accountability

Mediumship and Accountability – Why the Industry Needs Reform by Kristian von Sponneck, Psychic Medium & Psychic Entertainer

Mediumship has the power to heal. It can turn disbelief into comfort and grief into peace. Yet for all its heart, the psychic industry remains one of the least accountable professions in the modern world.

Anyone can print a set of business cards, start an Instagram account, and call themselves a “psychic medium.” No training, no regulation, no duty of care. If they’re charismatic enough, they’ll find an audience.

And that — right there — is the problem.

The Wild West of the Spirit World

The spiritual industry has exploded. There are brilliant, ethical practitioners out there, but there are also thousands who have never studied ethics, psychology, trauma, or grief support.

Mediumship deals with the most fragile aspect of human life: loss. In any other profession touching grief — counselling, therapy, hospice work — regulation is strict. In ours? None.

When something goes wrong, a sitter has no governing body to complain to, no professional board to contact, no code of practice that carries weight. They can only walk away, hurt and disillusioned.

If a therapist acted unethically, they’d lose their licence. If a medium does, they lose nothing except maybe a follower count.

Spiritualism’s Original Standards Have Been Forgotten

Early Spiritualist churches did have codes of conduct: evidential standards, rules for platform behaviour, guidelines for development. Mediumship was seen as service, not celebrity.

But as mediumship left the church and entered the commercial arena, those checks disappeared. The marketplace replaced mentorship. Popularity replaced proficiency.

Today, someone can attend one weekend workshop and walk out calling themselves a professional.

That’s not progression — that’s dilution.

Why Self-Regulation Isn’t Enough

Mediums often argue that “Spirit regulates us.” That sounds noble, but Spirit doesn’t sign refunds or handle complaints. Human accountability is still required.

Self-regulation works only for those who already care about ethics. The people doing harm are not the ones self-regulating — they’re the ones hiding behind mysticism to avoid it.

If our industry is ever to be trusted again, we need a framework that exists outside belief.

The Case for Professional Standards

  I’m not talking about government control of spirituality. I’m talking about a voluntary professional framework — a code that protects both the medium and the public.

Such a framework could include:

Training accreditation – verified study in ethics, bereavement awareness, and psychological understanding.

Disclosure of purpose – stating clearly whether work is evidential, spiritual, or entertainment-based.

Transparent pricing and disclaimers – honest marketing, no false promises.

Complaints procedure – an independent body able to mediate grievances.

Continuing development – regular peer review and mentoring.

That’s not red tape; that’s respect.

How Lack of Accountability Breeds Exploitation

Where there are no boundaries, exploitation follows.

I’ve seen people charged hundreds for “curses lifted,” told their loved ones are trapped, or persuaded to buy repeated sessions for “spiritual maintenance.”

That isn’t mediumship — that’s emotional blackmail dressed in incense.

Each of those stories damages public faith. Every unethical act by one so-called medium makes it harder for the rest of us to be believed.

The Fear of Scrutiny

Some practitioners resist regulation because they fear scrutiny. “Who are you to judge my gift?” they ask.

But accountability isn’t about judging the gift — it’s about safeguarding the client. Regulation doesn’t limit Spirit; it limits harm.

If your work is genuine, you have nothing to fear from transparency.

Learning from Other Professions

Every discipline that deals with emotional well-being has boundaries. Counsellors have supervision. Hypnotherapists have professional associations. Even stage magicians, who don’t claim supernatural power, have ethical codes about honesty and consent.

Mediumship — which claims communication with the afterlife — should be no different.

If we truly believe our work serves the highest good, then we must hold ourselves to the highest standard.

Public Education Is Part of the Reform

Regulation alone won’t fix the problem; education will. The public must learn what to expect from a reading: that no contact can be guaranteed, that genuine mediums do not diagnose, and that real evidence is specific, not vague comfort.

When people understand what ethical mediumship looks like, the unethical quickly stand out.

The Role of Mediums Themselves

Change won’t come from outside; it must come from within.

We, the working mediums, must:

Call out poor practice when we see it.

Mentor newcomers with honesty.

Stop protecting those who exploit clients under the banner of “respect for the gift.”

Spirituality without integrity is theatre. Integrity without courage is silence. We need both.

My Thoughts For The Future

I believe the next generation of mediums should form a Professional Council of Evidential Mediums — a collective body that establishes ethical training, grievance procedures, and a clear code of conduct.

It wouldn’t dictate belief; it would define behaviour. It would make sure the public can trust that anyone using the title “Professional Medium” meets minimum ethical and educational standards.

That’s not control — that’s evolution.

Mediumship and Accountability – Final Thoughts

Mediumship will always divide opinion, and it should — we’re dealing with life’s deepest mysteries. But if we truly want to earn public trust, we must stop hiding behind mystery and start embracing accountability.

Spirit doesn’t fear scrutiny. Truth survives light.

The future of this work depends not on the next viral medium, but on a community brave enough to regulate itself — not because it has to, but because it ought to.

Mediumship deserves credibility. The bereaved deserve protection.
And those of us who love this work deserve an industry we can be proud of.

It’s time we built it.

You may like my last post, click the following to read The Truth About Mediumship – A Controversial Perspective from a Working Medium

Mediumship and Accountability – Why the Industry Needs Reform