One of the most common questions that I get after a treatment is ‘how often should I have a reiki treatment?’

The easy answer is: it’s up to you.

The longer answer is:

After your treatment, pay attention to how you felt afterwards, and that night, and the next day. And if you can, continue to try to notice what changes – energetically, emotionally, physically, spiritually – might have taken place.

Some clients just ‘feel’ the treatment during the treatment itself, and that is enough for them, to feel quiet and relaxed in the midst of their busy lives. Some feel the effects for the rest of the day, and into the next day. Others report feeling the effects for a few days, and a few have told me that a treatment creates a long-term change that can last for a week or longer.

Then there’s the question of why you came for the treatment, and if the treatment had a good effect. If you came in to be more relaxed and centred before a job interview, then unless you have another job interview right away, perhaps your intention can be met in one treatment. If it’s a long-term issue, then perhaps regular reiki is a good way to heal if you found the treatment helpful. If you’ve had anxiety for many months or many years, it’s not realistic to think that just one reiki treatment is going to be a cure.

Then there’s the practical issues which shouldn’t be ignored. Is it convenient for you to come regularly? How can you make the time to do things you want to do? Can you afford the cost and the time?

But I know that people have read online or heard that people should come for multiple reiki treatments. Why is this?

There is one very prominent reiki teacher who advised all of his students to tell clients that if they really want to address an issue, they should have a minimum of three reiki treatments (in about three weeks). He taught a lot of people, so I’ve seen this repeated on many reiki websites.

But unfortunately, I suspect that this was as much about marketing and convincing clients to return than it was about actually finding out from each client what’s best for them. I personally disagree with the idea of telling a client that they need to come back or must come more than once. I think it really should be up to you.

• Some clients are really interested in what reiki can do for them so come back multiple times.
• Some clients find that reiki feels good and that they find it useful and helpful to have regular treatments.
• Some clients find that reiki helps support their other practices, like meditation.

So, there’s a huge variation of how often clients come.

• I’ve had a few clients who have come every week or two, for a period of time (maybe a few months), and then take a break or stop.
• I have some semi-regular clients who come about every month.
• I have one client now who tries to come up to three times a week.
• Many clients I see once, and then not again for another six months or year.
• Lots of clients I see once and never again (though maybe they will try reiki with someone else).

The only however that I have is that I have heard back from clients who know that a reiki treatment was beneficial to them but then get caught up in their busy lives or stress and anxiety, and don’t make the time to come in for a treatment. I hope that by keeping in touch with my clients by newsletter that I can remind them to come back sometime! If you know that it helps you, especially at times when you’re feeling low energy, anxious, sad or not quite in balance, do try to make the time. You’re worth it!

Anyways, if you’re still reading (I do go on, sometimes, don’t I?), as I said, it’s up to you how often you come for reiki treatments. I’d really prefer you to practise asking yourself, ‘When would I like another treatment?’ and then listening to yourself!  And when you’d like another treatment, I’m here! I look forward to seeing you.

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. Since 2011, I’ve given more than 1,500 reiki treatments.

Clients come to relieve stress, anxiety and for many other issues, or to just give reiki a try to see what it does for them. Folks come from all over Sydney and elsewhere to see me. 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.