Preparing the Environment at the Client’s Home
When you are conducting a session in the client’s space, make sure they know in advance how much space you need and what props they require to be comfortable during the session. I would also suggest telling them to make sure the house is quiet so they won’t be disturbed or distracted by anyone or anything.
You will need to pack your bowls, mallets, tingshas, incense/smudging tool and the client forms. If you would rather use your own portable healing mattress/bed then you can take this with you too.
As I said in the second topic of this module, ensure your travel and set up times are included in your preparation for the session. If you can, aim to leave 10-15 minutes earlier than the total travel time to allow for traffic and getting lost (if it’s your first time going to their place). You can always wait in the car or a coffee shop in their area until it’s time for the session.
Most people are generally very polite at asking if you’d like a drink when you arrive. I tend to always say “yes please, I’d love a glass of water, and please get one for yourself too”. Even if you don’t drink it and aren’t thirsty, they will be at the end of the session. That way, you can hand it over to them at the end instead of them springing up and playing the host. You want them to stay as relaxed as possible to help integrate the healing received. It is also grounding.
If you prefer to clean a space with incense or other smudging tools, make sure you ask your client’s permission. They may not want their house to smell of incense, they could be allergic, or they could associate the smell with a negative experience or memory. If they don’t want the smell, you can purify the room with sound. The tingsha tone is a perfect pitch for this.
When you are in someone else’s environment, your senses will be heightened to stimuli around you. Everything that you notice is completely normal to your client as it’s their day to day experience. This can be slightly overwhelming at times depending on the environment. Remember to keep focussed on why you’re there, and if you need to move something, turn off a light or close a window etc, politely ask your client’s permission to alter that thing for you to be able to work. A good reason for conducting sessions at clients’ houses is that all the noises they hear in the house, neighbourhood and beyond are not distracting at all to them at all. You will notice them, but chances are, they won’t.
Preparations to remember: