When you are newly bereaved, and learning about medium readings, you need someone on your side. I am here to offer a helping hand as you take your first steps towards healing grief after the loss of a loved one.
A personal note from Mollie:
Welcome to a place of hope and healing for the newly bereaved. Those who find this page have usually suffered a great loss and are trying to find a way to cope with unbearable sadness. Please accept my extended hand and heartfelt condolences. Truly, I am sorry you have a reason to be here. I hope I can help ease your journey and provide comfort.
In my years of experience as a full-time medium, I have had the opportunity to witness a great shift in society’s view of mediumship from quackery to an authentic method of emotional healing after the death of a loved one. Television shows have created a huge interest, which is wonderful, but they have also crafted an unrealistic image of what happens during a session with a medium. With the demand for sessions in the USA reaching unprecedented levels, thousands of new mediums have started seeing clients.
As a consumer, and more importantly, as a person who has suffered an unimaginable loss and is extremely vulnerable, it is vital that you educate yourself before you book a session with a medium. One session with a qualified, reputable medium has the potential to do more for your peace of mind than years of grief counseling. Sadly, one session with an unqualified medium can cause you extreme angst at the worst possible time of your life and may increase your sorrow.
I have had so many clients come to me deeply hurt because of a previous reading with a “medium" that took a bad turn. These have included so-called mediums who tell clients that their loved one is spiritually stuck or unwilling or unable to communicate; that the loved ones are kicking themselves for dying; that they are in a dark place or even blaming the clients for their deaths. An unqualified medium may also describe your spirit guides or past lives that are totally irrelevant to easing your grief.
I will never forget the time a devastated, bereaved mother called me frantic because a medium told her that she needed to wait 40 days and throw away all of her daughter’s belongings before she could have a reading. Her description of what this “medium” told her made me nauseous. Worst of all, she believed it. She only called me because she couldn’t find the strength to discard her daughter’s personal items.
I could cite many, many examples of other horrible “readings”! I find this disturbing to my core. If you have had an experience like this, I am very thankful you are reading this and willing to investigate further.
My first experiences with the metaphysical community had a profound impact on how I have used my ability and the services I offer as a professional medium. Until 2008 I had no interest in communication with the dead, and I knew nothing about how it worked. My ability to communicate with the departed came overnight and created an enormous upheaval in my life.
At first I didn’t know where to turn, and I became entangled with an unscrupulous “psychic.” His followers claimed he could talk to the dead, see the future with 100% accuracy, “heal” people simply by being in the same room with them and “read” the souls of the people in your life. He could tell you who loved you and who was trying to hurt you. For $10 you could get him to answer a question though email. If you purchased a package of questions at a discount, you could consult with him as often as you liked.
He created a situation for clients to become dependent on him, and his teachings of the afterlife were driven by an egotistical need to be worshipped as "all knowing." As a result, I am now acutely aware of mediums that do this work because it makes them feel special or "chosen" to do sacred work.
Thankfully, I was soon redirected to a very ethical group of teachers in England. With great care, they explained what happened to me and showed me how to use my mediumistic ability to help the bereaved. It saved my life, and it shaped my new life.
Now my goal is to create circumstances in which consumers can confidently book healing sessions with reputable mediums. I want to educate as many people as possible on how to recognize real communication with their deceased loved ones. Ultimately, I want to see the entire process normalized so that everyone can learn to recognize the signs they receive from their loved ones in Spirit—and there is no longer a dire need for a medium’s help.
You may notice that I often say I am open to working with people “who are ready to take responsibility for their own healing.” A medium is by no means a miracle worker, and the consumer needs to know what a medium can reasonably provide. If you are willing to learn a little about the dynamics of the connection we all have with Spirit, it is much more likely that your session will have a profound impact on you.
After a nearly a decade of providing healing sessions for individuals around the globe, I can say with great confidence that there is never a spiritual barrier between you and someone you love who has died. The only circumstances that can prevent you from feeling the connection is a lack of understanding about how soul communication works. The damage is compounded when you have a bad experience an unqualified medium.
