A recent episode of the podcast Recode/Decode got me thinking about the highs and lows of the psychic business.  I wanted to share with you my letter to Kara Swisher, the host of Recode/Decode.  You can listen to the episode Here.

 

Dear Kara Swisher,
 
 

I really enjoyed your recent podcast with Dr. Jen Gunter and I wanted to share my experiences as a psychic and medical intuitive.  I know there are lots of frauds, con-artists and outright dangerous people in my profession and I have no interest in defending any of them.  In my experience the best psychics, not always the most popular, are not shy about sending their clients to doctors and other professionals.  I am not a doctor, if you have a serious medical problem I will recommend seeking medical attention.  Just yesterday I convinced one of my clients to see a physical therapist for her pelvic misalignment and told her to stop sitting on the cold laser a different psychic told her to buy.  I may offer complimentary therapies or suggestions, but it is not my job to contradict a medical professional, although I may encourage you to get a second opinion.  I know that I am at my best when people don’t know where to turn for help, when they have been failed by their regular doctors, misled by lawyers, and screwed over by partners (business and personal).  

 
Psychics are an unregulated profession and lots of people are not as savvy, thoughtful and skeptical as they should be, often taking bad advice.  I believe part of my job is to educate clients as well as advise them - educate them on what they should expect from a psychic and how to be a savvy consumer. As a psychic and the founder of a spiritual non-profit, I want people to be skeptical and open minded and understand that even the best psychic will be wrong sometimes, anyone who claims to be 100% all the time is not on the level and should be mocked resoundedly.
 
I think one of the greatest weaknesses in the psychic and wellness industries is that people want easy answers and magic solutions to their problems.  They want someone else to tell them what to do and solve all of their problems.  For years my motto has been, “I am here to help you on your path, not lead you down mine.”  By that I mean, you have to do the work.  If you want your life to be better, you want to be healthier, if you want your relationships to work - you have to do the work.  I tell my clients that there are no easy answers and all the best psychics I know have the same goals.
 
There a lots of so called psychics who will tell you what to do, who will turn your reading into an extended fishing expedition or will just tell you what you want to hear.  Those of us who aspire to more have the duty to educate the public to expect more from psychics and from themselves.
 
Thank you for your time; I’m a big fan.

John Michael Thornton