In fact over the years I’ve seen several. When I tell people they usually fall into one of two camps. The first are intrigued. They’ve often seen a psychic themselves, or know someone who has and had a how-could-they-possibly-know-that kind of reading. The second think it’s a load of rubbish, but funnily enough they’re usually interested enough to ask more about the experience.

The first time I saw a psychic was on a yoga retreat in Byron Bay. After a week of yoga and meditation I was way too blissed out to remember very much of what she told me.

Another time a friend got me a reading as a present. It all seemed very vague (I wanted specifics, damnit!) but months later, listening back to the recording, I was surprised at how accurate he’d been, naming every destination I’d visit on my year out, including some I hadn’t considered, and correctly predicting a major change of plans which neither of us could have seen coming.

One psychic I’ve seen three times.

The first time was in my previous life as a magazine editor. I was at an event to launch a new perfume, not long after my mum had died. I bumped into a friend on her way out who said, “You must see the psychic, she’s amazing.”

I put my name down on the long list (sod the perfume, everyone wanted to see the psychic). I waited around for much longer than I really should have done, bearing in mind the amount of work on my desk. Finally my turn came and I sat down for a ten-minute reading in a corner of the busy room.

I don’t remember very much of what she said. I don’t really remember very much of that time in my life at all to be honest, grief having pretty much erased my memory, but after the reading I felt an overwhelming sense of calm and that night I slept better than I had done in weeks.

Later that year I decided to see her for an hour-long session. My grief felt less all-consuming and instead of simply sleepwalking through my days I was starting to think about the future.

This time I went to her home. After turning off my mobile phone (so as not to block the psychic messages coming through, or something) I sat down at a small table in her cosy living room.

The session was in three parts, firstly a clairvoyant reading during which she talked me through the images and symbols that came into her head (yes, I know how that sounds and no, she doesn’t use a crystal ball). Then she read my palm, going back as far as my childhood, moving forwards to the present, and then looking to the future. Finally she laid out a selection of prettily-illustrated tarot cards to look at what the next six months held for me.

I’m not really given to self-reflection (although, y’know, perfectly happy to hand over fifty quid to have someone talk about, well, me) and throughout the session she nailed aspects of my personality that I’ve never really thought about. Afterwards I felt inspired and empowered. A couple of days later she sent me a recording of the session, which I listened back to, transcribing it pretty much word-for-word, and then I promptly forgot all about it.

At the tail end of the year, having handed in my notice on my job and about to embark on a gap year that would include a yoga teacher-training course and lots of travel, I went back to my notes.

Among other things she’d predicted that my future held a simpler way of life. She’d seen me visiting various countries with a rucksack on my back and said I would be spending time in a teaching environment. Although the thought of doing a yoga teacher-training course had crossed my mind, quitting my job and travelling hadn’t been part of my plan that day in her flat.

Yes, I suppose it could be the power of suggestion, but I really don’t think I’m so easily influenced that one session with a psychic would have me handing in my notice and hitting the road. I think there’s more to it than that and last week I went to see her again.

Without me telling her anything she immediately got what was going on in my life and head right now. When it comes to my future well, that would be telling, let’s just say it sounds exciting.

Have you ever seen a psychic? Something in it, or a load of old rubbish? Do share your thoughts.