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In this podcast, Mandy, Sally, and Dusty discuss what happens when your reading takes an unexpected turn. Mandy recounts a recent reading she had. The client arrived stating she wanted to hear “anything”. In hindsight, Mandy believes she should have managed her client’s expectations at the outset, but she was already committed to the reading. Mandy endeavored to do the best she could with a client that did not want to be an active participant in the reading. Mandy cast an overview spread and read that spread only to be told by the client that she wanted to know about something entirely different. In an effort to provide the client what she wanted, Mandy focused on this new question and gave what she thought was an excellent reading. Afterward, the client revealed that a friend told her she should not disclose any information to Mandy. Further, the client expressed disappoinment with the reading. From Mandy’s perspective, she felt like she was being tested as if she were a mindreader, which she is not. Mandy, seeing the client’s disappointment, returned the fee and offered to do another reading at a later date. The client accepted the offer, scheduled a new appointment, and left. Unfortunately, the client did not return for the rescheduled appointment. Mandy felt like she mishandled the matter and Dusty discussed his thoughts. Everyone agreed that managing your client’s expectations early is the key to a successful consultation and offered strategies for accomplishing that. Client’s often do not know what goes on during a reading, only knowing what they see on television or in the movies. It is best to explain the process to them up front and tell them what you can and cannot do as a tarot reader. Let the client know that the reading provides more actionable information when there is dialogue between the reader and the client. This isn’t about fishing for information like a mentalist. It is about getting sufficient background information so you can understand what your client wants to know. If either client or reader are uncomfortable with the reading, it is okay to walk away from it. In the end, Mandy did the right thing in dealing with a difficult client. We hope you enjoy this peek into what it is like to read for real people in the real world. If you liked this episode, or if you would like to suggest a topic for future podcasts, let us know in the comments. Thanks for being here!