"Monica", and a cassette from May 1987

The tape cover has been edited to remove a first name and obscure the real last name to protect "Monica's" privacy. She also no longer operates out of Morgan Hill to the best of my knowledge.

The graduate school at which I was taking a few classes included a subject called "Transpersonal Psychology." This meant a lot of things,-some of them confusing-but it mainly meant that it embraced a wide variety of ideas about psychology. It had a broad approach which incorporated a client's spirituality and worldview into treatment. Since prayer is a form of meditation, this seemed like a logical inclusion. Also, many people find faith of any sort to be a source of comfort and support. I see no reason to ignore that.

Many of the students were interested in topics like massage therapy and psychics. The former was a way of incorporating both the mind and body into treatment. This also jived with what I'd learned in my undergraduate studies. It's not even certain that a feeling precedes a response instead of a response preceding a feeling. Are you nervous because your heart is beating or is your heart beating because you are nervous? Either way, the body plays a big part in psychology so massage can be a credible component of a treatment plan.

In terms of psychics, that was where the airy met the fairy at the school. I think most psychics are good at cold reading or give such vague predictions that what they tell you is pointless. Nonetheless, I was curious about whether someone could give me a recommendation for a reputable psychic. A young woman who groomed herself to resemble a young man (but she was not trans) told me that she was sure her psychic was the real deal. "Great! Tell me who she is!" She instantly lost confidence and said she was "afraid" to tell me for fear that her psychic actually wasn't credible.

In my book, one thing I can say is that "Monica" seemed like she was more than your average soothsayer looking mainly to have her palm greased. Her tape hit too many marks which were far from likely guesses. Some of them were eerily specific. When my contacts at the graduate school failed me, I decided to look her up after so many years to see if she was still doing readings.

While her location had changed, her name had not. I found her online selling new age trinkets. In fact, one of my relatives by marriage who practices reiki collects cards that her company sells. I messaged Monica at her company e-mail and, surprisingly, she wrote me back. Less surprisingly, she told me she hasn't done a "reading" in decades so she was out of that happy business. It's unfortunate because I would have not only been happy to pay her for a reading, but I also would have brought the tape she made decades ago and let her know how accurately she'd hit unlikely nails on their heads.