This may be a controversial topic, but in an industry where there is rampant fraud and a desire to take advantage of those who may be suffering, I feel compelled to put together a guide for those seeking nontraditional or alternative healing options.
To clarify, I believe the world is filled with wonderful, experienced, well-trained and loving light workers and healing practitioners with a purity of heart and intention in their work. These are the people you should be seeking out. The following are things to consider when seeking a practitioner:
1) Don't be afraid to ask around. I realize in conservative areas that people are less comfortable talking about the fact that they see a healing practitioner, but you'd be surprised how many people are seeking alternative treatments these days. You may be shocked to know your conservative friend or super religious neighbor is actually my client. Word of mouth is one of the best ways to find a legitimate practitioner. Reputation is everything in this business.
2) You can use online reviews as a guide, but understand that fake reviews or reviews given in exchange for free sessions are happening. I actually had one client that had a traumatizing experience with a "healer" that forced her to write a Yelp review before she was allowed to leave the business after her session. Considering she ended up in my studio, she did not have a great experience with that person and was upset that she was put in that position. So take reviews (particularly someone with TONS of reviews in a short period of time) with a grain of salt.
3) Experience and training are important! Generally, in this business, you get what you pay for. Literally, anyone can learn Reiki in a weekend and then hang out a shingle. Reiki is wonderful, but not all teachers are created equally. Many teachers are trying to make a quick buck so they offer watered-down Reiki to the masses. While this is fine for individuals looking to practice self Reiki (or Reiki on their friends and family), it's not a foundation for working with the general public. One of the most important factors of being able to channel energy properly is being grounded and centered. I have seen so many so-called healers who are extremely ungrounded (because they were not taught properly or they are dealing with their own trauma), and you do NOT want these people in your energetic field. Would you want your doctor in your personal space if they had the flu? NO! It's the same with people who lack the proper tools and experience to hold space for you. Look for practitioners who have experience in multiple energy modalities or who have many years working as a Reiki Master.
4) Avoid anyone who makes you buy a package upfront!!! I can't stress this enough. There are really sketchy people out there that immediately want you to buy 10 sessions before you even know if it's something that works for you. This is a huge red flag. An honest practitioner will not say you need a particular number of sessions in order to be healed. It doesn't work that way. Everyone is different, and it takes as long as it takes. Now if you love your practitioner, and they offer packages that save you money, by all means, do it. But if someone is giving you the hard sell up front, avoid, avoid, avoid. This person is all about the money.
5) Similarly, good practitioners do not want their clients dependent on them. It's called having healthy boundaries. If you find someone that wants you to come in weekly or daily, that's not a balanced relationship. A really great energy worker will give their clients tools to implement in their daily life that help them feel empowered. Anyone that lets you check in with them every day or wants you to run every decision by them is creating a codependent relationship that inhibits your personal growth.
6) Run from anyone that talks about curses. Some of the worst fraudsters in the business rely on capitalizing on fear in people, thereby creating a steady cash flow for them and an empty wallet for you. I had one client that came in to see me after spending $1500 to remove a curse that her healer told her was put on her by her mother-in-law. Every time the so-called curse was about to be removed, surprise surprise, the healer demanded more money because the curse was much stronger than she anticipated. "I'm going to need more extensive tools for this particular curse". Total and complete bullshit. It's not that I don't believe that curses can be real for some people (if you believe it's true, then it's true for you), but many of these scam artists will tell you that you have one just to keep you hooked. The cycle is endless, and you will still have your curse but no money.
7)Avoid anyone that offers to do some kind of negative spell or curse on someone you know. Regardless of the situation, it is never okay to exact revenge or become powerful by doing something negative to someone else. This is not a person working from the light. Anyone doing this kind of work will create a lot more problems in the long run for you karmically.
8) Go with your gut! Trust the universe is leading to the person who is most in alignment with helping you heal. I have many clients that have found me on the internet, and they all say that they were considering multiple healers in my area, but they prayed about it and ultimately felt I was the right person for them. It's a highly personal decision. Put some thought and intention around this decision. This person is going to be in your energy.
Once you have found a solid, well-trained and grounded practitioner, remember that YOU are ultimately the one that does the healing for yourself. If you are not in a state of readiness for powerful change or expect the healer to wave a magic wand over you, you are not in the right place for a healing experience. The best practitioners support your healing but are humble enough to know that YOU are the person healing yourself. Nothing happens if you're not ready.
xoxo Cristin