— with additional reporting by Kalista Diamontopoulos.
Illustration by jessie leiber
I’ve always been fascinated by psychics. Maybe it was all that Harry Potter I consumed at a young age, but the idea that an ordinary-looking person could somehow see beyond reality and predict my future is captivating.
However, I’m also a pretty big skeptic. As much as I want to believe psychics are real, I’ve never been able to fully buy into it. I’ve seen enough psychics and mediums on TV come across as phony and fraudulent, passing off their ability to read people with their “magical powers” in order to make a quick buck. Still, I wanted to keep as open a mind as possible.
When the opportunity came to write about psychics, I jumped on it. My fellow reporter, Kalista Diamantopoulos, and I decided to research what Alexandria has to offer in terms of psychic services. We wanted to see if we could tell a genuine clairvoyant from a scammer. Along the way, maybe I would figure out if psychics are real, once and for all.
Neither of us had visited a psychic before.
A THIRD-GENERATION SEER
Kalista Diamantopoulos
The first psychic we visited was Anna, who welcomes visitors to “Psychic Readings by Anna” in an ordinary-looking house on Richmond Highway. We picked Anna because she had the most Google reviews of all the psychics in Alexandria, and the majority of them were positive. Anna offers a variety of services, from astrology readings to “curse removal.” I planned to request a Tarot card reading ($50) and Kalista planned to ask for a palm reading ($40).
When we pulled up to the address listed on Anna’s website, I was surprised to see an ordinary-looking house, distinct only because of some blue symbols painted on the door. Inside, however, Anna’s setup was pretty professional looking. Her living room doubled as a waiting room, and she had a separate room in the back solely dedicated to her psychic service. Anna has a rule of meeting clients one at a time, so while I waited in the special back room, Anna instructed Kalista to pick a movie to watch on her flat screen, which made Kalista wonder how long each session was going to take.
Anna said she is a third-generation psychic, and she takes her work seriously. She shuffled a large deck of Tarot cards, handed down to her from her grandmother, and laid them out on the table between us in an elaborate spread. From there, she began her reading, occasionally gesturing to the card that inspired her statement.
A lot of what Anna said was accurate. However, I noticed that many of her statements were vague and could probably apply to most people in my age and gender bracket. For example, she told me the last two years contained many changes: I’m in my early 20s, a time in life when most people encounter a great deal of change. What I found the most notable were her very specific and ominous predictions — like telling me she sees a loss of a child in my future.
While my reading gave me a lot to think about, I definitely could have gotten more out of it had I let myself be a little more vulnerable. The fact that I knew I was doing research for an article, combined with my general skepticism, left me feeling on-edge throughout the reading. I was focused on what Anna was doing in-stead of my personal experience, and as a result, it was difficult to fully immerse myself in what was happening. When I later asked Kalista about her session, she described quite different feelings.
For Kalista’s palm reading, Anna made her predictions while touching crystals that rested in Kalista’s palms. This surprised us, because we thought a palm reading would be more about ana-lyzing different lines on the palm of her hand. Kalista found Anna open and welcoming, someone who people would be attracted to simply because she gave good advice, outside of any psychic abilities. Unlike me, Kalista said it was easy for her to be vulnerable during the session.
As we left, I thought that maybe visiting a psychic is a little like going to therapy — you get what you put in.
WE SAW THE SIGN
Kalista Diamantopoulos
Our next stop, “Psychic of Alexandria” on Telegraph Road, looked more the part of a “psychic shop,” with a sign in the shape of a palm out front and a neon one glowing in the window.
We chose it because of its high visibility and because online reviewers seemed split on whether it was a scam or the most genuine psychic service in the area. Unlike Psychic Readings by Anna, Psychic of Alexandria lacked any online presence of its own whatsoever, so it was impossible to get any sense of what the rates would be, or what services were offered.
The building had definitely seen better days. However, we were there to assess the psychic’s services, not the shop’s aesthetics. The psychic herself looked to be in her mid 60s. She never told us her name, but she did show us a list of her services. My Tarot card reading cost $45 and Kalista’s palm reading cost $10.
For my Tarot card session, the psychic flipped one card over at a time, weaving details into her reading as she did. She began by telling me that I was pining over a man who did not love me back — a bold assertion, and also a false one. As she continued, I got the sense that she was trying to figure out my specific insecurities. She stated that I drive men away, that people always disappoint me, that I secretly feel useless — each time pausing to judge my reaction. It made me wonder if she was used to seeing people in times of crisis, and saw her services as a last resort. When I failed to open up about any real insecurities, she grew frustrated, insist-ing she was only trying to help. Our total session lasted about 15 minutes and left a sour taste in my mouth.
Kalista’s session was even shorter than mine, with the psychic only taking a brief glance at Kalista’s palm. The psychic’s reading, however, was packed with details, many of which bore similarities to Anna’s reading. Both psychics said that Kalista would have just enough money to do what she wanted in life, and would be in two relationships before settling down with the right person. They also said that she would travel soon, which was striking because Kalista plans to study abroad in college.
The Psychic of Alexandria shop had a sticker in their window indicating they take credit cards, but when it came time to pay, we were informed that they only accepted cash. More than Kalista, I left feeling like I had been misled in a number of ways.
AN EXPERT OPINION?
Buz Nachlas
Sacred Circle on King Street in Alexandria
At the end of our journey, we came to the conclusion that we still had a lot to learn about psychics. We decided to stop by Sacred Circle, a metaphysical store that has operated at 919 King St. since 2006.
Sacred Circle itself offers psychic services with a wide variety of psychics (13 are listed on their website, with short biographies of each, along with their rates), all of whom are accredited by the Better Business Bureau. As a result, co-owner Thomas Singer said he knows how to tell a “genuine psychic” from a scammer.
We mentioned that there seem to be a surprisingly high number of psychics in Alexandria — far more than we expected. Singer said that Alexandria’s reputation as a tourist destination is responsible for the high number of psychics in the area, many of whom may be frauds hoping to prey on those passing through.
“If you see an apartment with a neon palm in the window, that’s a dangerous sign,” Singer said. “They aren’t running a regular business, they’re just trying to snatch people with interest.”
For those interested in finding a trustworthy psychic, Singer recommends checking out Pathways Magazine, a free directory of alternative services in the region. Visiting a metaphysical store like Sacred Circle is also a good way to find advice and recommendations from experts as well as community members.
Finally, Singer pointed us to an article on Sacred Circle’s website written by his wife and Sacred Circle co-owner, Anysia Oswald. Titled “How to Spot a Psychic Scammer,” it gives even more details on how to spot the fakes and phonies. Beware of hidden fees and scare tactics to convince you to return repeatedly for additional services.
If you’re going to see a psychic, it’s essential to do some research beforehand. Sessions can get pricey quickly, and you want to make sure you’re paying for a service that you’ll actually find helpful.
We also learned that psychics can offer their customers more than a glimpse into the future. A quality psychic can provide spiritual guidance, help answer troubling questions, provide a new perspective for approaching an issue, or simply act as a source of emotional support. Someone might see a psychic for the same reason someone else might check their horoscope, or visit a life coach or read self-help books.
So, are psychics real? Who knows? After visiting two, I’ve concluded that they just might not be for me. But many of them (the non-scammers, anyway) provide real help for the people who trust them. As far as I’m concerned, that’s good enough.
