These days, it seems like everyone “knows a guy.” Whether it is a facialist with a months-long waitlist, a personal trainer to ensure your bicep curls are executed with proper form, a masseuse who knows exactly how to release stubborn knots and will make house calls, or even an Etsy witch hired to ensure the weather cooperates for an upcoming event, the concept of the specialized personal fixer has evolved. What was once broadly categorized as woo-woo—encompassing witches, psychics, astrologers, tarot readers, and various spiritual practitioners—has become increasingly commonplace in modern daily life. Celebrities ranging from Jonathan Anderson to Gwyneth Paltrow and Demi Moore have openly and publicly discussed their ongoing work with spiritual practitioners. But what is even more fascinating is that, for a growing segment of society, these relationships have expanded far beyond an occasional, casual reading. Today, these practitioners are effectively on the payroll, checking in with clients regularly or receiving a quick call whenever a major personal or professional decision needs to be made.
“I think ‘my psychic’ has entered people’s vocabulary in a completely different way,” says psychic and spiritual coach Zeta Webber. “There’s less secrecy around it and much more willingness to recommend someone you trust. There’s almost a sense of, ‘I have someone you need to speak to.’”
A Second Set Of Eyes
It is about much more than casual love spells and anxiously asking whether someone is going to text back. Spiritual practitioners are increasingly being consulted to weigh in on decisions that carry very real, tangible consequences. Webber notes that her clients regularly come to her seeking clarity around career moves, high-stakes contracts, investments, complex business deals, property acquisitions, hiring decisions, and major life changes. “These aren’t necessarily topics people would traditionally associate with calling their psychic about, but that’s a large part of my work,” she observes.
Corbin Chamberlain, an intuitive and tarot reader, has noticed a remarkably similar shift, particularly among clients who do not fit the stereotypical demographic or image of someone typically seeking out a tarot reader. “I’m essentially a second set of eyes,” he explains. His client roster includes lawyers, finance professionals, and other high-powered corporate figures who ask him to weigh in on potential high-level hires, business partnerships, company acquisitions, product launches, and intense negotiations. Sometimes, Chamberlain notes, these clients will deliberately provide very little background information because they want to avoid influencing whatever intuitive impressions he might pick up on.
A parallel evolution is currently taking place within the field of astrology. Astrologer Francesca Vuillemin reports that her clients frequently approach her with specific logistical questions regarding when to launch a new product or brand, when to pitch prospective investors, when to set a wedding date, and even when to book appointments with a dermatologist or aesthetician. Vuillemin typically spaces out her consultation sessions six to twelve months apart, allowing her clients sufficient time to apply the insights they have gained and observe the resulting patterns in real time.
However, for practitioners like Webber and Chamberlain, the client relationships are often much more ongoing and integrated. “Most of my private clients work with me on an ongoing basis, and some have for 12-plus years,” Chamberlain says. “With my corporate clients especially, I become familiar with the business almost the way another advisor would.” That level of integration can mean a quick phone call right before a critical board meeting or a text message asking him to look something over before a client signs on the dotted line. “Sometimes it’s simply, ‘This landed on my desk. What are you seeing?’” Webber’s private clients enjoy a similarly continuous line of access. “I can be the person they check in with before making a decision around love, career, money, or business,” she adds.
Furthermore, this trend is not purely about the objective answers or tactical insights themselves. For certain circles, having a spiritual practitioner on call has transformed into a modern status symbol in its own right. There is something inherently alluring about possessing direct access to an exclusive private resource, especially when that individual is intensely sought-after, maintains a lengthy waitlist, or counts high-profile celebrities among their regular clientele. Much like securing an appointment with a coveted facialist or scoring a prime-time reservation at an impossible-to-book restaurant, getting through the door with the right spiritual practitioner comes with its own distinct set of bragging rights.
For Laura Villalobos, general manager of Etéreo, Auberge Resorts Collection—where guests pay a premium for resort offerings such as Mayan calendar readings—the traditional definition of luxury is actively shifting. “For people who already have access to beautiful hotels, restaurants, fashion, what starts to feel more valuable is something very personal, especially access to someone who might help you understand something about yourself in a different way,” she explains.
“I also think people are much more open now about wanting to understand themselves better, and that kind of inner work isn’t something people necessarily hide anymore,” she adds. “There’s also a curiosity factor and, yes, a little bit of exclusivity sometimes. But I think the novelty only takes you so far. If there’s no substance or real connection behind it, you’re not going to keep going back.”
For Alexis Elmer, director of spa and wellness at the Hotel Chelsea—where guests can book an array of services ranging from tarot readings and Reiki to a specialized “Witching Hour” involving intuitive divination—the most challenging part of incorporating these offerings is finding practitioners who are genuinely tuned in and accurate. “Because spirituality is so ephemeral, finding someone who’s actually tuned in and, most importantly, accurate is genuinely hard to do,” she says. “So once you find that person, it becomes a very coveted thing. It gives real ‘IYKYK’ energy.”
Elmer also believes that our current cultural moment is uniquely primed for this sort of hyper-personalized guidance. “We’re in an era where society is reacting to mass homogenization, largely driven by social media, at the same time existentialism is at an all-time high,” she says. “Both factors push people toward hyper-individualized guidance. People are craving direction, and spiritual guidance offers that. Someone listening specifically to you, hearing your exact needs, validating those thoughts, and handing you next steps on a silver platter.”
Add Them to the Roster
This cultural shift does not necessarily mean that people are abandoning their other more traditional wellness routines, professional advisors, or mental health practices. “I don’t think one replaces the other,” Webber notes. Her clients might regularly see a therapist, life coach, accountant, lawyer, or business adviser. “They also have their psychic.”
“The people I work with are usually surrounded by very smart people,” Chamberlain echoes. “They have attorneys, financial advisors, therapists, chiefs of staff, consultants. They’re not coming to me because they lack conventional resources. They come to me because I’m looking at the same situation differently.”
Looking for a Sign
“We have access to more information, opinions, and choices than ever before, but that doesn’t necessarily make making decisions any easier,” Webber concludes. Sometimes, it is simply comforting to have a trusted voice to call when feeling lost or confused in a complex environment. Because in a world where everyone seems to have a specialized contact for every conceivable need, the newest cultural flex may simply be knowing exactly who to call.
