Articles Index >> A Well Informed Client - Informed Consent
A Well-Informed Client – Informed Consent
IARP has provided a sample Informed Consent Form in the Member Only section of the IARP website for member review and use. Ethically speaking, we want all of our clients to be well-informed, not simply informed. The following ideas are presented for your consideration fro all Reiki Practitioners, and as reminders, of the many ways in which we can keep our clients well-informed.
• Introduce yourself when a new client arrives for their appointment with a firm and friendly handshake and let them know that you are the practitioner with whom they will be working.
• Use a Policy Statement (see “Designing a Policy Statement for your Practice” in the Members Only section), to eliminate any misunderstandings about what your services are and are not.
• Be aware of why the client is seeking your services. Ask this question during the initial contact or add the question to your intake form, but be sure to ask, “Why are you seeking these services at this time?” Follow this up in subsequent visits by asking the client at each pre-treatment assessment what their goal is for the session. When possible, meet the client’s expectations; if it is not feasible or possible, explain why.
• Do not assume that your client is familiar with your treatment process. Inform clients about what to expect by referring to that section of your Policy Statement or offering them a “Welcome” informational sheet to read after they complete their medical history and intake.
• During the treatment or before, verbally inform the client when you are moving to more vulnerable areas, such as the heart and abdomen.
• Verbally inform the client when you are about to lean your own body against the table.
• Get permission from the client before varying from the agreed upon treatment plan or when using an additional modality (e.g. aromatherapy).
• Keep in mind that there should be no surprises for the client. Remember that information, knowledge and the ‘right-to-refuse’ offer personal power to the client who is in a vulnerable or relaxed state. Your goal is to make them as comfortable as possible.
• Several minutes before the treatment ends, inform the client that the session is nearing completion and ask if they would like you to focus on an area that may need more attention.
• If a client is in a semi-sleep state at the end of the session, gently get their attention and bring them back to an awakened but relaxed state.
• Inform the client about what to expect after the session. For example, tell the client that he or she may wish to drink plenty of water to facilitate their healing.
• Cover all bases so that neither you nor the client face a situation without some preparation about what to expect beforehand. Let the only surprise be how much the client enjoyed the experience and how impressed they were by the way they were attended to and nurtured during the treatment.
