AKA Three lessons True Blood taught me on dealing with energy vampires in my business.

We all know the problem with vampires. They’re intriguing, dangerous, and totally ooze sex appeal. But be careful—if not controlled, they can suck the life right out of you.

The same goes for certain clients. From the outset they seem great, but at some point the glamouring wears off and you realize you’ve been duped. Next thing you know, you feel like the life has been sucked out of you. You’re avoiding their calls, dreading their next meeting, and feel exhausted just thinking about their project. Your perfect client has turned in to an energy vampire—sucking out your creative juices. What to do?

I’ve been there too, but nowadays I’m able to stop myself and listen to my inner Sookie Stackhouse with these three pieces of advice. (Let’s be real, I’m way more Pam than Sookie, but for arguments sake let’s stick with Sookie, OK?)

Has your perfect client turned in to an energy vampire—sucking out your creative juices? Here’s what to do now.

Don’t invite them in.

We all know that vampires need an invitation to enter a person’s home. The same is true for energy vampires.

You might not realize it, but all of your energy-draining clients were, at one point, invited into your business—it’s just that they haven’t really left since.

Everyone talks about the importance of boundaries, and this is a perfect example why. Vampires try to be sneaky and trick you into inviting them in. Maybe your trouble client started poking at your boundary from the get go, seeing how much poking it would take before your wall came crumbling down.

Take those pokes and prods as a red flag that this isn’t the right client for you. Decline their invitation and watch them fly backwards out of your business.

Shine a light on them.

Vampires fear the sun because it brings the truth to light. (Well, it also burns them to a crisp, but I like the analogy of shining a light on their truth better.)

So, if you’re still feeling drained by your client after you’ve set good boundaries in place, try shining a light on the issue and face it head on.

What is it that’s wearing you down? Is it that they never meet the deadlines you set? That you’re not happy with the direction their project is headed? Bite the silver bullet and speak up!

Most of the time it’s harder to bring up the subject than it is to actually have the conversation. And no matter the outcome, you’re sure to feel better once the weight is lifted.

Use your magic power.

Vampires don’t stand a chance against Sookie’s magic beam of light. It’s her faerie protection so-to-speak.

But guess what?

We all have faerie magic protection inside of us—we just need to use it.

I harness my magic protection with guided meditations and visualizations before working with one-on-one clients. It’s great protection when I’m doing energy work, acupuncture, and coaching all day long.

It’s simple, quick, and really sets the tone for my day—and my business.

Want a simple visualization technique for energy protection at work? Download my favorite one here.

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Amy Kuretsky is a holistic health coach, licensed acupuncturist, and Chinese herbalist who helps creative entrepreneurs be their healthiest selves. She also loves riding bicycles, foraging for wild plants and mushrooms, and watching raunchy HBO shows. Find out more about her health coaching services or find out about how she's helping other bosses break free from sugar at amykuretsky.com.