The ultimate guide to choosing spiritual professionals: Find the great ones, avoid the scammers
Spirituality should be a path of empowerment, not a trap. When getting the services of professionals, you’re trusting them with your energy, your mind, your money, and your emotional vulnerabilities.
Some professional services can be a beautiful opportunity to connect with wonderful people, to benefit from their experience and expertise, to deepen your knowledge and find support when needed.
But let’s face it: the spiritual world is also full of manipulators, unhealed egos, and aesthetic cult-leaders with ring lights and trauma-marketing funnels. Many people are better at marketing than ethics.
If you're looking for guidance (maybe you're going through something heavy), this article will help you spot the red flags, find the real ones, and avoid being exploited by someone who probably needs therapy more than you do.
Red flags to run from
Guaranteed results
“I’ll bring your ex back in 3 days.” “Your enemy will suffer instantly.” Don't they also remotely repair your fridge? That’s not power, that’s BS.
Real practitioners don’t guarantee outcomes: they hold space for them.
Urgency traps
“Act now or the energy window will close.” These are tactics straight out of MLMs and cults. If you’re being rushed, you’re being played.
You're cursed, and only they can fix it
No. Just no. If someone makes you feel broken, doomed, or in danger unless you pay them, that's spiritual abuse.
"I felt called to reach you through DM"
Be wary of unsolicited messages like “I felt your energy” or “I was guided to contact you.” While it can sound mystical and flattering, it’s usually part of a sales tactic. No legit spiritual worker cold-DMs strangers to push services. Real practitioners respect boundaries and trust that the right people will find them naturally. If someone drops into your inbox offering a reading, a curse removal, or divine insight, especially with dramatic claims or emotional bait, it's more manipulation than magic.
Oversharing their own trauma, unprocessed
Many people start a spiritual business as a way to heal themselves. Their own trauma can be part of their story, but their customers should never be guinea pigs. Some of these folks should be clients, not practitioners. If you sense they need more therapy than you do, run. A good pro may have started their journey through pain, sure, but they’ve done the work, got the help, and now have the tools to hold space for others. There’s a huge difference between “I’ve been there and I’ve healed” and “I’m still broken but let me fix you.” Please be careful about that, as they won't tell you that they are still wounded; you'll have to read between the lines, and you are not there to witness their healing arc.
Review inflation
Anyone can buy fake reviews or get glowing ones in exchange for free services. Real reviews feel human. More about that later.
They do everything
Tarot, akashic records, soul retrieval, mediumship, twin flame reunion, wealth spells, ancestral clearing, past lives, and Pleiadian channeling? It sounds too good to be true. Of course, passion and curiosity are powerful fuels to keep learning, but nobody can master everything.
They gossip about past clients
If they trash-talk their other customers, what makes you think you won’t be next? A true professional doesn’t turn private sessions into tea time. Respect and confidentiality are part of the job, not optional extras.
Membership traps and cult funnels
Some memberships are just the soft entry into actual cult dynamics.
Please check out documented cases like the Twin Flames Universe cult, it’s eye-opening.
Even smart people fall for it. Cults love smart people who are searching for meaning.
"Simply put it on your credit card"
A massive one we see way too often: this pressure to spend money you don’t have, with a tone that implies that not doing so means you’re not committed enough. They might suggest that your fear of investing is a block that needs to be broken through, when in reality, it’s your financial survival instinct doing its job. A good professional won’t push you into debt for their gain. If someone says you have to “take a leap” or “bet on yourself” by draining your bank account or maxing out your credit card, run! Also, how could you even feel joyful and relaxed about the service you are about to get if it puts you into financial stress? Nobody serious would push you to do that.
What a trustworthy practitioner looks like
They know their limits
A serious professional will say, “That’s not in my area,” and may even refer you to someone better suited.
That’s not a weakness: it’s a sign of integrity. Remember them. They’re probably great in their actual field.
They don’t make it about them
It’s not their trauma show, or their “chosen one” fantasy. They might share experiences, but it’s never center stage. You are.
They create a safe space and protect your privacy
A good professional knows how sacred your trust is. They create a space where you can share what you want, when you want, and never feel judged or exposed. They might use anonymous examples to explain something or give context, but you’ll never hear them casually dropping private details about someone else. Why? Because they respect their clients. They know confidentiality is part of the work.
And if one of their customers want to share, they are free to post a testimonial. You should never have to worry about your personal story being turned into someone else’s content without your consent.
They speak clearly
A true professional explains what they do, how they work, what to expect, and how much it costs, without jargon, smoke, or mirrors. Clarity is not boring. In fact, being clear and pedagogical is a true mark of expertise. If you don’t understand what they’re saying, it shouldn’t be on you to “raise your vibration” or “just feel it.” It might just be that they’re not skilled at explaining, or worse, they’re hiding confusion behind mystical lingo.
You deserve to work with someone who speaks your language, both literally and energetically. The good news is: there are tons of professionals out there, and you can find someone who feels like a perfect match. If their way of communicating doesn’t click with you, it’s a sign to keep looking.
They’re fine with you seeking therapy
Actually, many good ones encourage it, because they know that the mind, spirit, and body are interconnected. That's a wonderful green flag there.
