How many treatments should I have?

I frequently get asked “How often should I have a massage?” or “How often should I have a reiki done?” and I always get a little anxious in answering it. Why do I not like answering? I am not a natural salesman, and I don’t like to come across as pushy so people asking how often they should come makes me feel like I’m going to be fleecing them if I say come back too often.  Depending on the person asking I might joke and say “Everyday!”, which would be wonderful (and not only because I would be intensely busy) and it would be really nice if we could all do that (one reason to learn Reiki for yourself is that this can become a reality)

It is a question that is normally asked by those who are not suffering an acute episode, but not always.  I generally suggest that you come back for three sessions in short succession (generally once a week) and then we review what is going on and make a decision on when next to arrange an appointment.  The reasoning behind this is slightly different depending on the treatment:

Massage: The first session is where I find out about you, what your history is, what the problem is and I start to treat the most obvious causes for that issue.  However as we are all individuals the problem might not be that straightforward and be caused by something else, this is then covered by the second session after a review of how things have been since the previous session, any necessary alterations to the treatment plan.  The third session would then be aimed at reinforcing the good work that has been done and ironing out anything that has come up in the meantime.  Having a series of massages in close succession does mean that any tensions in your body caused by poor usage have little chance to redevelop and overall the pain/discomfort they cause during the massage won’t be as intense.  After this then we can discuss what is going to be best for you, and what you’re wanting treating.

Reiki: Again the first session includes a discussion about you, your history, what the problem is, your expectations, and gives you an opportunity to ask any questions you might have (generally if you haven’t had reiki before). The subtle energy of the reiki starts working straightaway, and continues to work for a couple of days.  Having a series of three allows a greater build up of that energy to work at clearing the blockages in the energy system (think how water gentle laps at things and erodes it away)

After that initial series of treatments we can review the treatment plan and adjust it to suit you and your situation.  I always want to get you to a point where you’re not coming to see me every week. This is often done in stages and I try to remind you that you can (and in fact should)  come back earlier if the situation changes for the worse.  

I like my clients and enjoy what I do but I really do want you all to get better and not see me all the time, but I would like you to come back and see me for maintenance. Your body remembers the treatments that you give it, and generally I would suggest an ongoing treatment plan of having something done every six weeks to couple of months.  Some clients realise that what they most enjoy is a treatment every month, else it spirals downwards and their problem returns.

You look after your car and give it an annual service, why not do the same for your body?