For Mary Tan, psychic powers are not just a way to pay the bills, but rather a gift to share with those who are open to the experience.

Tan is the owner of Psychic Readings by Mary, located at 1303 Sycamore Road She offers people a chance to have completely private, confidential tarot card, astrology chart, palm and psychic readings, or a combination of any two. The prices of these different readings vary, with special rates on weekends as well as special rates for students. Tan also makes it a point not to charge by the hour, allowing herself as much time as she needs to talk with her clients.

Tan has had this ability, which she considers a gift, since she was a child.

“My mother and grandmother also have this gift, and I now see signs of it in my four-year old daughter,” Tan said.

Tan, originally from West Virginia, moved to DeKalb two-and-a-half years ago and began her business. Tan said being a psychic is a good way to help people who have different decisions to make and issues to sort out in their lives.

People go to psychics for help in dealing with decisions, future occurrences, entertainment or just to have someone to talk to, Tan said. Tan also said she takes a lot of pride in her readings and says she has never been wrong. She also cautions people to be weary of fakes.

“People need to be careful because there are only a handful of real psychics left in the world,” Tan said.

Although Tan has the ability to make predictions for many people, there are some people that she is not able to read for, including herself, her family and other psychics.

“I cannot make predictions for my family because it would be selfish to worry about them all the time, rather than the outside world,” Tan said.

Tan believes the most important thing people should remember when going to a psychic is that their own comfort is the most important. If someone doesn’t feel comfortable in a situation, they should trust their intuition and leave.

“A lot of people walk in skeptical and walk out a believer,” Tan said.

Tan has many regular clients who come as often as once a week, and she welcomes any skeptics who want a first-time reading.