How To Go About Finding A Genuine Psychic Who Won't Waste Your Money

Have you ever been caught in such a horrific place in your life that seeking the help of a psychiatrist, a 12-Step Group, or even your closest friends just wasn't enough? You know, when you're so down-and-out that you think you need a miracle? Or when you've reached the end of your rope and all you want is to know "WHY is this happening to me?" These are the times in our lives when we're most likely to reach out beyond our normal means of assistance, when we might be open to advice that we'd otherwise scoff at. These are the times when might look into how to find a psychic, or a medium, or a spiritual advisor -- when we feel most vulnerable, we're also the most open to new experiences like these.

Unfortunately, a lot of -- in fact, most of -- the advisors that call themselves psychics are basically made up of 100 percent bullsh*t and lies, so it's sad that when people are feeling most desperate for answers, they call upon this kind of help, and end up wasting money and being taken advantage of instead. I've enlisted the help of psychics pretty much since I was old enough to use a phone (I remember calling Mrs. Cleo from the commercials in the '90s from my parents house and being punished for that later.), and I've gone from the bottom of the barrel to the top of the food chain, and here's what I've learned.

The Best Psychics Do Not Advertise Behind Windows

True, real deal psychics that have the gift don't need to advertise their services behind a window, beckoning at strangers like prostitutes in Game of Thrones. I can't say for sure that no one who works this way is gifted (I mean we're all a little bit psychic.), but I do know for certain that it's not a good idea to take life advice from someone who lives in a window.

Many of these psychics will open a session by asking you to direct it. They'll say something vague like, "I sense a darkness in you," and then from there will invite you to ask them a question. Once you've asked them a personal question, they have enough information to draw from. Just think about how much information you can glean from looking at a stranger's Google search history. This is how these "psychics" make their money, by asking you for information and then extrapolating on it.

They aren't psychic; they are giving advice about something they know very little about. From there, they can tell a lot by your facial expressions and body language, and will try to work you for as much money as you have (in some cases).

The Best Psychics Can Be Found Through Word Of Mouth

It might be embarrassing to ask, but if you throw out a net, you might find that more people have actually sought out the advice of professional psychics than you'd think, and they're usually more than willing to refer you to them. This is why the good psychics don't need to advertise; the experiences they bring their clients are profound enough to be worth telling others about.

If you simply cannot bring yourself to inquire about a psychic or medium, that's fine too. There actually are resources online that you can use, including a list of some of the most well-known psychics here, and links to their personal websites. It's important to remember that even if you reach out to one psychic and for some reason they are unavailable, you'll most likely find the psychic that is right for you if you have patience.

Rebecca Rosen, a psychic medium who I worked with personally (and who absolutely blew my mind) doesn't refer other psychic mediums, but on her site she writes, "you will find the perfect, professional psychic or medium to work with on your own. The universe will guide you to them if you are meant to work with them."

This is true to an extent, but in the meantime, there are some you should avoid based on the following criteria.

How To Avoid A Fraud Psychic

Aside from storefront psychics, there are a few other things to look out for, as a guide. A genuine psychic will guide the session, providing answers that don't scare or frighten you, or promise anything more than just one session. Some psychics will frighten you by predicting something bad will happen in the future to you or someone you love, then offer to reverse the "energy" with "spells" or "manifestation" -- all for more money.

A genuine psychic will offer both good news and bad news though, promising nothing more than an honest reading that doesn't sound like anything out of a movie or a fairy tale. They will guide the session by giving you answers and impressions they get, and won't mind you testing them afterwards with a few of your own questions. If you prefer to keep your questions vague, asking them to expand on what they've already said, that's okay too.

A genuine psychic won't mind if you terminate the session in the middle of it. They won't divulge information like deaths, accidents or anything of that nature during a reading. Making claims like this is unprofessional behavior for any psychic and it's another fear and manipulation tactic of the fake psychic.

Hopefully this serves as a helpful guide for you if you're ever in a place to seek out a reading with someone. Remember, psychics are just like any other person in the helping profession... they have both good days and bad days, but the ones who are real professionals don't leave the person feeling as though they completely wasted their money.