How to Choose the Right Reiki Practitioner: What I'd Look For After 20 Years of Reiki
If you're thinking about trying Reiki, how on earth do you choose the right person?
You Google Reiki practitioners near you, find several websites, see lots of qualifications, different types of Reiki and perhaps a few photographs of people sitting serenely with their eyes closed.
Lovely. But how do you actually know who's right for you?
My advice is to choose someone who's appropriately trained and insured, explains what they offer, respects your boundaries and makes you feel comfortable.
And here's something you might not expect me to say.
You don't have to choose me. You don't even have to choose just one practitioner.
I'm Penelope Silver, a Reiki Master with around 20 years of experience, practising at One Inner Beauty Studio in Alderley Edge, Cheshire.
And after all these years, I've come to believe that choosing a Reiki practitioner is much more personal than comparing certificates.
Does it matter what level of Reiki somebody has?
Yes and no.
When I was younger, I placed enormous importance on qualifications.
I grew up in a household where degrees, certificates and professional titles mattered. And I'm not saying they don't. I've spent years training, studying and developing my practice.
But now I'm 51, my perspective has changed.
A qualification tells me what somebody has studied. It doesn't automatically tell me how good they are at what they do.
I'm a Reiki Master Teacher, although I no longer teach Reiki. And I didn't suddenly become a master the day somebody handed me a certificate.
For me, mastery comes from what happens afterwards.
The hours spent practising Reiki on yourself. The treatments you give. The people you meet. The things you notice. The occasions when you realise you still have something to learn.
That is what develops you as a practitioner.
But does that mean someone who's trained to Reiki Level 2 can't give you a wonderful treatment?
Absolutely not.
We all have to start somewhere.
I'd rather have a treatment from somebody with less experience who genuinely cares about what they're doing than somebody with an impressive collection of certificates who makes me feel like I'm on a conveyor belt.
Of course, training, experience and insurance matter.
They're just not the whole picture.
How does the practitioner make you feel?
This is probably the biggest thing for me.
How does this person make you feel?
Not how impressive their website is. Not how many qualifications they've listed.
Do you feel comfortable with them?
Do they listen?
Can you ask questions without feeling stupid?
Do they seem genuinely interested in you as a person?
I've experienced both ends of this myself.
I've sat with professionals who, on paper, were perfectly qualified, but I simply couldn't open up to them.
And I've sat down with somebody who hadn't asked me a single personal question, yet I suddenly found myself talking about things I'd been carrying for ages.
I remember meeting Yvette, who runs Yoga Sangha in Cheadle, when I was looking at using her studio.
At the time, I was finding it difficult to talk about my grief. Yet something about sitting with Yvette made me feel comfortable enough to open up.
She didn't have to ask lots of questions.
The words just came.
For me, that's connection.
And it's something I think about when welcoming people into my own treatment room.
Sometimes clients sit down and find themselves sharing much more than they expected.
I find that incredibly humbling, because they're trusting me with things that might be very personal.
I always make it clear that they can tell me as much or as little as they're comfortable with, and that what they share is treated with privacy, confidentiality and discretion, subject to any legal or safeguarding obligations.
You don't have to arrive with your life story ready.
You can just arrive.
Can you speak to a Reiki practitioner before booking?
I certainly think you should be able to ask questions.
People sometimes contact me through my website or Facebook because they're curious about Reiki but aren't quite ready to book.
And I'll often suggest we have a chat.
Not a 'discovery call'.
And certainly not one of those 'let's see if we're a good fit' conversations.
God, I hate that phrase.
A coach once said something similar to me, and the way she delivered it made me feel as though I was being assessed for the privilege of working with her.
Needless to say, that conversation didn't go very far.
When I offer to chat with somebody, I simply want to answer their questions, explain how I work and help them decide what they're looking for.
Because sometimes what I offer isn't what somebody wants.
And that's absolutely fine.
Some people want a straightforward Reiki treatment without additional conversation or meditation.
Others are looking for something more personalised, perhaps incorporating guided meditation, crystals or intuitive feedback.
Some people specifically want mediumship or communication with spirits. That's not something I currently offer.
A conversation can help you understand those differences before spending your money.
And if somebody makes you feel pressured to book, I'd pay attention to that feeling.
Are all Reiki practitioners the same?
