The history of psychics in America is a journey marked by both fascination and skepticism. From their early roots in colonial society to their prominence in contemporary pop culture, psychics have continually faced scrutiny and debate, reflecting broader societal attitudes toward the supernatural.
Psychics are people who claim to possess intuitive abilities that allow them to perceive information beyond the normal human senses. This can include skills such as clairvoyance, seeing beyond the physical, clairaudience, hearing messages from spirits and precognition, predicting future events. Many psychics offer services like tarot card readings, astrology, mediumship or energy healing, often helping clients seek guidance, clarity or connection with loved ones who have passed.
Today, psychics are spread across American pop culture; however, these portrayals frequently sensationalize psychic abilities, overshadowing the discussions surrounding them, contributing to a misunderstanding of what psychics claim to do and reducing their practices to mere entertainment.
The tension between belief and skepticism is a common theme in the discourse surrounding psychics. While many historical practitioners were seen as genuine spiritual guides, modern depictions in media often focus on the sensational leaving practicing psychics adjusting their client’s and community’s view of their craft from entertainers to advisors.
Eileen “Lena” Sheehan is a hypnotist, psychic, clairvoyant and clairaudient working a virtual business serving clients across the country from New York.
Sheehan is a published author of 60 sixty works and offers her lectures, classes and workshops at Estrella Mountain Community College in Avondale, Mystic Moon Bookstore in Scottsdale and The Arizona Enlightenment Center when it was based out of Goodyear.
“I have the ability to see ghosts and to speak with them and that’s considered a gift,” said Sheehan. “I was born with all of (my) abilities pretty much intact. I did take classes to hone in on those abilities, because I don’t approve of people just getting up saying ‘I can do this.’”
Sheehan was born into a catholic family and said she was conflicted with the church and was looking for a place she felt safe and accepted as a teenager.
“I didn’t understand my gifts. One group told me the devil was after me, and that’s why I was the way I was,” said Sheehan. “So, I was running from church to church trying to get away from the devil. It wasn’t until I found a group called Unity that got me on the path of being comfortable with myself.”
She started her business in 1992 and faced adversity in her community, receiving threatening phone calls and seeing her daughter picked on at school.
“For the longest time I had to prove myself, I used to do three radio shows a week live with no safety net for ten years,” said Sheehan. “They would call me out if I made a mistake, which I do because I am human, but nine times out of ten, I am correct and effective.”
Lauralee Green is a psychic based in Phoenix who offers clairvoyant, tarot, past lives, dream interpretation, speaking with the dead, and photograph readings. Green has been in the business for over 30 years and started offering readings part-time alongside her work as a computer programmer.
“I believe that psychics are normal people,” said Green. “I don’t dress up in earrings and a long bandana. I am a normal person who just has the ability to receive information from sources and things that might be just beyond (everyone else).”
From their early roots in colonial society to their status as pop culture icons, psychics are continually navigating the challenges posed by skepticism and the demand for empirical evidence.
For early Americans in the 17th century, nontraditional spirituality and supernatural beliefs held drastic consequences. This period was characterized by deep fears surrounding witchcraft, most notably seen in the Salem witch trials. The trials not only targeted alleged witches but also placed societal skepticism about the occult, setting the stage for ongoing debates about spiritual practices.
The mid-19th century saw the emergence of spiritualism, which gained traction through the claims of the Fox sisters, who said they could communicate with spirits. While many embraced this movement, skepticism was rampant. Critics questioned the authenticity of the mediums and attempted to expose their fraudulent practices.
As the 20th century progressed, figures like Edgar Cayce gained widespread fame for their alleged clairvoyant abilities. However, skeptics remained vocal, challenging the legitimacy of psychic claims. Prominent critics, including magician Harry Houdini, dedicated their efforts to debunking fraudulent psychics, often exposing tricks and deception used by mediums.
The 1970s and 1980s saw a resurgence in spiritualism as the New Age movement embraced various psychic practices, including astrology and tarot. This era emphasized personal spirituality and healing, contributing to the normalization of psychics in American society and was met with the rise of science and rational thought fueled criticism, prompting demands for more evidence for psychic claims.
After her 32 years of work, Sheehan does not face the same tension.
“I still occasionally run into someone who is fairly closed minded but, for the most part, those days are gone,” said Sheehan. Now she publishes books, offers hypnotherapy over the phone and does readings from across the country using her spirit guides openly.
Her once-a-month classes offer her clients ways to develop their own skills while expanding their mind and consciousness.
“Psyche means mind, we all have a mind. Now, we all have vocal cords, but I sing like a frog, that doesn’t mean I can’t carry a tune,” said Sheehan. “Their abilities will all be different, but we all have an ability.”
“Anyone can be a psychic,” said Green.
Her book, “How to Develop your Psychic Senses” offers similar content about how to use and develop any person’s natural abilities.
“I know how to logically think and to figure things out and to troubleshoot. But being a psychic is about people problem-solving. It is listening and receiving impressions. So, I am not going to try and figure these things out, I am going to let the answers come in,” said Green.
Sheehan’s next class is Wednesday, Oct. 30, overlapping with the thinning of the veil, Sheehan said. Each year, around Halloween, the boundary between the physical world and the spirit realm becomes less distinct and easier to communicate with, Sheehan said.
“It’s a very good time to talk with the spirit. I have total faith in them,” Sheehan said.
Halloween creates an atmosphere that encourages exploration of the mystical, as many people are more open to discussing spirits, ghosts, and the afterlife. The blend of tradition, curiosity about the occult, and a desire for entertainment also contributes to this seasonal attention that aligns with the public’s fascination and scrutiny throughout history.
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