Offering a sense of balance and support... in blue medical gloves

July: In these early days of visiting patients in their rooms, Raquel and I are shadowing a senior Full Circle Therapist.  It’s inspiring to hear the sensitivity of her approach.   It becomes clear that some of the patients on the ward are ‘old friends’, people with conditions which mean they need multiple admissions as in-patients for their treatment.  Gabriel and the FC team will have been on hand to to offer massage, reflexology etc on previous visits and they’re being very welcoming of Reiki as something new and beneficial to offer.  While often the conventional medical treatments they’re going through may be less than pleasant, it feels inspiring to have joined a team who can offer alternative approached to improve patients’ experiences and support the well being while they’re at St George’s.

As and when, frequently being recommended by our Full Circle colleagues, we’re starting to give Reiki treatments to patients.  A big “thank you” to The Reiki Association for continuing to provide your clear and helpful leaflets which we leave with patients.  In professional practice, my client group are self-selecting, having been drawn to Reiki for many reasons.  With this mixed group of patients, only some are familiar with our practice.  It’s reassuring for these patients, many of whom may be experiencing anxiety and pain with their illnesses, to know that Reiki’s safe and could offer support and a sense of balance they would welcome.  It’s also wonderful for continuity of understanding to know we’re all ‘singing from the same hymn sheet’ – hospital staff, therapists and patients sharing the same information.  We’re keen to be as clear as possible when we offer a Reiki treatment. 

When it first dawned on me that I’d be wearing blue medical gloves when giving Reiki treatments, I felt a bit ‘challenged’. I know Reiki will work through any kind of barrier, so that’s not it.  It’s the practical side that’s going through my mind – won’t my hands become sweaty in the gloves? Won’t gloves feel strange and I treat ‘hands-on’? However, these are such a vulnerable group of patients, that every measure to control the risk of infection is vital. We wear disposable aprons also to keep a safe barrier between us and the patients, as well as masks in some cases.