Understanding patients’ enthusiasm for consultations with mediums: A narrative review of psychosocial, cultural, clinical, cognitive, and relational factors

In the last few decades, the use of divinatory practices (mediums, clairvoyants, astrologers, numerologists) has grown in Western societies, alongside the rise of “spiritual but not religious” and the restructuring of religion. More specifically, a growing number of patients engaged in often complex medical treatments also consult mediums, either in person or via digital platforms. This article provides an in-depth analysis of the psychosocial, cultural, clinical, cognitive, and relational factors behind this trend based on an interdisciplinary narrative review covering the period 2000–2025. We conclude that mediumship addresses emotional and symbolic needs that are often insufficiently considered in biomedical settings and propose avenues for a nuanced, non-stigmatizing clinical approach that integrates the psychic function of mediumistic beliefs and practices.