The facts are quite simple (when it comes to the idea of Cold Reading)... every counselor, therapist, etc. uses it. They know and apply the very same demographic and profiling tactics an educated Reader employs and in many ways, the same courses of manipulation but without boogiemen to blame. Worse, they appeal to one's intellect and logic over "faith" and "superstition".
Counselors, Clergy, etc. all exploit "Hot" or "Warm" Reading elements (an invented associative inference form the late 70s)... why do you think they ask you to sign an information exchange waver when you come to a new clinic? It's exactly like the "Psychic Mafia" antics but with a legal and authoritative veneer.
Just as some scrupulous folks have destroyed the lives of others under the guise of being a Psychic or Medium there have been thousands of lives destroyed via the "legit" system... that includes those trained in "Grief" counseling who rarely consider or allow the patron to the right to gain closure by way of personal spiritual/religious paths. Though it's subtle, certain therapists allow their analytical bias to become part of a treatment scenario which can do far more harm than an actor taking on the tone of Aunt Sarah's spirit saying good by.
The act of selective finger-pointing is one of my biggest pet-peeves when it comes to the "Skeptics" culture; it's quite comparable to how the fundamentalist zealots of religion treat scripture or historic examples; presenting biased thinking that's based on both, rumor and insinuation tied to a limited number of cases vs. individual considerations... judging a book by its cover or contempt prior to genuine investigation.
Yes, there are people who can intuitively sense things about others. I don't say that lightly or because I have
developed such an ability, nor am I saying that I have dead people, angels or the fey whispering in my ear. It's 100% natural, anyone can develop similar skills over time and practice, you will see it in detective work, counseling, sales... any industry in which one deals with the public and you must be able to size up someone or something within a few short minutes. This is why you have those cases in which a cop or doctor don't accept the evidence being presented... they KNOW something else is afoot though they can't pin point it initially. Ironically such things are referred to as an "Occult" factor... a "hidden" something or other which Intuition and Instinct can fall into... we really don't understand them.
Channeling/Mediumship is NOT the same thing as what I'm speaking of above though circumstance has conveniently tied the two together (and mostly from the Psychic/Spiritual community itself -- ego seeking to stack on a truck load of "credentials"). I've had dozens of Readings from people who claim to have this ability, including a few that are heralded as being exceptionally good. I can honestly say that of said encounters I've only found two or three that were anywhere near accurate with things and what I would call "sincere". Most of them are the worse Readers on the planet and how they manage to suck people into their world is beyond explanation.
I have had two situations that I tie to this sort of scenario; situations in which I felt that someone or something else was influencing me and my thoughts. I'll state up front that it was a strange in "uncomfortable" sensation but the information that I shared with both client groups was 100% on the mark and frankly, I don't know where it came from. I wasn't using cards or anything outside of what I felt, smelled and heard... I can't explain it beyond that in that it defies intellect... it doesn't fit into any of the niches I'm familiar with and I'm not exactly "ignorant" when it comes to this stuff.
CONSUMER PROTECTION is something I support 110%. I do FREE talks that do exactly this and focus on teaching the public what to be aware of and what to do when they start noticing certain patterns with whomever (charlatans wear many different masks). When our efforts step outside that picture and start blasting people's beliefs as a whole, insulting those who have any form of faith in any thing outside science and intellect... this is when the message gets distorted and hurtful. We are imposing our ideology onto others vs. allowing them to make their own decisions. This is where we come back to what Psych Profs should be presenting to their students...
Sure, let them know about the Forer experiments the Barnum effect, etc. but show them where it is used in daily life in situations OTHER THAN the Psychic world. Be fair and more "complete" when it comes to presenting this package of facts, including the fact that most of the "science" tied to Profiling methods, counseling, modeling, etc. COMES DIRECTLY FROM the practice of psychics, gypsies, etc. Early studied and well into the mid-20th century (*if not to date) have always looked at symbolism, cultural influence, age factors, etc. which Psychics have known and understood for generations... at least in the case of those
properly trained, which brings us to an important point... the fact that modern society doesn't allow room for this type of "training" let alone acknowledgment to the fact that certain "mystical rites of passage" were observed for some very logical reasons.
As I've said before, I believe that most of what we call "Psychic" hosts some very mundane explanations that are spot on to what skeptics promote and the "Masters" of yesteryear mysticism knew; terms and perspective have however, become blurred. Much of this blurring has happened for two primary reasons; the layman that hosts the fantasy of being "special" and thus, falls into the delusion of being "Psychic" and too, the loss of the more formal modes of traditional development and education (the Mystery Schools of the past) that lends to such abilities a more honest sense of perspective as well as application... interestingly enough, it's quite close to what skeptics believe but are too blind to see at times... which is one of the reasons I call myself a PSYCHIC... it allows me to teach people on both sides of the invisible fence.
