Psychic Millie Mitchell is anything but a stereotypical fortuneteller adorned with chunky gold rings and carrying a crystal ball.
Instead, the owner of Peoria’s Psychic Shop welcomes customers into her home, located at 3120 N. University St., where she performs readings in a small room while her family roams the house.
Mitchell opened her shop 25 years ago with many services, including palm interpretation, tarot card reading and chakra balancing.
“I didn’t know what to expect by opening the business,” Mitchell said. “I just know I didn’t choose this profession; it chose me.”
According to Mitchell, she was nine years old when she discovered she has psychic abilities.
“I would tell my school teachers about their life and what would happen during their day,” Mitchell said. “I told one to go home because their dog was sick, and they went home and had to take their dog to the vet because something was wrong.”
Mitchell said she is able to make these predictions just by looking at a person.
“I see it all over people,” Mitchell said. “I feel their energy.”
Mitchell said having this psychic sense also allows the spirits of dead people to talk to her, which is something she’s had to learn to live with.
“It’s not like you enjoy having dead people wake you up in the middle of the night,” Mitchell said. “I never want to be bothered by dead people, but they bother me. They talk to me.”
Mitchell said she can reach out to the deceased and ask them questions, but spirits can also contact her with messages. She’s had many deceased family members contact her to deliver messages to other members of her family.
“It’s absolutely painful when [it’s a family member’s spirit],” Mitchell said. “They’re not here with us, but at least I know that they’re good.”
Peoria’s Psychic Shop is open 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday to Wednesday, 9 a.m. to midnight Thursday to Saturday and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday.
