8 Tips On Finding The Right Practitioner

8 Tips On Finding The Right Practitioner

“Is there anywhere I can find the right practitioner for…?” Sometimes it can be a maze and this is a question I hear constantly and so a little while ago I did an online survey with practitioners, the results of their thoughts were quite intriguing. Those who responded surprisingly ranked geographical factors higher than expertise and professionalism.  Although when actually asking clients seeking assistance, those  who are suffering and in pain and desperate, will travel round the globe for that one ray of light….HOPE.

As a client and practitioner, trust and safety are VITAL. These are our basic needs if you think of Maslow’s Hierarchy.

Next comes compassion. Is your practitioner compassionate or empathetic? The last thing a trauma client needs is someone who breaks down with them…so the Buddhist saying of, a strong back and soft front immediately springs to my mind.  With a solid foundation such as this, a good practitioner will be able to  sit with a client with compassion and open heart, yet be strong enough to hold the space for them, without being triggered into their own stuff. Which literally means that they will not project their stuff on you.  It is important that as a practitioner they keep out of the way, do not judge, give advice or make comments coming from their view of the world.  Nor as a holistic practitioner diagnose or make psychological evaluations.

A professional practitioner will not ask the “why” question. (once is enough) This may immediately bring up shame and guilt and is a very blaming angle of inquiry.  You want a practitioner who guides you along the way towards finding the root cause of your symptoms, finding the root of that limiting belief and continues the journey with you for your transformation, without backing down after a short period of time.  Depending on the intensity and the depth of the issue and its longevity, this can sometimes take time.  And someone who is skilled in the art of EFT/Matrix Reimprinting will continue with you, until you step, swim or glide onto your next shores of safety. This could well mean swimming with you in the ocean, so as not to leave you at the mercy of sharks to devour you, at those times when our unconscious mind literally sees danger…when in reality there isn’t any danger at all. Indeed, it is merely our unconscious that sees the danger and I for one no of that numbing danger, when I was too depressed to even get off the sofa and go to the bathroom, because at that time, (over 14 years ago now), it felt as if everything was far too much of an effort and perhaps there really were sharks out there in the future that i would have to fight, as life was a constant fight and even worse, what if I was that shark and such a burden to society.  That was real life for me back then, thankfully no longer.

Whilst my personal experience of finding a great practitioner was both expensive, as well as hit and miss…plus my journey in the holistic field started a long time ago, there is still, to this day, an open playing field for anyone and everyone to play and practice at being a holistic therapist.  This even stretches to the extent that there are numerous online workshops where you can become a Reiki practitioner, hypnotherapist, or tapper online within a few days and yet no organisation will accredit you, or even give you insurance for such certifications.

Not only do I think these types of training workshops are unethical, but they’re also a disservice to the beautiful, elegant modalities which myself and many professional ethical colleagues incorporate into our businesses with our clients and are available across the globe.

Let me ask you this…Do you wish to put your health and mind into the hands of someone who has little training or expertise and has done very little clearing on themselves? or do you want to place yourself in the safe hands of someone who is continually working on themselves and has expertise in a certain issue?  Whether that issue is behavioural or physical? Do you even wish to be a practitioner yourself…an accredited professional who is focused on the client’s outcome and has their own values and ethics in alignment?

To give you an example, EFT, Matrix Reimprinting, Hypnotherapy, NLP and Psych-K are tools which have a wide range of healing abilities. However, the most important aspect for me as a practitioner is to empower people to heal themselves, to become themselves again. I am there to support them on this journey of self-discovery towards self-balance and crucially to guide them to find their root causes and innate healing abilities.

To truly study the art involved in either Matrix, EFT or any other such modality, a considerable number of years is needed. During this learning period, the true professional would have placed considerable emphasis on a particular area which includes a wide variety of issues e.g. PTSD, OCD, Cancer, Serious disease, Addiction and Relationships are but a few of today’s common challenges, faced both physically and mentally in our society.

Lastly, it’s to be expected that the practitioner will have the knowledge about how the mind and body are connected; the biological reason for the body to actually behave in this way; and how to invite the client to become aware of their own innate ability to heal, thus raising the clients awareness to actually start, if not complete the healing process.

Based on all these facts, how do we ensure we’re getting the right practitioner? Below are what some suggestions which will guide you through the process.

1. Take your time to ask friends. A recommendation is always a good way to get started.
2. Check if the practitioner you intend to use offers an initial free consultation, so that you can actually hear the person’s voice.
3. Has the practitioner built up rapport with you?
4. What questions can you ask? List out some key points to remember, such as Have they worked with the specific issue you have? How long will sessions be?  What support do they offer outside sessions?
5. Have they advised you that they can heal you, or cure you? If yes, step away. Not only is this illegal in the UK, but it ultimately may not assist you in your own journey of self-empowerment and self-healing and that is where the magic lies, when you realise you hold all the power innately.
6. Do some research and find out if they actually belong to any regulatory body. If you do discover practitioners who aren’t with any registered organisation, stay as far away from them as possible. Do this early to avoid wasting your precious time and hard-earned cash. This can easily be discerned on the practitioner’s website.
7. Check if they have an insurance policy in place and who is insuring them. You can also check this on their website.
8. Is the price of their service within your budget and are they liberal enough to cut down their price or recommend another practitioner at that price?
9. Which means of communication will be used to conduct the sessions? Internet? Phone? Face to face? (many people feel that they need face to face, however sometimes it is more convenient, safer and cost and time efficient and has exactly the same efficacy)
10. What are their cancellation policies? What if you find yourself in a compromising situation and you are unable to make it to a session, who will be responsible for the payment? Situations related to this are directly related to your practitioner’s ethics.
11. Do they clearly state on their website PRIVATE POLICY under the Data Protection Act and their company information,? i.e. Where is their office/home/place where they operate from, which is now a legal requirement. If this is not clearly stated, this is a red flag.
12. Finally, what will their contract entail and how much will this contract favour you? An experienced and transparent practitioner will show you all that you stand to gain.
13. And do remember, the contract is both ways.