This social story has been designed to help parents and children understand what they can expect when they book a Reiki session with me.
Location
My Reiki Practitioner is Karen from Gifted Hands Reiki who has a therapy room at Birmingham Holistic Centre, The Lakeside Centre, 180 Lifford Lane, Kings Norton, Birmingham, B30 3NU.
Entrance: There are 2 gates to the Centre – I will enter through Gate A. Depending on which direction I am coming from it will be the 2nd entrance on the right hand side (eg from Pershore Road) or the 1st entrance on the left hand side (e.g. from Kings Heath).
I will enter through the gates and follow the road straight ahead.
The lake and some office buildings are on my right hand side.
I will continue to the end of this road. At the top of the road I can see a building called Norton Place (this is where I will have my Reiki) and some parking spaces (this is where my car will be parked).
Before my Reiki
When I arrive at Norton Place I will pull the first door open.
I will see a second wooden door with glass panels which says “Welcome” on it. When I pull this open, I am in the reception area.
In the reception area there is a sofa and a desk on the left hand side and a hand sanitiser in front of me. The reception may be empty or there may be other people waiting.
We will call or text Karen to let her know that I am here. When she is ready she will come to collect me & take me to her room (she may be with a Client so might not answer her phone straight away, which is fine – I will just wait for her in the reception or garden, wherever I feel most comfortable).
If I would rather wait outside, that is okay. As I leave the reception area through the 2 doors (both push), to my left there is a green bench which I can sit on to wait for Karen.
When she collects me from where I am waiting, we will walk through a pair of wood & glass double doors (if the door is not already open, pull the door on the right hand side). My Mom/Dad/Carer will come with me and will be allowed to stay in the room with me during the Reiki.
The Reiki room
Karen’s room is through the first door on the right hand side of the corridor. It has the number 9 on it.
When I walk into the room, I will see a bed in front of me which I will lie on for my Reiki. There is a step I can use to get onto the bed if it is too high for me.
There will be a salt lamp on when I walk in the room and gentle, relaxing music.
There will be an essential oil diffuser on in the room, unless requested otherwise. If I have a favourite smell I can tell Karen and she will use that oil if she has it. If I don’t like any smells, that is fine, the diffuser will not be used.
The room has it’s own toilet and sink area.
This is the view from the room. I can have my consultation here on nicer days if I would prefer it.
There is a table and 2 chairs at the end of the room where I will have my consultation – Karen will ask me questions about myself and if I have any questions, she will try and answer these for me.
If I want a toy from the sensory box, I can choose one to use throughout the treatment, or if I would prefer to bring my own, that is okay. If there is anything else I would like to bring with me, for example ear defenders, that is okay too.
During my Reiki
After I have spoken to Karen, I will lie fully clothed on the bed and close my eyes. I can wear an eye pillow/mask over my eyes to help me relax and I can also have a blanket covered over me if I want. It is best that I wear clothes that I feel comfortable in.
The Reiki will take between 30 minutes and 45 minutes but if this is too long, it can be for a shorter time.
Karen will hold her hands over different parts of my body – she doesn’t have to touch my body if I don’t want her too. The Reiki will still work.
I may feel different sensations during the Reiki – heat/cold/throbbing/tingling/itchiness. I may even feel sleepy, but that’s okay, if I’m tired I can go to sleep. I may want to laugh or cry but both of these emotions are completely normal. I may even see colours in front of my eyes – for example purple, green, white or orange. If I don’t see or feel anything, this is perfectly normal too.
It is okay for me to ask Karen questions during the Reiki.
If I become uncomfortable or unhappy at any time during the Reiki, I should let Karen know and she will stop straight away.
After my Reiki
After the Reiki is finished I will sit on the edge of the bed for a few minutes and have a drink.
I will be given an Aftercare Information Sheet which tells me how to look after myself after my Reiki.
After the Reiki, if I want to I can go for a walk around the gardens. There are benches I can sit on.
A message from Karen
I hope that the above information has helped you to understand a little bit more about what your Reiki session will look and feel like. It is a very calming experience and when you leave my room, you should be feeling much more relaxed than when you first walked through the door.
I cannot wait to meet you but if you do have any questions you would like to ask me before your appointment, I will be very happy to do my best to answer them for you.
I will contact you 2 days before your Reiki to discuss your appointment and how I can make it the best possible experience for you.