Guide5 min readUpdated 8 September 2026

Preparing for your first reading

How to prepare for a first psychic, tarot or medium reading: choosing a question, what to bring, what to share, how to listen well, and what to do afterwards.

A first reading can feel like a big step. You may be excited, nervous, sceptical, or all three. A little preparation makes the hour more useful and a lot less daunting. This guide takes you from the week before to the day after.

The week before

Know what kind of reading you have booked. A tarot reading, a psychic reading and a medium reading are different experiences. If you are not sure, read psychic, medium, clairvoyant: what the words mean.

Confirm the basics. Time, place or link, length, cost, and how to pay. Save the reader’s phone number in case you are running late.

Decide on your question, or decide not to have one. Some readings work best with a clear question: “Should I take the job in Christchurch?” Others work best open: “What do I need to know right now?” Both are fine. A reader can guide you if you are unsure.

Write things down. Two or three things you want to cover. Names of people you may ask about. A reading goes fast, and it is easy to forget.

The day before

Sleep. Turning up tired makes it harder to listen.

Lower the stakes. A reading is one person’s impressions on one day. It is not a verdict on your life. Going in with curiosity rather than desperation gives you a better hour.

If the reading is about grief, think about whether you feel ready. There is no rule about waiting, but a reading in the first raw weeks can be a lot. It is fine to postpone.

What to bring

• A notebook and pen, or your phone for notes.
• Your questions.
• Water.
• For an online reading: headphones, a charged device, and a quiet room.
• For a medium reading, some people bring a photo or object connected to the person they hope to hear from. Ask the reader first; many prefer you to keep it hidden until the end.

You do not need to bring anything else. Leave crystals, charts or previous readings at home unless the reader has asked for them.

How much to tell the reader

This is the question people worry about most. There is no right answer, but here is a sensible approach.

Say what kind of reading you want and any area you want to focus on. That is not “giving it away”. It is telling the reader what you are paying for.

Beyond that, share as much as you are comfortable with. Some people prefer to say almost nothing and see what the reader picks up. Others find that a short honest conversation leads to a deeper reading. A good reader can work either way.

Be honest when something does not fit. Readers often check: “Does that make sense?” If it does not, say so. A reader who insists it must fit is not reading well.

Watch what you confirm. It is natural to nod along. Try to notice whether the reader is offering you something specific or reflecting back what you have already said.

During the reading

Listen more than you talk. You have paid for their impressions, not for your own summary.

Take notes on anything that stands out, including things that made no sense. They often make sense later.

Ask questions. “Can you say more about that?” is always allowed.

Say if you are uncomfortable. You can steer away from a topic or end the reading at any time.

Watch the clock lightly. If you have three questions and twenty minutes have gone on the first, say so.

Keeping perspective

Readers offer perspective, not instructions. Treat what you hear as one input among many. Big decisions about money, relationships, health or law deserve advice from the people qualified to give it. A reader who tells you to stop seeing your doctor, sell your house or cut off your family has crossed a line, and you should leave.

Under the Fair Trading Act, businesses must not mislead people or make claims they cannot back up. A reading is not a guarantee, and no honest reader will present it as one.

Your information

You will tell the reader personal things. The Privacy Act 2020 requires businesses to tell you why they are collecting your information and how they will use it, and to keep it safe. If the reader records the session, ask where the recording will be kept. You can ask for a copy, and you can ask for it to be deleted.

After the reading

Sit with it. Have a cup of tea, take a walk, or do something ordinary. Do not make any decisions on the day.

Reread your notes in a few days. Note what seemed to land, what did not, and what you want to think about.

Do not chase. If the reading was unsatisfying, resist booking another one straight away. Give it a week. Then, if you like, try a different reader or a different style.

If it stirred something up, talk to someone. A friend, your GP, or a free helpline. In New Zealand you can call or text 1737 at any time, free, to talk with a trained counsellor. Lifeline is on 0800 543 354. Readings can open doors. You do not have to walk through them alone.

A simple checklist

• Kind of reading confirmed
• Time, place, cost and cancellation terms confirmed
• One to three questions written down
• Notebook packed
• Headphones and quiet room (online)
• Plan for the hour after

Next: questions to ask before booking and online versus in-person readings.

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