Using his intuition

When most people hear the word “psychic,” they picture a palm-reading, tarot card-holding shadowy figure.

But Seth Michael McKay, who prefers the term “spiritual advisor,” said that image isn’t reality for him.

“This is a wonderful gift to have,” he said. “I don’t even like to charge people for what I do, but my guides have helped me realize that I also need to be able to eat and sleep in order to be functional.”

McKay, who lives in Wisconsin, was in Camas visiting girlfriend Jyl Thornsbury, who owns The Wild Hair salon.

The two put their heads together and decided to have McKay offer to do readings for people while he was in town.

“I have this extra room and thought it would be really fun for my clients, friends and family,” Thornsbury said.

McKay, 42, did several readings last week, including one for Alison Meyer of Washougal.

“I’ve never done anything like this before,” she said. “I’m mainly here out of curiosity. I’ve lost a lot of people, and it would be cool to see if they’re hanging out with me.”

Myer allowed the Post-Record to sit in on the first part of her reading.

“Am I going to be rich someday,” she asked playfully.

“Not doing what you currently do,” McKay said with a chuckle. “Have you thought about owning your own business?”

McKay said he’s known from the time he was quite young that he had unique abilities.

“I always kind of knew how people thought and how to get out of trouble,” he said. “I could kind of see stuff ahead of me and avoid it.

McKay said that people who are psychic have different abilities: Some get intense “gut” feelings about certain events or situations, others actually have visions and others “hear” from those who have passed on.

McKay said he began as a practicing psychic 16 years ago after meeting someone who was clairvoyant.

“He asked me if I had ever had imaginary friends and I told him, ‘Of course, who doesn’t?’ Then he told me, ‘They’re not imaginary.'”

Currently, McKay works for the Psychic Power Network under the name Seth Michael, and also conducts in-person readings.

In order to get the job, he had to take a series of tests to prove his abilities.

“I was so nervous,” he said. “But something led me there.”

He receives six to eight calls per day from clients asking about just every subject one can imagine.

“The most frequent question people ask deals with relationships,” he said.

“The next is finances. Especially in this economy, people want to know how long it will take to get a job or how long they’ll be at their current job.”

He said his most difficult call so far was from a woman who had undergone several tragedies recently: She had lost her husband, son and job all within a short period of time.

“She called wanting to know if she’d be able to sell the house,” McKay said. “I told her yes, and got a call back later that week saying that it had sold, and she told me if it hadn’t, then she was contemplating suicide. It was just heartbreaking.”

McKay said his ability manifests itself in relatives who have passed on wanting to speak through him.

“Some will not leave until they are heard,” he said. “For several of them, it’s their last chance.”

He encourages those who may think they have clairvoyant abilities to realize that it’s a gift.

“Embrace it,” he said. “Acknowledge it, and validate that it is true. People have to let their fear go.”

McKay said he views his psychic abilities as being part of a business organization.

“My job is as a communicator and my guides are supervisors. Jesus is the CEO and God is the owner of the whole operation,” he said. “I want to try to get people to be their truest selves as possible.”

McKay said the best part of his chosen occupation is receiving positive feedback.

“It’s so rewarding to hear that what I said moved them, and got people thinking in ways to better themselves. I just want to help show people how to get on the road they want to travel.”

He said the most difficult aspect of his job was the emotion that sometimes comes with it.

“If I let my emotions get in the way, it’s very difficult to do it,” McKay said. “Sometimes I take on way too much of others people’s feelings and energy.”

McKay left Camas for Wisconsin today, but can be reached at Sethmckay64@yahoo.com.