What It's Really Like to Be a Psychic and Medium
Thomas John, aka the Manhattan Medium, is a psychic, a medium, the author of Never Argue With a Dead Person: True and Unbelievable Stories From the Other Side, and highly sought-after celebrity psychic with an impressive list of clientele, including Jennifer Lopez, Janet Jackson, and Adam Lambert. He sat down with Cosmopolitan.com to demystify his profession and answer all our questions about the occult.
Why are you a psychic and a medium?
I like to help people. I know that sounds kinda general but it’s truly why I do this work. I’ve felt connected to the spirit world since I was a young boy, and as I got older, it became stronger and stronger.
What was your first psychic experience like?
The first person I saw was my deceased grandfather. I saw him when I was 4 years old. I didn’t know him on the physical world because he actually died before I was born but he was the first person I connected with.
Were you with scared?
I was comforted by it.
How did you know being a psychic [someone who talks about and predicts a person’s past, present, and future] and a medium [someone who communicates with the deceased] was the right path for you?
I decided to pursue it because it was getting stronger and stronger, and I had other relatives who died who would visit me as well. They guided me into doing this. I’d originally wanted to be a medical doctor, like a psychiatrist, but I felt a stronger pull to this, and I knew it was a good way to help people.
Tell me about the people who come to you for readings.
It really runs the gamut. I have young people, I have old people. Mostly women; more women than men, definitely.
How many more women than men?
Oh, I’d say 90 percent of the people I see are women.
How do the questions that men and woman ask differ?
I find that men are sometimes more skeptical of the psychic stuff. Women are into knowing about their past, present, and future, and men want to communicate with deceased loved ones. Women tend to consult [with] me more about their love life, and it’s not necessarily about a specific romantic partner but about how they can be open to meeting a partner. When that’s the case, I’ll let them know more than just my prediction but also ways to get there. Things they can do different in their lives. Sometimes it’ll be like, “If you wanna meet this person I see in your future, you have to do X, Y, and Z.”
Do people ask about their dead loved ones or their future loved ones more?
I would say it’s both. In my life, I’ve become more known as a medium, and that’s not that I don’t do psychic stuff but the medium thing is more of a specialty.
What are some things people who are going to see a psychic shouldn’t ask?
Well, I don’t really give people info about if they’re gonna die, and it’s not great to ask about. Also, people need to have an open mind because sometimes the things you think you need to hear about aren’t what you really need to hear about. There might be another area to focus on and you need to be open.
What should people do to get the most out of a reading?
Make a list of questions before they come because when a psychic gets going, you might forget to ask what you really wanted to ask. Take notes or record it so that you can refer to it later. Make sure they seek out someone who’s reputable, maybe somebody a friend recommends, although make sure you have a connection with them. Someone might be great for your friend but not great for you. Oh, and psychics should always be able to tell you a few things you can validate in the moment. Anybody can make future predictions but it’s important that they tell you some accurate stuff about the past and present to validate things.
Can you tell me some of the most common questions you get?
I would say it’s probably love, and lot of questions about what their purpose is - why did they come to earth, are they fulfilling their purpose. Things like that. People also ask about their pets, health, and members of their family.
What are some common misconceptions about psychics and mediums?
That we know and see everything, and that’s not true. That we know exactly know what’s going to happen, as if there wasn’t also free will. And sometimes our timing will be off. For example, I’ll make a prediction, and it’ll happen, but it’ll happen six months after the reading. Also, that we give lottery numbers.
What’s it like for you when you do a psychic reading - what do you see, hear?
I would describe it as visions. I do see things, sometimes it’s a feeling I get, sometimes it’s a knowingness - just a thought in my head. It comes to me in different ways.
Do you go to a psychic?
Yes. Just like if you’re a doctor, you’re not gonna operate on your own pancreas. It’s good to get clarity from others.
This interview has been edited and condensed.
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