How to Prepare for a Psychic Reading

The best way to prepare for a psychic reading is to arrive calm, with an open mind and two or three clear questions, while leaving room for whatever comes through. Practical preparation matters too: a quiet space, a steady internet connection if you're on Zoom, and a few minutes beforehand to settle yourself.

I'm Michelle Virtue, a psychic medium in London, and I meet plenty of people who feel nervous before their session. That's completely normal. This guide on how to prepare for a psychic reading covers what to do before, during and after, the questions that tend to work well, and a checklist you can print or keep on your phone.

Before your reading: knowing what you want from it

Spend ten minutes the day before thinking about why you booked. You might want clarity about a relationship, reassurance during a period of change, or a clearer sense of direction at work. You don't have to tell me any of this, but knowing it yourself helps you make the most of the time.

Write down two or three questions and keep them nearby. Get a decent night's sleep, eat something light, and try not to arrive straight from a stressful meeting. Some people like to sit quietly or take a short walk first. If you'd like to understand what usually happens in a session, my guide to what a psychic reading involves explains the basics.

You don't need to bring photographs or personal objects. I work with psychic insight, oracle cards and energy awareness, and I'd rather you didn't tell me the whole story at the start. It keeps the reading clean and lets you judge what comes through for yourself.

Choosing the right length of session

Part of preparing is picking a session that fits what you want to explore. A 30-minute reading, £75 on Zoom or £100 in person in London, suits one or two focused questions. A 60-minute reading, £135 on Zoom or £160 in person, gives room to look at the root of a pattern and includes space for energy healing and energetic realignment. If you'd like support over a period of change, the Clarity Trilogy offers three 30-minute Zoom readings for £191.25, with the second and third booked after the first.

If you're feeling sceptical

You don't need to believe anything in particular to have a reading. Plenty of people arrive curious, cautious or doubtful, and that's fine. Come with honest questions, notice what resonates and what doesn't, and make up your own mind afterwards. A good reader will welcome that rather than ask you to take everything on trust.

Questions that work well in a psychic reading, and ones that don't

Open questions give a reader room to work. Narrow yes-or-no questions, or questions that hand a decision over to someone else, tend to produce less useful answers.

The second column isn't forbidden. A reading offers guidance and perspective rather than certainties, and open questions make the most of that. I also won't answer questions about diagnoses, legal disputes or investments as if I were qualified in those fields. Readings are for reflection and guidance, and they are not a substitute for medical, psychological, legal or financial advice.

How to prepare for a psychic reading on Zoom

Online readings work well because the connection isn't about physical distance. What spoils a Zoom session is usually technical, so a little setup goes a long way. You can read more about how my online readings work before you book.

• Check the appointment time in your own time zone. The booking calendar lets you change the time zone, which helps if you're joining from outside the UK.
• Test Zoom, your camera and your microphone ten minutes beforehand.
• Choose a private room where you won't be overheard or interrupted.
• Use headphones if others are at home, and silence your notifications.
• Keep water, a notebook and a pen within reach.
• Sit with light in front of you rather than behind you, so your face is easy to see.

Preparing for an in-person reading in London

For in-person readings in London, allow more travel time than you think you'll need. Signal failures on the Tube and slow buses through busy high streets are part of London life, and arriving flustered makes it harder to settle. I don't publish a street address, so if you have any questions about where we'll meet, call me on 07482 343459 before the day.

If you do run late, let me know rather than panicking. One client wrote:

I was late getting to my appointment yet she gave me time to get to her and did not rush through the reading.

Chamanthi Veerasingham

Wear something comfortable, switch your phone to silent, and leave yourself a little space afterwards rather than rushing straight back into a busy day.

Emotional readiness for a mediumship reading

If you're hoping to hear from someone who has passed, think gently about whether now is the right time. Some people find comfort soon after a loss. Others need more time before a reading feels helpful rather than overwhelming. There's no right answer, and it's fine to wait.

It helps to know that no medium, me included, can guarantee who will come through or what they will say. Go in hoping for connection rather than one particular message, and you'll be more open to what does arrive. My page on mediumship readings in London explains how I approach this work.

If you're grieving deeply, a reading can sit alongside support from friends, your GP or a bereavement counsellor. It isn't a replacement for any of them.

During and after the reading

During the session, keep things simple:

• Answer with a plain yes, no or "I'm not sure". You don't need to explain.
• If something doesn't make sense, say so. It may become clear later, or it may simply not fit, and both are fine.
• Take notes, or ask at the start if recording for your own use is all right.
• Ask your questions when invited, and leave space for messages you didn't expect.

Afterwards, write down what you remember as soon as you can, because details fade quickly. Give yourself a quiet evening if the session was emotional. Over the following weeks, look back at your notes, since some impressions only make sense in hindsight.

Above all, treat the reading as guidance. Your choices remain yours, and a good reading should leave you feeling clearer and more capable, never more dependent or afraid.

Your psychic reading preparation checklist

If you're unsure which session suits you, the free 20-minute Intuitive Clarity Consultation on Zoom is a gentle place to start. It isn't a reading, simply a conversation about where you are and what might help. You'll find it, along with current prices and times, on reading prices and available times.