They don’t build dependency
They empower you to eventually not need them anymore. Not the other way around. Spiritual services are here to provide support, but also tools for you to navigate by yourself. You should feel free, not guilty, for stopping buying their services. And they'll take that as a sign of success, not guilt-trip you into staying.
Conventional doctors deserve a seat at your healing table
Seeking for therapy isn’t a weakness; it can be a solid, healthy foundation.
A grounded psychological base allows you to go deeper in your spiritual journey. Many powerful practices (shadow work, inner child healing, existential kink, etc.) are rooted in psychology, particularly Jungian. There’s a reason Jung is quoted in half of modern witchcraft: "Until you make the subconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate."
Good therapy is a fast lane.
Why spend years spiraling in the dark when a few months of working with the right therapist can unlock the exact root?
Life is short. Let’s stop wasting time in the fog just to prove we’re “strong enough to do it alone.”
And yes, you can change therapists.
And remember: not every therapist is a perfect match, and that’s fine. Switch until you find the one who fits. A good one will encourage you to leave if the dynamic isn’t helping.
Don’t fall for “miracle cures”
You’d think “just drink orange juice and tan your private parts” wouldn’t pass as medical advice… and yet, here we are. There have been actual scammers convincing people to ditch all food, ignore treatment for serious illnesses, and rely on “sun energy” or detox juice to heal terminal diseases. It might sound absurd at first glance, but vulnerable people looking for hope can fall for this, and many have paid the ultimate price.
As with everything else, spiritual services can be a complement, not a replacement. Reiki after a chemo session to bring a bit of comfort? Great idea. But Reiki instead of chemo? Absolutely not! And no practitioner with an ounce of integrity would even suggest that. The same goes for animals: energy healing might support recovery, but it never replaces a visit to the vet.
If someone tells you to throw your meds away or cancel your doctor’s appointment because their “magic session” will do the job better, walk away, and report them while you're at it.
How to research without falling for the glam
Word of mouth counts, but only if it’s trusted word of mouth.
A personal recommendation from someone you trust is worth gold. Not from someone who “likes their vibe,” but from someone who has actually worked with them and had meaningful results. Online reviews can be useful too, but keep in mind that reviews can be faked, bought, or incentivized. Look for the tone. Is it authentic, or does it sound like a copy-paste job written by a fan club? A lack of bad reviews doesn’t mean a clean record. Sometimes, people are too scared to speak up, or they’ve been gaslit into thinking their bad experience was their own fault.
Don’t fall for the visuals.
Pretty aesthetics, cinematic rituals, soft voices and incense-heavy videos don’t mean they’re competent.
You’re not hiring a Pinterest board: you’re looking for ethical skill.
Exquisite aesthetic isn't a red flag: that's actually the sign that you might connect. And it is important in some practices (think Venusian magick for example). But just keep in mind that aesthetics isn't everything: it's here to convey the actual competences.
Real power isn’t always online.
Some of the best practitioners are low-key. Not all have flashy websites or viral Instagram posts. Maybe it’s a 70-year-old magnetizer in a French village who works from his kitchen and learned from his grandfather.
No Instagram, no courses, no branded oracle deck, but decades of authentic practice and real results.
Glam ≠ effective.
They showcase clearly what they are good at
No one is an expert in everything. The best professionals know their scope and will say no when it’s out of their field. That’s not a failure but integrity.
Trust your gut, but stay grounded
Your intuition is a powerful tool, but it’s strongest when your mind is calm and clear. When you’re in a vulnerable spot (scared, desperate, grieving, or feeling attacked) your critical thinking takes a hit. It’s way easier to mistake fear or anxiety for guidance from your higher self. For example, someone worried they have the evil eye is coming from a place of urgent need and vulnerability, not a calm place of exploration or learning (like wanting to study lunar cycle magic just out of curiosity).
If a practitioner gives you bad vibes, trust that feeling, but also trust yourself enough to pause, breathe, and not rush decisions. Healing has no deadline. It’s okay to take your time, ask questions, and choose carefully.
Start small and build trust
You don’t have to dive headfirst into a full-blown mentorship program. A trustworthy professional won’t pressure you to make a huge commitment right away. Start with something small: a single tarot reading, a quick natal chart overview, a short Reiki session. That way, you can see how you feel, how they work, and whether you vibe with them.
A good practitioner will want you to feel safe and confident, not trapped. When the experience is right, you'll naturally feel excited to take the next step.
Compare and choose with clarity
It’s easy to get excited about a practitioner whose content lights up new ideas or concepts for you. Falling in love with their style or approach is natural. But remember, there might be someone else out there who fits your needs even better. It’s totally okay, and smart, to explore a few professionals before settling.
Trying different people doesn’t mean you’re being flaky or disrespectful. It means you’re committed to finding the right guide for you. And if, after exploring, you realize your first choice really was the perfect match, you can come back with confidence and clarity.
The good ones exist
Don’t let the scams and glitter cults make you cynical: there are incredible practitioners out there. Grounded, ethical, humble, sharp. They respect your autonomy. They empower you. They don’t need to sell fantasy because the real work is already magical.
And sometimes, they don't even have a website, but just a kettle on the stove and generations of knowledge.
Take your time. Stay curious. Stay sovereign.
And above all: you deserve help that’s as powerful as you are.