(Photo: Stacie Scott/The Republic)
Rose-Ellen didn't predict it was National Psychic Day, despite being one herself.
It just doesn't work that way, she said.
She said that while psychics are tuned in to the energies of people around them, their ability to predict the future doesn't get as accurate as dates and times.
"We tell people more, 'You're on this path, and this is where you're going to wind up,' " said Rose-Ellen, a Scottsdale psychic who has been in the business for 20 years. "We tell them that if this is where they want to wind up, they have the ability to redirect and take back their power."
National Psychic Day on Aug. 4 kicked off National Psychic Week, which started in 1965 after a Broadway producer decided he wanted to help promote his psychic friends. It's been celebrated during the first week of August ever since.
There are a variety of psychics, mediums and astrologists throughout Arizona and a couple gave The Republic some tips on what makes a good psychic and how to find one.
It's difficult to say how many psychics there are in Arizona since there is no central agency that grants certifications.
Dave Campbell, psychic medium, astrologer and owner of the Astrology Store in Glendale, said that all people have some psychic ability but, like professional athletics, not all hobbyists have the natural ability to make it to the big leagues.
Psychics don't exactly have a hyper-regulated industry, but there are some protections in place for wary potential customers.
Some Arizona cities require those who give "readings" to predict the future or provide insight about one's life to get "fortune-teller licenses," a name that irks some in the profession, Dave Campbell said.
"They won't change the name, and it's basically a background check so they can screen out felons," he said.
Licensing fees vary by city. A a fortune-teller license costs $300 a year in Mesa, $70 in Phoenix, $100 in Scottsdale and $50 in Glendale, according to the cities.
The license isn't a great way to tell if one is getting a good psychic or not, however.
Rose-Ellen and Campbell both said getting referrals from friends, family or online sources is one way to determine whether a psychic is worth your money.
Campbell said that if someone is charging $5 to $10, to be cautious. Readings can cost $25 for a 15-minute session from some psychics to a few hundred dollars for an hour session with a particularly renowned psychic.
Psychics, mediums and astrologers can get certifications from organizations such as the American Federation of Astrologers, the American Association of Professional Psychics and the Windbridge Institute for Applied Research in Human Potential, a Tucson-based group that provides a certification program for mediums and conducts psychical research.
The certifications don't necessarily mean that a psychic will work for a specific person.
Rose-Ellen, who conducts readings at the Fantasia Crystal Source in downtown Phoenix, said she has turned away potential customers if she does not think she will be able to help them with their problems and referred them to another psychic.
"We're here to help people and if we cannot do that, we try to find someone who they can connect with to have a positive outcome," she said.
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