Are Psychics Real? We Asked 4 Women About Their Experiences

When we say the word ‘psychic,’ what do you think of? Do you think of a tiny storefront on a busy city street promising a spot-on reading for just $5? Do you think of a vaguely European woman wearing tons of jewelry stroking a crystal ball? Do you think of Whoopi Goldberg as Oda Mae Brown in Ghost? According to a 2019 Last Week Tonight with John Oliver segment, four out of ten people believe in psychics, which begs the question: Are psychics real? First, we’ll dig into whether or not psychic powers exist (while exposing some commonly used tactics), then we’ll hear from four women on their experiences with psychics—and whether or not they’re believers.

A psychic is a person who claims to use extrasensory perception (ESP) to identify information hidden from the normal senses, particularly involving telepathy or clairvoyance, or who performs acts that are apparently inexplicable by natural laws. Scientifically, the evidence is spotty—to be generous. As an article in The Conversation notes, “When professed abilities are subject to scientific scrutiny researchers generally discredit them… And when scientists have endorsed psychic claims, criticism has typically followed.” But here’s the thing: If you’re someone who believes in psychics and that somehow makes you a better member of society, go forth and believe. The reality though, is that even if psychic powers are real, they would be near impossible to prove.

If you do go to a psychic, be aware of these common techniques they may use to make you more likely to believe in their purported powers.

1. Making General Claims

Many psychics love to paint with broad strokes. By hitting you with claims that could be applied to a wide variety of people (“I’m seeing a really stressful time in your early 20s,”) they’re able to grab folks who are teetering on the edge of believing.

2. Coaxing You into Revealing Important Information

This one is particularly effective when someone wants to believe in psychics. The more you want to have some sort of paranormal experience, the more likely you are to let your guard down and inadvertently reveal a piece of information that could prove crucial for a psychic.

3. Watching for Subtle Details in Your Body Language or Speech

While they may not have actual psychic powers, many psychics are masters of reading body language and interpreting various vocal patterns. You’ll often find that a psychic speaks slowly and intentionally. This is likely to give you more time to react to what they’re saying, and for them in turn to try to figure out why you’ve reacted. It's important to note, though, that certain highly empathetic people are incredibly attuned to body language and subtle shifts in speaking patterns, so picking up on these things isn't necessarily just for show or something a psychic could've learned from a YouTube video.

4. Asking for Outrageous Sums of Money in Exchange for Answers

A certain type of scam artist can pose as a psychic in order to prey on peoples' vulnerabilities. An article in AARP Magazine notes that, especially during the pandemic, reports of these types of scams have been on the rise. If you go to a psychic and they promise to, say, connect you with a loved one for what seems to you like an outrageous amount of money, it's likely a hoax. The law enforcement arm of the Postal Service advises people to research the prices of the services you're looking for, ask about hidden costs and never give out financial information like bank routing or credit card numbers.

Before seeing a psychic for the first time, did you believe in psychics? Why or why not? 

I don't think I really believed in psychics per se. I've always been more of a spiritual person, but generally if someone said they were a psychic I'd probably dismiss them and assume they had a few fun party tricks.

In as much detail as necessary, explain your experience with a psychic. Did you like it? Were you surprised by the results? 

I’ve never been into psychics, but a few years ago I was walking back from dinner with my roommate. We bumped into our neighbor who was walking his dog and started chatting. Somehow it came up that he’s a medium. We kind of laughed it off like ‘OK.’ But he asked if we wouldn’t mind a quick reading. He told my roommate she was going to start doing a lot of traveling (fast forward a couple weeks later when she met her now husband who lived in Boston while we were in NYC—lots of weekend trips). Eventually he turned to me he said ‘I’m getting an S name.’ No one I had ever dated had a name that started with S, and I was ready to dismiss it, smile and carry on with our walk. Before I could say anything though, he chimed in and said, ‘It’s a woman, motherly. She passed peacefully, recently. Like the breath just left her.’ My grandmother, Stefany, had passed away in the middle of the night a few weeks prior from an undiagnosed heart issue. Hearing that from him that she was there was really what I needed to hear, whether it was true or not.

Do you believe in psychics now? Would you be open to seeing a psychic again? 

