There are thousands of psychics advertising readings over the telephone and the Internet as well as those locally offering private sittings. Some are great, some helpful, some vague & some are downright charlatans. So how do you tell the good from the bad & the ugly?

First of all disregard most of the words on any advert! Words like ‘International’ and ‘As Seen on TV’ are pretty meaningless. Any psychic who did a reading abroad could truthfully call themselves ‘International’ it doesn’t mean they are any good! There are so many TV channels these days that ‘As Seen on TV’ is fairly unimpressive unless followed by the name of a specific, respected TV show. Again it doesn’t mean they were necessarily any good when they were on air!

If the advert is for a particular psychic & includes a photo, what you feel about the picture? Does the person portray themselves as a stereotypical psychic with a fringed headscarf & crystal ball or are they more ‘normal’ looking? Is it a face you like? Kind? Friendly? Judging someone on appearance can be unfair, but if you are using an advert then you have to follow gut instincts about whether you think you can trust this person.

You do need to know what sort of reading you are after. If you have lost someone dear to you and hope for a message you need to look for a Medium. Not all psychics have this special ability to speak to those in spirit. Clairvoyant means ‘clear seeing’ and many readers use it almost interchangeably with the word psychic, however it isn’t the same as not all psychics ‘see’ information. Some are ‘Clairaudient’- they hear the information and some are Intuitive- they have an inner knowing. Some people are wary of tarot readers because they feel uneasy about the cards. I’ve found that most professional readers do use cards of some description, but the best readers only use them as something to rest their eyes over, they see beyond the card meanings. In fact the very best readers can pick up a great deal about you with no tools at all.

Next look at the pricing. How much do you want to spend? Higher prices don’t necessarily equate with good readers. Many outstanding readers charge quite average amounts for their time, although very cheap prices make me a little suspicious. Someone is either not confident about the services they are offering or has issues about valuing their own time properly.

Those phone companies & internet companies set up with many readers working for them often skim a large proportion of the money off for themselves- it isn’t all going to the person doing your reading. They are often much more expensive than a one-to-one sitting with a good psychic. Some are better and more generous to their readers than others. If you choose a company like this go for one that gives genuine profiles of their readers, customer feedback & ratings.

My advice is to make a one-to-one appointment with a genuine psychic living not too far from you. Try to get a recommendation rather than choosing from the phone book. Even the best psychic can normally pick up more about you and your life when they have you physically in front of them. They can often see your aura, your spirit guides, any family members around you and so on. It is an exceptional psychic who can pick all this up over the telephone.

If they are reasonably local and come recommended they have a reputation to uphold in their area. This is a business where word of mouth counts for more than flashy advertising. You can also book another appointment in the future if you were happy with your reading- though I tend to say not to have readings less than six months apart unless you are going through extreme upheaval. Some people get quite addicted to readings and forget that they can only be signposts, we all have to take responsibility & make decisions for ourselves.

It is worth waiting until a good psychic comes to your attention. If however there is no-one locally & you have to look at the adverts try pendulum dowsing. I wanted a reading from someone who knew nothing of my circumstances- the best psychics I know are also my friends! I dowsed for someone who would be able to pick up on the situation that was troubling me & could give me helpful advice. Several magazine & Internet searches later I came up with a positive swing & had a clear & helpful reading.