad?
Yes, and many people do. A difficult experience usually says more about how a practitioner worked than about whether Reiki is right for you. Let your next practitioner know what happened. Anyone worth seeing will adjust the pace, the touch, and the amount of talking to fit you.

What if I do not want to be touched during a Reiki session?
Say so, and it should not change your ability to receive the session. Reiki can be offered with hands hovering above the body rather than resting on it. You remain fully clothed either way, and you can change your mind partway through.

Do I have to explain why I am there?
No. You can share as much or as little as you want. Some people arrive with a clear reason, and some arrive knowing only that something needs attention. Both are workable starting points.

Is it normal to cry during or after a session?
It is common and not a sign that something went wrong. Some people feel emotional, some feel calm, and some feel tired that evening. All of it is a normal response to an hour of not being asked to perform.

Schedule an appointment: https://www.vagaro.com/healingartscenter