Phone and Online Readings: Does Distance Matter?

I'll be honest with you — I used to think it did.

When I first started doing readings professionally, I was convinced I needed to be in the same room as someone to connect properly. I could feel people's energy in person. I could sense the grief, the hope, the held breath of someone sitting across from me waiting to hear from their person. I thought that physical proximity was part of how it worked, and I spent a lot of time and energy trying to find an affordable space to rent for in-person sessions. I was spinning my wheels, coming up with nothing, and getting increasingly frustrated.

Then a friend of mine — an energy healer — set me straight.

I was talking through my frustration with her one day, trying to brainstorm creative solutions for a physical space, when she stopped me and said: "Melissa, you are only limited by your own beliefs. I thought I could only do energy healings in person too. Until I tried a phone healing one day and it worked. You can do a remote reading if only you believe you can."

That was it. I tried it. It worked. And I never looked back.

What I've Learned From Doing Everything Remotely

From that point on I did everything remote — readings, my own mediumship training, workshops, development circles. All of it. And what I found surprised me: remote readings are often easier, not harder.

Part of that is practical. When both of us are joining from the place we're each most comfortable — you in your own home, me in mine — there's a relaxed quality to the session that you don't always get when someone is sitting in an unfamiliar space trying not to fidget. The energy is settled. The connection has room to open up.

The other part is that I was wrong about what I was actually doing. I wasn't connecting to your physical body. I was connecting to your energy — and energy doesn't have a zip code.

Distance Is Not the Variable

The information in a reading arrives through what are called the clairs — images, words, sensations, knowings — and those don't have a range limit any more than a memory does. A name, a physical description, a manner of passing — it either comes through with specificity or it doesn't. Where your body is sitting has no bearing on whether that detail is accurate.

The variables that actually matter are the medium's discipline, the cleanliness of the evidence, and whether the work leads with specifics or fishes for them. Those are identical whether we're in the same room or on opposite coasts.

What to Expect From a Remote Session

All of my private readings are conducted via Zoom. You'll be in your own space. I'll be in mine. The session runs exactly the same way an in-person reading would — I'll begin receiving information, share what I'm getting, and ask you to confirm or deny without helping me fill in the blanks.

A few things that make remote sessions run smoothly:

Find a quiet space with a stable internet connection so nothing gets lost to technical issues. Keep your reactions as neutral as you can — I can still see your face on video and I'd rather the evidence land on its own terms. Take notes or ask to record, because readings move quickly and you'll want to be able to revisit what came through.

And the most important thing, the same rule that applies in any format: let the evidence flow from me to you. Your job is to confirm or deny what I bring through — not to help me get there.

Frequently asked questions

Are phone readings as accurate as in-person readings? Yes — and I say that from personal experience, not theory. I made the switch to fully remote sessions years ago and the quality of the evidence didn't change. If anything, sessions got easier once both of us were connecting from our own comfortable spaces.

Can a medium really connect over video or phone? Yes. The connection isn't to your physical body — it's to your energy. Energy doesn't require proximity. A name, a date, a manner of passing either comes through with verifiable detail or it doesn't, regardless of where either of us is sitting.

What do I lose with a remote reading? Yes. The connection isn't to your physical body — it's to your energy. Energy doesn't require proximity. A name, a date, a manner of passing either comes through with verifiable detail or it doesn't, regardless of where either of us is sitting.

How do I prepare for an online reading? Quiet room, stable connection, neutral reactions, notes or a recording. Avoid volunteering information before or during the session. Come open and let me do the work.

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Melissa Kincaid is an evidential medium and host of the Soul Signals podcast. Ready to see what comes through? I offer 45-minute private readings via Zoom, available to clients anywhere. Evidence first — always. [Schedule a Reading].