Good psychics have a strong personal and professional code of ethics. Good psychics don’t allow you to consult them too often. They don’t ask you for gifts. They don’t tell you that you have a curse or negative energy that only they can remove. And they definitely don’t cross personal boundaries or become sexually involved with their clients. They use their psychic ability for good causes.

A good psychic also respects your confidentiality. Anyone who ‘name drops’ about their clientele is someone to watch very carefully. While it’s entirely possible that celebrities have given their permission, or perhaps received a free psychic reading in exchange for allowing their names to be used, you probably wouldn’t want your name mentioned publicly. A good psychic respects the confidentiality of all clients—including well known ones.

Good psychics know their limits. They refer clients to the appropriate professionals, including mental health practitioners, attorneys, physicians and others when necessary.

Good psychics don’t impose themselves on others. They step in when their services are requested in the appropriate setting—which is probably not the grocery store, the gym, or the airport. If they feel a very important message must be imparted, it will be done compassionately, gently and often with no mention of the fact that the message is from a psychic or a medium.

Good psychics focus on the message, not themselves as the messenger. They have their egos in check. They don’t take themselves too seriously. They are aware that they don’t know everything, that they aren’t better than others, and that they may well be mistaken at times—just like every other human being.

Who are the best psychics? John Edward, James Van Praagh, and especially Sylvia Browne come to mind. The really good psychics, the best psychics, are spiritual coaches and teachers who encourage you to learn to access your own inner wisdom and spiritual gifts.

Dr. Lauren Thibodeau is an intuitive consultant, psychic medium, teacher and author of Natural-Born Intuition and Natural-Born Soulmates.