The Everyday Man's Struggle

Self-proclaimed skeptic psychic Mark Scanlan is a far cry from the Long Island mediums that proclaimed divine connection before him. In many ways, he reflects the dichotomy of human existence, the constant tug of war between the rigid framework of reality, and the search for spiritual fulfillment. Few subjects, especially in the STEM field, elaborate more on this battle for self-discovery than psychology, and few people have the skills to do such a complex subject justice as Mr.Scanlan.

Why do you think psychology is such a popular class in the school, and what do you think draws people to its worldwide?

“It’s because people are narcissistic. All of us can’t help but see the world from our own eyes. Most people say I’m fascinated with me, I want to see what makes me tick and why I think and feel this way. There’s no other subject that directly penetrates those questions as much as psychology does.”

What do you think is the one psychological question that reveals the most about a person depending on their answer?

“I would start with what makes you happy, what makes you unhappy, and if you could change anything in your life, what would you change?”

You’ve cited having had some spiritual experiences, has teaching psychology swayed you in the direction of religion and spirituality or made you more of a realist?

“I don’t think psychology has affected me whatsoever on a spiritual level. My spiritual outlook is contrary to what I would have believed and studied. So, the spiritual experience that kicked off other spiritual experiences, it's just mine, and I can’t teach you guys anything about spirituality. I don’t know if any person can teach you about God, I can’t and I’ve experienced it, but it's unexplainable.

Can you tell when someone is lying about being a psychic?

“No, I think they’re all lying. I’m a skeptical person and I don’t trust systems or power. So, I’ve always thought that psychics, or healers, were charlatans and trying to trick people to steal their money. When it started to happen to me, I felt very conflicted about it. It took me a while to accept it. My first experience was when I was 30, and I’m 53 now. So, I’ve had a bunch of these experiences, but it was only three years ago that I finally embraced it.”

Have you ever had an experience with a ghost?

“Yes, about fifteen of them, only good ghosts. About 4 or 5 years ago, I dated someone and I was at her sister’s party. There was this man named Charles there, we were sitting on the couch and I looked up and I felt this thing, it was his mother who died a month prior. She let me know she’s his mother and wants to communicate with him. So, I look at this guy and say, “Charles, I apologize if this offends you, and I’ll shut up if you want me to, but I’m pretty certain that your mother is here and has a message for you.” He said, “Alright let’s hear it,” and she says “Peanut butter,” and I say it back to him and he goes white. He said, “Last night, I was eating peanut butter out of a jar, and my mother used to hate when I did it and I said, “You can’t stop me now Ma.”

What is your life motto, and how has it affected your career choice, teaching style, and interactions with students?

“One of my life mottos is, be in the moment. I’m about people fulfilling their own best personal version of themselves. Every one of you guys is here about you, it’s not about me or any of the other teachers. You have to figure out a healthy version of yourself, that’s where it's at, and that’s the ultimate goal of teachers and parents. You want your kid to fly the way they fly, wearing the colors they like. Be the best version of yourself, and I hope psychology helps you do that.”

What do you hope students take away from your class?

“I hope they see that they have control, that we all can direct our lives it's not happening to us, but directing your life takes knowledge as well as self-reflection.”