The topic of psychic dependency being both compelling and dangerous is one close to my heart. This is because psychic practitioners not only can rely indirectly on your need for information but can also feed the danger if they do not separate their ego and professionalism from their own deep personal needs when delivering information to you.

I believe that many self-proclaimed psychics have discovered and learned their craft through trauma. Now this on its own is of little importance unless it becomes coupled dangerously with a psychic's sense of self and purpose and runs out via their ego. When a person, in general, is attached to and dependent on whom they want to be presented as being (as opposed to whom they really are) and they are also inflexible to understand that in time their level of professionalism needs to grow and develop rather than be reliant on the same old tricks, this can become a fatal combination and draw in others who share their dependency.

I always remember a visit to a psychic we'll call 'Barry from Bankstown' on one of my random trips back home to Sydney a few years ago. I decided to be one of the girls for the day and also get a reading, so the group sent me in first! This way they could see my reaction and decide if they wanted to go as well.

'Barry from Bankstown', as we now fondly call him, came out in a black jumpsuit, with high collar, big belt and little red devils on it to announce that he was booked out weeks in advance and that we were lucky to have secured an appointment so quickly.

When I went in, 'Barry' asked me to shuffle the tarot cards and as I was doing this I was amazed at how much paraphernalia he had in his little booth in the crystal shop where he was based. I've never seen an array like it - crystals, devil ornaments, third eye ornaments and other weird and wonderful talismans.

Then he asked me what my seven worst worries were that he could sort for me - I thought it an odd thing to ask as I had never seen this approach before. So I responded that I loved my life but was here because I was curious about anything that may come in from my Guides. At this point he got very annoyed as I challenged him on the need for so much negativity and, a few insults later about his belief that women are unable to be intuitive, he ultimately told me to get out as he was very busily booked and only needed people who had 'real issues for him to work out!'

Now this may seem a bit out of the ordinary - yet in fact it is not. He was simply much more extreme than the usual, run of the mill, helpful psychics attached to their identity.

As I thought of all the talismans in 'Barry's' little cupboard I could clearly see how he both preyed on and worked with people's fears and dependency. You see, living in that area are many foreigners who believe in the power of the evil eye, will want curses and such removed and will have terrible (or so perceived) secrets that they need to discuss for clarity. 'Barry' simply honed in on them and marketed himself both physically and emotionally to cater to them. Thus, he fed people's fears which generated dependency and also could dangerously influence the decisions these clients were making.

So how do we recognize dependency and the danger it can cause both from a psychic and a client perspective?

I believe that psychics do not need to see a client more than at absolute most three times a year for a full reading to cover off all the issues. An accurate and quality psychic will give undiluted information to a client and then respects the client's decision in how to manage the situation.

Good psychics recognize dependency when a client cannot make a decision - on every topic in their life - without consultation with them. An honest psychic will know that this person needs more than psychic guidance and may need some possible counselling assistance as there are greater issues at play with them.

As a client, you will know you have dependency when you feel COMPELLED to voice all your thoughts, actions and non-actions to your psychic before you ever take action. Have you ever felt panic before your decision making because you no longer feel you can make decisions without a third party instruction?

This becomes very dangerous when psychics feel compelled to be always sprouting their intuition and words to all who come in contact with them - in social situations, privately and at work. You will know it is dangerous as a client when you no longer feel you have any CAPACITY to action your decisions.

Beware if your psychic has your number on speed dial and is always offering advice and if you have their number on your speed dial and are always asking.

Some tips to avoiding psychic dependency include:

1. Go in to your psychic with specific areas you want covered and ask the questions - do not give the background to the question. This way they cannot assume what is happening and build from it.

2. Go to your reading with the expectation that each and every psychic reads very differently and no way is wrong as such - just different. However, if you feel that someone is overwhelmingly negative - work with your instincts on that.

3. Go to your reading having asked about how the psychic reads, when they first learned to read, what they love about their work and what is the benefit is of seeing this particular type of reader over any other. If the psychic replies anything along the genre of 'I love to help people and it is my mission in life to do so' - RUN. It is not their mission. A psychic's mission is to simply be a conduit for Spirit and be good and honest about it. The outcome is the clarity and help it offers people.

Finally, when you walk into a psychic, reader, medium, clairvoyant or whatever else you wish to title them, and they know so much about you because you are there all the time, then stop. Why? I believe that once a psychic gets to know you very well their capacity to tune in becomes redundant to some degree. And the question of a psychic's practical knowledge dictating the information given to you versus their talent dictating the information needs to be asked.

So if you do feel dependent on a psychic how do you know when your guidance from them has run its course? The answer is simple. A good psychic will let you know when you no longer need to present to them as you now must go and live the information and guidance given to you. The other types do not.