Podcast Summary

Podcast: All Of It

Host: Alison Stewart (WNYC)
Episode: The Inner Workings of New York City Psychics
Guest: Lana Wilson, Director of "Look Into My Eyes"
Date: September 5, 2024

Overview

This episode centers around the new documentary "Look Into My Eyes" by Lana Wilson, which explores the lives and inner worlds of seven New York City psychics. Rather than focusing on the binary of whether psychic phenomena are "real" or "fake," the film—and thus the episode—delves into the emotional, therapeutic, and communal functions of psychic practice. Listeners and psychics also call in, sharing personal stories that range from skeptical curiosity to profound comfort and even transformation.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Genesis of the Documentary & Personal Skepticism

• Lana Wilson’s first psychic experience:
  • Stemmed from post-2016 election distress and curiosity when she impulsively sought out a $5 psychic reading.
  • The experience inspired her to examine how even a skeptic could be emotionally moved by a psychic interaction.
• Quote:
  • “Can something be both constructed and real? You know, do you have to believe in something for it to have a real emotional impact on you?” (Lana Wilson, 05:10)

2. Questions Guiding the Film

Wilson outlines foundational questions behind the documentary:

• How do the psychics navigate authenticity versus performance?
• What are clients truly seeking in these private sessions?
• What draws individuals to become psychics?
• Quote:
  • “Can performance also be authentic?” (Lana Wilson, 05:13)

3. Selecting the Psychics for the Film

• Wilson gravitated toward psychics who approached their work with sincerity and personal depth, often following their own experiences with loss or trauma.
• Many had backgrounds in art, theater, or therapy.
• The film avoids overtly commercial or clearly exploitative practitioners.

4. Listener Call-Ins: Personal Psychic Experiences (07:46–11:20)

• Kristen’s Story (07:52):
  • Her mother hosted a psychic at a party in the 1980s; the foreboding “I don’t see [your husband] in your future” turned to reality months later.
• Rose’s Story (08:52):
  • After her brother-in-law's death, a session with a well-known medium brought closure:
  • “His message to my sister was that he was at peace and he wanted her to be happy.” (Rose, 09:50)
• Wilson’s Response:
  • Emphasizes the parallel between spiritual practices and psychics in offering meaning and closure after loss.

5. Thematic Exploration in “Look Into My Eyes”

• The film’s opening features an emergency room doctor seeking psychic counsel for closure after a young patient’s death.
  • Wilson: “She’s a healer who herself needs healing…” (12:05)
  • Wilson chose this narrative to disrupt audience preconceptions and illustrate the universality of grief and the need for meaning.

6. Pathways to Becoming a Psychic (13:39)

• Each psychic’s path was unique:
  • Some came from religious backgrounds where they felt excluded.
  • Some were driven by loss, trauma, or a desire for spiritual connection.
  • One animal intuitive found her calling inadvertently through a class at Kripalu.

7. Parallels Between Filmmaking and Psychic Reading (15:00)

• Wilson draws a comparison between directing a documentary and psychic work:
  • Both involve witnessing, reflecting, and guiding others through their vulnerabilities and stories.
  • “We all need witnesses to better understand ourselves.” (Lana Wilson, 15:17)

8. Role of Psychics: Where Therapy and Spiritual Practice Intersect (19:49)

• Caller Mira, both a therapist and psychic, shares her perspective on blending professions.
• Wilson responds that psychic work often functions similarly to clergy, focusing on “things we can’t see,” and helping people find meaning regardless of facticity.

9. Process & Ethics of Filming Psychic Sessions (21:35)

• Clients were fully informed and consented to be filmed, often in public spaces during the pandemic.
• Wilson deliberately minimized crew presence to foster intimacy and authenticity.
  • “The camera filming the clients was unmanned. No one was behind it.” (Lana Wilson, 22:28)

10. Gender and the Social Construction of Belief (22:52–24:37)

• Caller Mark raises questions about why psychic and New Age practices are perceived as gendered, cautioning against stereotypes regarding women and credulity.
• Wilson welcomes this critique and notes that doubts and skepticism are present throughout her film, both among psychics and clients.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On skepticism and emotional experience:

  • “I wasn’t thinking about do I believe this woman or not, but I was rather thinking about...the emotional experience...and I felt comforted by her.” (Lana Wilson, 04:20)

• On closure and grief:

  • “One of the people in the film describes it as grieving out loud at one point.” (Lana Wilson, 11:20)

• On being a psychic and a therapist:

  • Caller Mira: “I’m always amazed at how much it resonates...most people don’t tell me anything about themselves…” (Mira, 17:32)

• On the filmmaker-subject relationship:

  • “It taught me that I think we all need witnesses to better understand ourselves.” (Lana Wilson, 15:17)

Important Segment Timestamps

• 01:34–02:45: Introduction of Lana Wilson and the documentary
• 03:29–04:47: Lana’s personal story of first visiting a psychic
• 05:10–06:00: Lana’s key questions and motivations
• 07:46–11:20: Listener stories of psychic encounters and closure
• 12:05–13:24: The film’s opening scene—an ER doctor’s quest for healing
• 13:39–14:58: Psychics’ varied life journeys into their profession
• 15:00–16:08: Comparisons between documentary filmmaking and psychic readings
• 16:58–19:47: Psychotherapist/psychic Mira shares her story
• 21:35–22:48: Ethical considerations in filming psychic sessions
• 22:52–24:37: Sociological exploration of gender and psychic practices

Tone & Style

• Warm, empathetic, and highly curious, Alison Stewart fosters a non-judgmental space.
• Lana Wilson’s tone is thoughtful, reflective, and inclusive of skepticism as a valid response.
• Listener stories are emotional and earnest, offering a lived context for the themes under discussion.
• The episode strikes a balance between open-ended inquiry and critical self-awareness.

Conclusion

This episode of "All Of It" unpacks the emotional, cultural, and ethical aspects of psychic work in New York City through the lens of Lana Wilson’s documentary. The conversation exposes the deep humanity behind the practice, highlighting its complex intersections with faith, therapy, loss, and storytelling. By foregrounding personal narratives—both from psychics and those who seek them out—the episode explores how psychic encounters can bring meaning, comfort, and, most of all, community. The intellectual and emotional resonance of the film (and episode) comes not from proofs or debunking, but from an honest look at why people search for answers—sometimes in unexpected places.