LipstickMystic,
Thanks for the reply! I have so much popping around in my mind with this thread right now, it almost seems silly to respond to people point by point. . . so I'll go flow of consciousness. . .
There was a time shortly after graduating that I met a woman at one of my friend's group channeling sessions. She, like I, was a "regular" but we differed a great deal in our purposes for going. I very rarely asked personal questions, as I knew that the answer was more or less going to be "Follow your heart, and do what you will find joy in." I tended to focus my inquiries of the nature of the realm that the channeled entity was coming from, while she would constantly be asking "What do I do?"
She got wind that I was a naturopath and approached me one evening ostensibly just to introduce herself, but I'm sure you know how that thing goes. Within a couple moments she was telling me how she was currently seeing another naturopath who focused in "longevity medicine". Longevity medicine is basically trying to extend one's life span through high doses of antioxidants and growth hormones. I don't really disagree with the theory, though I question whether long life should be the primary aim of medicine. The thing that really bothers me is that the supplements offered by longevity medicine practitioners are usually very expensive.
For example, a favorite is alpha-lipoic acid. No question to its efficacy but it costs about $50-100 a month to treat at the correct dosage. Vitamin C, for example will run you about $12.50.
Needless to say I asked this woman how much she was spending a month on her supplements, and it was over $300! She asked me what I thought about her treatment plan, and I told her that I wouldn't want to get in the way of her relationship with her doctor, however in my opinion, most of that stuff was good, but unnecessary.
She asked me what I thought was the key to living a long life and I said that the primary factor was having a sense of purpose, as it has been observed that people who lose purpose and are unable to find new purpose tend to die rather quickly. I also told her that the second most important factor was attitude, and that having a flexible attitude toward life allows more of it to flow through you, and that while people with rigid attitudes may live a long time, they frequently suffer from severe chronic health problems in their old age.
She looked right at me, cocked her head sideways and said, "Do you really think so?"
I said, "Undoubtedly."
So she asks me for my number so she can call to make an appointment. Somewhat reluctantly, I gave it to her.
About six weeks later she calls and says that she wants to make an appointment, and asked how much it cost. I told her it varied on how involved the session would be, but that it would be between $85 and $125 for the first visit, and $65 per session thereafter.
She said she didn't have the money just then but asked if she could make an appointment about 3 weeks out. I said sure. The day before her appointment she calls to cancel and says she still doesn't have the money. Can she reschedule for two more weeks. Mmmhmm. OK. Now I'm supposed to believe that somebody shelling out $300 a month for her supplements can't come up with $125 in almost three months to pay for my time?
Meanwhile, every time I talk to her she's trying to get a free consultation over the phone, asking me what I know about this supplement and that supplement. It was clear that she wasn't "ready" to hear that the solution to her problem had little to do with which pills she popped.
Sometimes I hear people say, "Oh, healthcare should be free!" And I think to myself, maybe I should have offered her a reduced rate or comped a visit or something. But honestly, I knew that she would be nothing more than a drain on my time and energy, and frankly I didn't even want her money.
Why should healthcare be free to somebody who pays $300 a month for their supplements, and probably another $300 on her cable and phone bills, not to mention her car and her mortgage. This is not a destitute person here.
That gets back to the point you raised about what services should be available to whom. I think I'm stuck here because the idealistic/love side of me says that if I have a gift I should share it freely with everybody, but the practical/wisdom side of me says that I should reserve it for those who are ready to accept it.
I've seen some crazy stuff, too, and the weird thing is that in the moment I am just acting on instinct, or perhaps as if I am "being downloaded" the information in real time. I once, with assistance, drew a massive demonic energy from an acquaintance who was convulsing on the floor. If I were acting in full professional capacity I suppose I would have called 911, but it was obvious to me that this man didn't need an ambulance.
The eerie thing about it was how, afterward, everybody explained that, because he was learning to be a channeler, this was necessary for his growth, and that he was grounding these demonic energies into the earth to be cleared. Ladies and gents, this man was anything but grounded while he was writhing about on the carpet, it was other people in the room that grounded that evil energy. He was the one who opened the door to it, thinking he was doing the world a great service.
Like you said, it's so exasperating to try to argue with people about whether or not there is something that is truly evil out there. Hell, it's like trying to argue with myself about seven years ago when I was so damn positive that it was all just luv n' lite 
Back then I knew it was my "life purpose" to be a healer. Well maybe it is. But how much of that involves acting in a public capacity remains to be seen. I like the idea about your friend that had three tiers, though that would take a great deal of discernment. I suppose a part of me thinks that if those services are really needed, then those people who need them will find me at the right time. . .
Also too, I must admit that I am rather enjoying a period of time relatively free of attachments and not having to work too hard to stave off those of people around me. How much of that has to do with my own abilities, and how much has to do with this particular period of time, I don't know.
It is not for us to understand love, but simply to make space for it.