There are some topics you should be careful when doing readings about them. Some reasons have to do with ethics and others can be sticky legally.
Health Questions
When doing readings about health issues, you should be very careful not to diagnose a condition or prescribe a certain course of treatment. You should read up on the laws in your area to make sure you aren’t in violation if you give health advice. To be safe, you may choose not to give readings on health issues at all.
At the very least, you need to tell your seeker to be sure to consult a physician, because you aren’t legally allowed to dispense medical advice. I’ve heard of some readers making seekers sign a waiver. And, of course, there’s the disclaimer that “readings are for entertainment purposes only,” though I feel this disclaimer dismisses readings as not being valid, when clearly they are.
When I advise someone in a reading, I always remind the seeker that this information is not set in stone and that they have control over the outcome. I also never predict death, even if I get cards that may suggest it. I feel like this is passing a final judgement and putting an idea of doom in someone’s head, when it could very well just be a warning that their health is in dire need of attention.
I almost always treat health readings as a form of guidance instead of prediction. As a reader, remember your goal is to empower your seeker, so be sure to offer your warnings in a way that gives them a clear chance to improve if they wish.
Pregnancy
In some regions, giving pregnancy or fertility advice is illegal. Make sure you know the laws in your area.
Death
As I mentioned, I never tell someone they or someone else is going to die. I will also not predict the timing of a death. Sometimes I will ask if a passing is imminent, but I won’t deliver bad news. I will only give a message of comfort, such as, “I see your father being here for Christmas.”
You are not the angel of death. It’s not your job to deliver this kind of devastating news. If you do decide to share this information, soften it by saying something like, “It’s possible your friend won’t make it.” But be sure to give hope, as well, because you may not have all the information. Their prognosis may not look good at the moment, but miracles do happen all the time.
Legal Matters
Any advice you give on legal matters could make you liable. It’s best to turn down these requests or give very general answers with disclaimers that you are not legal counsel and this guidance shouldn’t be taken as such.
Cheating
I hate this question. It usually comes in the form of something like: “Is my husband cheating on me with so-and-so?” Personally, I don’t answer this question directly. What I will do is reframe the question and redirect the reading. I might ask: “What is happening in this relationship at this time?” If I see a card that suggests deceit, I will mention it, but I won’t make it the main focus. I will be sure to give guidance on how the seeker can handle the situation from their end. They may need to consider leaving a relationship or getting counseling. Sometimes seeing a card of deceit may not relate to the seeker’s partner. It can mean that they are deceiving themselves. Again, you may not have all the information, so unless you are getting very clear messages, focus more on guidance than prediction.
Will I win the lottery? Can you give me the lottery numbers?
First of all, no, you probably won’t win the lottery. Buy one ticket per week and don’t waste your money. And, secondly, if I could give you the lottery numbers, I’d buy the winning ticket for myself. LOL But seriously, don’t even try to answer these questions. Some people will try to test you to see if you are “authentic.” Or they will say you aren’t really psychic (or intuitive) if you don’t know certain things like this. No one knows EVERYTHING. That’s like saying someone isn’t a photographer if they don’t know everything there is to know about a camera. It’s ridiculous. Don’t fall for it.
Third Party Readings
A third party reading simply involves questions about someone else. Some readers are really strict about this, but I don’t see how you can do most readings without mentioning anyone else in someone’s life, especially if you are reading about relationships!
Now, if someone asks you about someone else’s life, and it’s not related to their own life directly, you may not feel it’s ethical to read on it. For example, if your seeker asks you if their sister is cheating on her husband, it’s not really your job to divulge that information. It’s probably not really any of your seeker’s business.
Just Say No
You are always allowed to say NO to a reading request. You don’t have to say why. You can just say that you aren’t able give a reading about that. If they ask why, you can say you don’t feel comfortable or that you don’t give messages about those issues. You don’t have to explain further, and in fact, you will stay in your power more if you don’t explain. Just be firm and ask if they have another issue they would like you to read about.
Psychic Hotlines
It can be hard to refuse a question if you work for a psychic hotline, because hotlines just want you to keep people on the phone, and if you get complaints, you can lose your job. So, you may need to be more diplomatic when saying no. Instead of telling seekers that you aren’t getting information on that issue right now, you can simply redirect the reading by saying what you are seeing. Usually, seekers will be curious about what you are getting, even if it’s not directly responding to their question. If they keep coming back to it, you can keep giving them guidance for their own path, while tactfully saying that you don’t see it being directly related to their question.
In addition, hotlines have their own Terms of Service you should read to see what is and isn’t allowed.
As always, you have the power to decide what you will do readings on and what you won’t. Stick to your own ethical code to stay true to yourself and to remain in your integrity.