A six-month stint as a telephone psychic left the author questioning their own motivations and the ethics of providing emotional support for a fee. Despite feeling unqualified to offer insights into people's lives, the author found themselves drawn into conversations with callers who were seeking guidance and comfort.
The pay was meager, £10-20 per hour, and the calls could be emotionally draining. The author had expected to feel guilty about pretending to be psychic, but in many cases, the caller's pain and loneliness resonated deeply. They began to sense the callers' fears, hopes, and desires, often finding themselves lost in their own emotions as they listened.
The industry has evolved since its early days of "Miss Cleo" ads, with more regulations in place. However, the author notes that even though the pay was low, some clients were willing to spend hundreds of pounds on psychic advice, indicating a desire for cheap, accessible guidance.
As the calls continued, the author found themselves becoming too attuned to their callers' pain and loneliness. They began to feel like they were tapping into an extremely dark wavelength of human need. The guilt and exhaustion of the job escalated, leading the author to reevaluate their role as a telephone psychic.
A particular call stands out – a woman seeking guidance on whether she would get pregnant this month. The author's response was vague but kind, and while it helped alleviate her worry, it also left them feeling uncertain about their own motivations. They realized that they were not doing the right thing by providing emotional support for a fee.
The experience has had lasting effects on the author, who went on to have three children and eventually published a novel about a toxic friendship between a webcam psychic and a client. The work has explored the fine lines between charisma, empathy, and fraud, reflecting on their own experiences as a telephone psychic.
In the end, the author came to understand that their time as a telephone psychic was not a grift but a small, morally complex act of service – one that left them questioning their own motivations and the ethics of providing emotional support for a fee.
The pay was meager, £10-20 per hour, and the calls could be emotionally draining. The author had expected to feel guilty about pretending to be psychic, but in many cases, the caller's pain and loneliness resonated deeply. They began to sense the callers' fears, hopes, and desires, often finding themselves lost in their own emotions as they listened.
The industry has evolved since its early days of "Miss Cleo" ads, with more regulations in place. However, the author notes that even though the pay was low, some clients were willing to spend hundreds of pounds on psychic advice, indicating a desire for cheap, accessible guidance.
As the calls continued, the author found themselves becoming too attuned to their callers' pain and loneliness. They began to feel like they were tapping into an extremely dark wavelength of human need. The guilt and exhaustion of the job escalated, leading the author to reevaluate their role as a telephone psychic.
A particular call stands out – a woman seeking guidance on whether she would get pregnant this month. The author's response was vague but kind, and while it helped alleviate her worry, it also left them feeling uncertain about their own motivations. They realized that they were not doing the right thing by providing emotional support for a fee.
The experience has had lasting effects on the author, who went on to have three children and eventually published a novel about a toxic friendship between a webcam psychic and a client. The work has explored the fine lines between charisma, empathy, and fraud, reflecting on their own experiences as a telephone psychic.
In the end, the author came to understand that their time as a telephone psychic was not a grift but a small, morally complex act of service – one that left them questioning their own motivations and the ethics of providing emotional support for a fee.
. I mean, the pay might be decent, £10-20 an hour sounds like a pretty sweet gig, but the emotional toll is real 
. You're basically just listening to people's problems and trying not to get too caught up in their drama 
.
. I mean, what's wrong with people these days? It's like they're desperate for a fix or something 
.
️. Like, what happened to that person, exactly? Did they just disappear into thin air? It's super unsettling, fam 
.
. Maybe we can finally get some real answers about what's going on behind those closed doors 
.
, but paying someone to just listen and spout some voodoo vibes? That's a whole different story.
. We're so used to having answers at the tap of a button that when people offer something "free" or "low-cost", we should be wary of what they might want in return 
. Anyway, I don't know, it just seems like this whole industry is a bit of an interesting study on human nature 
.
. Anyway, the author of this story seems pretty okay with the whole thing after a while, which is cool, but I'd still wanna ask some questions about that pay and whatnot...
... like, did they tap into all the dark emotions of being a telephone psychic in their novel? I'd love to read it, tbh 
. But seriously, it's wild that someone who had such a transformative experience would go on to explore it so thoughtfully and honestly in their work. Anyway, I'm definitely gonna have to look into this author's writing now 
... thanks for the rec! 
they must've had some tough days where the guilt was overwhelming 
. But you know what they say, "fake it till you make it"... or in this case, fake it till you question your own motivations 
!
?
. Still, it's somethin' to think about, you know? How do we help people when we're not even sure what we're helpin' 'em with? 
), and I think we need to have some real conversations about ethics and responsibility in this field... or at least on our forums 
), that's gotta be worth something, right?
Have you guys ever listened to those podcasts that explore the darker side of human psychology? 
. I feel bad for the author, tho - they were really getting into these calls & feeling all their emotions & whatnot...it must've been tough to deal with all those dark vibes