Is it really possible to earn?

Hi Jeannie,

When I had my first Reiki attunement in 1999, I decided this was how I wanted to make my living, and then set about planning and learning until since 2003 I have been working full time with Reiki and other modalities. I have even met Reiki healers who make a full-time living out of Reiki alone.

The trick is to treat the job, which it is, even when it is also a calling, as any other job. In any other job, you start at 9 am and finish at 5 pm. However, when it comes to the healing arts, I come across one practitioner after the other who do not do this and then wonder why they failed to attract clients. When you do not have clients, you have to spend that time marketing, doing customer service, accounts, and admin. In-between clients, you have to keep up the marketing and customer service work so that you get more clients. If you work this as an organized work day say 3 days a week or 5 days a week, depending on whether it is full or part time, then you can succeed 🙂

Hi thanks for reply, good advice. I should have maybe mentioned I am actually only looking to get 5 clients per week, that is all I want really, I enjoy giving my therapies and feel doing lots every day from 9 - 5 or whatever will take away that great feeling. I am now retired so I do have this choice compared of course to younger people who need this as a living. Its just sometimes I think how 5 different people each week will come along.

I would be really interested in the average therapists do in one week.

Don't forget you'll probably get some "regulars" - you won't necessarily need to attract five new people a week!

There seems to be a lot of people running around giving reiki for free. Or for £10, can't compete with that. I know a few reiki practitioners, none of them making any money from it.

Good luck with it, don't be put off.

Hi Jeannie - don't be disheartened! I used to work with a nurse (a long time ago now) and when she was heading towards retirement, she did courses in massage and reflexology as she was itching to get back to 'hands on' work. Once she was fully retired, and no longer flogging herself to work 50 hour weeks, she was able to pick and choose how she worked. As she had small grand-children at the time, she used to schedule clients around spending time with the family. A busy week for her was 4 clients a week - 2 on Thursday and 2 on Friday! She didn't work for free, believing instead that she had invested quite a bit of hard earned money to do the training, so she set a fee that covered her overheads (linen, laundry, utilities, advertising, phone bills). This was 25 years ago, but I remember she charged £25 per session - which was quite alot at the time, but each client got quality therapy backed up with a lifetime of experience - I used to get a treatment once a month, and it was bliss! Do not undervalue yourself, and make sure you cover your outlay. Do a business plan if necessary - even if it's just on the back of an envelope - do a few sums and then set your rate accordingly.

I've been 'in the business' for more than 30 years, and make a good living. If each day didn't see me waking up and feeling excited about doing what I do, I would throw in the towel - and I'm also encouraged by my clients - if I didn't provide good work then they wouldn't keep coming back!
Good luck and just 'go for it'!.

Good luck and just 'go for it'!.

Thanks for that and for other advice received - my cards arrived yesterday and they are lovely so with them and some lovely letterheads and an advert going in a local mag in November I will be very happy to just get a few clients a week. As you say though Jabba I must not under value myself, I know from my voluntary work people just love it (staff as well) and I like to approach the whole session with the soul purpose of making people feel really good.

Thanks again.