Not at all.
I trained in Usui Reiki, a tradition originating from the teachings of Mikao Usui in Japan.
But there are different Reiki traditions and approaches, including Jikiden Reiki, Holy Fire Reiki, Angelic Reiki and others.
I've experienced Jikiden Reiki myself and was so interested in it that I wanted to travel to Japan to study it. Unfortunately, that plan didn't happen around the time of lockdown.
What fascinates me is how differently practitioners can work, even when they've trained in the same tradition.
For example, I use traditional Reiki symbols, but I don't rigidly follow a set sequence of hand positions for every treatment.
During a first appointment, I generally work from head to toe.
With returning clients, I may follow where I feel intuitively drawn, although I still love giving somebody a full-body treatment.
That's how my practice has developed over the years.
I'm not claiming to have invented a new method of Reiki. It's simply how I've learnt to work.
Another Usui practitioner might approach your treatment quite differently.
Neither approach automatically makes one of us better.
If you're curious about a particular style, ask the practitioner what it actually means in the treatment room.
A name alone won't tell you what your experience will be like.
What should you check before booking Reiki?
Right, let's talk about the practical stuff.
Because while I'm a great believer in intuition, I'm also a believer in knowing what you're paying for.
1. Training, experience and insurance
Ask what training the practitioner has completed, how long they've practised and whether they have appropriate professional insurance.
You might also want to know whether they belong to a professional organisation or follow a recognised code of practice.
I'm a member of the Guild of Holistic Therapists, which is also who I'm insured through.
Part of my training took place at Beechwood Cancer Care Centre, and I've spent years working with people in different circumstances and stages of life.
Professional membership and independently verified qualifications can provide reassurance. But not every competent practitioner belongs to every organisation.
It's worth understanding what someone's credentials actually mean rather than judging them by the number of logos on their website.
2. What actually happens during the treatment?
This should be explained clearly.
Will you remain clothed? Is the treatment hands-on or hands-off? Will there be guided meditation or just Reiki? Will the practitioner talk throughout?
And perhaps most importantly, do you have choices?
In my treatment room, I ask whether clients prefer hands-on or hands-off Reiki.
I also ask whether they want an explanation of what they might experience or whether they'd rather simply relax and see what happens.
You should never feel you have to agree to physical touch, spiritual interpretations or any other part of a treatment that makes you uncomfortable.
And you can change your mind.
3. Prices, cancellation policies and treatment plans
There should be no surprises here.
Check the price, how long the appointment lasts, whether you need to pay in advance and what happens if you need to cancel.
In my practice, appointments are paid for in full when booking, and my cancellation terms are made clear in advance.
I offer individual appointments as well as treatment packages for people who want to make Reiki a more regular part of their wellbeing routine.
I'm a big believer in preventative wellbeing.
I'd much rather someone made space to rest regularly than waited until they felt completely overwhelmed.
But that doesn't mean everybody needs the same number of sessions.
A practitioner can make a recommendation, explain why and still leave the decision with you.
4. The treatment environment
Where will you be having your Reiki?
Is it a dedicated treatment room, a home studio, a hospital or somewhere else?
There's no single correct setting, but it should be suitable, clean, private and comfortable for you.
My practice is based at One Inner Beauty Studio in Alderley Edge.
I have a heated treatment bed, underfloor heating, soft lighting and blankets because I want people to feel comfortable from the moment they arrive.
I've actually lain on my own treatment bed to see what my clients see when they look up at the ceiling.
I know. Slightly obsessive.
But if I'm asking somebody to lie there and relax, I want to know what that experience is like.
If you have mobility needs, can't easily travel or need a particular arrangement, it's worth discussing that before booking.
5. Your sensory preferences
This is one people sometimes overlook.
Are you sensitive to music, scents, lighting or touch?
Do you dislike incense?
Would you prefer silence rather than background music?
I'm autistic and ADHD, and despite having significant hearing loss, I'm extremely sensitive to certain sounds.
So I understand that something one person finds relaxing might be distracting or uncomfortable for somebody else.
I play gentle music during treatments, but it isn't loud.
I also ask about essential oils and scents rather than assuming everybody will enjoy them.
My experience supporting people undergoing cancer treatment and women on fertility journeys has made me particularly aware of how important these individual preferences can be.