I'm more of a believer now, but I wouldn't say I'm dialing Ms Cleo on the regular. I don't know that I'll trust everyone that says they're a psychic, but if I had an opportunity to go to one again, I'm probably more inclined to go. Plus, even if it's not totally real, I think there's something healing about it, just having an excuse to talk about loved ones that have passed and memories you have of them. I think that can be healing.

Before seeing a psychic for the first time, did you believe in psychics? Why or why not? 

Not really. I never knew too much about psychics, but I’ve kind of always thought that psychics and people who believed in them are a little too hippy-dippy for me.

In as much detail as necessary, explain your experience with a psychic. Did you like it? Were you surprised by the results? 

I was in New Orleans for a friend’s bachelorette party (how all weird stories start, right?) and the bride surprised the group with psychic readings. The bridesmaids were pretty split in terms of who believed and who didn’t, and I was definitely in the latter group. It’s not that it was an unpleasant experience, I just felt like everything the psychic asked and told me was too general/guess-like to be real. Her questions were super probing and all of her “findings” seemed like they could’ve applied to a whole host of people. If half of us believed in psychics going into the readings, I’d say that only 25 percent of the group believed afterward, so maybe we just didn’t go to a great psychic.

Do you believe in psychics now? Would you be open to seeing a psychic again? 

I still don’t believe in psychics but as I said, it was a fun activity and I’d definitely try it again in a similar situation. That being said, I totally respect anyone who does believe in psychics—even more so since I’ve been to one. I get how, for some people, the whole experience could feel really real and magical. As long as it’s not harming me, who am I to judge? 

Before seeing a psychic for the first time, did you believe in psychics? Why or why not? 

Not really. I saw a psychic once with friends in the West Village after a night out and left thinking it was a waste of money. I never went back, but I’ve always been intrigued by places I saw around Manhattan. I have friends that live for their psychics, and truthfully, I wanted to believe, but just never did.

In as much detail as necessary, explain your experience with a psychic. Did you like it? Were you surprised by the results? 

I saw a psychic last year (2019), and I sat there in shock as he spoke. A friend had said this psychic was going to be in town from L.A., and that she had an appointment to see him. I sort of laughed and said, ‘Really? You believe in this?’ She spent the next 30 minutes telling me stories about what this man had said to her friend. After listening I decided to reach out to see if I could get an appointment, and I couldn't—he was booked. The last day of his readings, I got a text message that his 9 a.m. had cancelled, so I jumped in an Uber. I felt that if he had an opening it was meant to be. I walked into an apartment in the East Village where he was staying, told him my birth date, time and place, and while we were chatting, I mentioned I had a daughter. After that, he just spoke for an hour and I was shocked by what came out of his mouth. He told me so many things that only my dearest friends and family knew and gave me some answers to questions I had. He also recorded the session, so I’m able to go back and listen. He was spot on with so many things, which was eerie.

Do you believe in psychics now? Would you be open to seeing a psychic again? 

I don't believe in all of them, but I do believe in some, and I believe that they can help guide you. I would love to see this psychic again but am unsure how I feel about a virtual reading. I feel like we would need to be in the same room. I also think psychics may have answers they don't want to share, which freaks me out.

Before seeing a psychic for the first time, did you believe in psychics? Why or why not? 

Nope! To be totally honest, I’ve always thought psychics and stuff like that were a little kooky.

In as much detail as necessary, explain your experience with a psychic. Did you like it? Were you surprised by the results? 

OK, so my psychic experience was kind of random. My husband has a distant cousin who we don’t see very much. She’s a medium, and while I’ve always known about what she does—and doubted it—I had never experienced her “gifts” in person. One night almost a decade ago, we had a bunch of family over to our house and randomly, the cousin, who I’ll call M., asked the ladies in the group to join her in another room for a quick reading. My sister and law and I were like, ‘Umm…this is weird, right?’ And it was. The entire reading consisted of her asking us questions about our lives and throwing a bunch of jargon-y words at us. It wasn’t really clear what we were supposed to take from the experience—we she certainly didn’t tell us anything we didn’t know.

 Do you believe in psychics now? Would you be open to seeing a psychic again? 

I don’t, and I probably wouldn’t see a psychic again (especially if it was kind of forced on me at a family event). My opinions on psychics haven’t changed, and I don’t really imagine them ever changing.