A beautiful treatment doesn't mean surrounding somebody with every candle, oil and singing bowl you own.
It means paying attention to what helps that particular person feel comfortable.
What about professional boundaries?
This is something I feel quite strongly about.
I've talked a lot about how a client should feel comfortable with their practitioner, but the relationship works both ways.
The practitioner needs to feel comfortable too.
Over the years, I've occasionally had people whose behaviour has made me uncomfortable, and I've chosen not to accept further appointments from them.
I've always handled that politely and professionally.
You can treat somebody with kindness and still have boundaries.
And as a client, you should feel able to say no, ask for something to change, stop a treatment or decide not to return.
Respect should never be one-sided.
Why I think Reiki practitioners should support one another
Before my mum became ill, I used to organise Reiki shares for practitioners at my studio.
They were opportunities for people who practised Reiki to come together, give and receive treatments, and experience different approaches.
And I loved that.
Because I think there's plenty of focus on people receiving Reiki as clients, but practitioners need opportunities to receive it too.
Giving Reiki doesn't mean you stop needing care yourself.
I also don't think we should be looking at every other Reiki practitioner as competition.
There's room for all of us.
We have different personalities, experiences, techniques and ways of working.
And those differences are worth celebrating.
My advice? Try different practitioners.
If you've found three Reiki practitioners and can't decide which one to book, do you know what I'd suggest?
Try all three!
Obviously, you don't have to book them all at once, and there's no need to spend money you haven't got.
But if you're genuinely curious, go and experience what each person offers.
See how they make you feel.
See how they work.
See whether you connect with them.
And only then decide who you'd like to return to.
You might find somebody you absolutely love.
Or you might enjoy different practitioners for different reasons.
You don't have to stick with the same Reiki practitioner forever.
I always use the analogy of Boots and Superdrug.
Most towns have both. Some people prefer Boots. Others prefer Superdrug. And sometimes people shop at both.
Why should Reiki be any different?
You might choose one practitioner when you want a straightforward treatment and somebody else when you feel drawn to a different experience.
That doesn't make either practitioner better or worse.
It means you're choosing what feels right for you at that point in your life.
And that might change.
I'm passionate about people taking ownership of their own health and wellbeing.
I don't want you to feel dependent on a particular practitioner, including me.
I want you to feel informed, comfortable and empowered to make your own choices.
Choosing a Reiki practitioner: quick answers
How do you choose a Reiki practitioner?
Choose someone who is appropriately trained and insured, explains what they offer, respects your boundaries and makes you feel comfortable.
Does the level of Reiki a practitioner has matter?
Training, experience and insurance matter, but they are not the whole picture. A qualification shows what someone has studied, not how good they are. Someone trained to Reiki Level 2 can still give a wonderful treatment.
What should I check before booking Reiki?
Ask about their training, experience and insurance, what happens during the treatment, prices and cancellation policies, the treatment environment, and your sensory preferences such as music, scents and lighting.
Can I speak to a Reiki practitioner before booking?
You should be able to ask questions first. Many practitioners are happy to have a chat to explain how they work. If someone makes you feel pressured to book, pay attention to that feeling.
Are all Reiki practitioners the same?
No. There are different traditions, including Usui, Jikiden, Holy Fire and Angelic Reiki, and practitioners trained in the same tradition can still work very differently. Ask what their style means in the treatment room.
Can I try more than one Reiki practitioner?
Yes. See how each practitioner makes you feel and how they work, then return to the one you connect with. You don't have to stick with the same practitioner forever.
Thinking about trying Reiki in Alderley Edge?
If you're looking for a Reiki practitioner in Alderley Edge, Wilmslow, Bramhall, Cheadle or the surrounding Cheshire area, you're welcome to explore my website and get to know how I work.
If you're curious about what actually happens during a treatment, I've also written a separate article called What Happens During Your First Reiki Session? Let Me Put Your Mind at Rest.
And if you'd like to ask me anything before deciding, please do get in touch.
Your first appointment with me is the 90-minute Reiki Experience, which includes time to talk, a personalised foot ritual, guided meditation and Reiki.
Whether you decide to visit me or another practitioner, my advice is the same.
Choose someone who makes you feel comfortable, respected and listened to.
And remember that you're always allowed to choose again.
Put your soul in good hands.
Penelope x
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