The information on this page is intended to be a starting point for the newly bereaved person who has no experience with, or little knowledge of, working with a medium. I will explain some common terms that you may read or hear, cover what you can expect from a session, and discuss what you can do to help create a successful experience.
I wish for you the healing you seek, and hope my years of experience will help guide you in that direction.
—Mollie
Key Facts to Know
• Mediumship is a completely unregulated trade in the USA. There are no licensing requirements or exams to pass. Literally anyone can book appointments, charge any fee, and claim to be a medium. You may notice as you browse websites that some include disclaimers staying, “For Entertainment Only.” This disclaimer may be a government regulation in that particular state, or it may be a business person’s way of protecting himself from being sued for fraud. Again, adding this disclaimer doesn’t answer any questions about whether the person is a legitimate medium.
• Certificates from schools run by famous mediums doesn’t lend credibility. Just like anyone can open a business claiming to be a medium, anyone can call herself a teacher. There is no regulation. Many famous mediums have opened “schools” that offer certificates. Please understand that the requirement to obtain a certificate is often no more than paid enrollment in the course. There are a few groups that over the years have attempted to create organizations that scientifically test mediums for legitimacy. This is excellent progress, but it comes with the great burden of needing money and resources to provide the extensive, blind testing needed to determine a medium’s accuracy level. Investigate the testing process closely with any “certificate” claims.
When you are visiting a medium’s website, and the person has a list of famous mediums with whom he has studied, a great question to ask yourself is: “Why is this medium including associations with famous people as qualification, rather than listing testimonials from actual clients?” Many people with a deep appreciation and love for spiritual work become teachers instead of practitioners. There is an old saying, “Those who can, do. Those who can’t, teach.” Before you decide if a medium’s teachers are credible, or before you decide to take a class from a particular medium yourself, look deeper to find out how much practical experience the teacher has.
• A “Medium” provides a connection to deceased loved ones. It is important for you to learn the different terms that describe spiritual services offered. The terms listed here comprise a sample of what you may encounter as you read about mediumship. Your best chance for a successful session will be with a person who describes himself as a medium, and only a medium. (There is a relatively new term, Evidential Medium, which describes mediums who provide specific evidence of the afterlife.) This doesn’t mean you can’t have an afterlife connection with a different type of practitioner, but do you really want to trust your emotional well-being with someone who merely dabbles in mediumship? Words describing spiritual practices that do not include a connection with a deceased loved one include: healer, psychic, reiki, spirit guides, angel readings, chakra balancing, cleansing, clearing, soul retrieval, clairvoyant, intuitive, shaman, smudging, tarot, life coaching, birth charts, soul plans, soul reader, crystal readers, past lives, numerologist, animal communicators, aura readers, ascended masters, energy healers, and psychic detectives. This is not an exhaustive list, but a starting point to help you to recognize “buzz words” that are often used and can be confusing.
• Do not confuse social media status or fame with ability. To amass a large following on social media simply requires regular activity such as sharing quotes and pictures. I know of several mediums with a long history of disappointing sessions who have over 100,000 followers. On the same token, some of the absolute finest mediums do not participate regularly on social media and have only a few thousand followers. It’s worth taking a look at their pages, but you have to dig deeper to determine their level of ability. If you choose to attend an event with a famous medium, go with the right expectation: to see a celebrity. To think you might receive a personal connection or a message at large events, where audiences sometimes number between 800-2,000 people, is setting yourself up for disappointment.
• Do not limit yourself to mediums that are within your geographical location. When a person needs a counselor, they generally begin with a search of nearby practitioners. The opposite is true for seeking the assistance of a medium. This is the number one reason that clients come to me after having a bad experience with an unqualified medium. They thought they needed to see a medium in the flesh. Not only can a mediumship session be easily conducted over the phone, it should be to have the most validating session possible. A “blind” reading is one where the medium is unable to see you, and therefore will not be influenced by your appearance. A blind reading is the gold standard for receiving validation. I strongly discourage in-person sessions as the focus needs to be on the connection to your loved one, not wrapped up in the details of travel, or feeling connected to the medium. Please read more in-depth information about phone sessions specifically by clicking here: Phone Sessions.
What You Should Expect From a Session With a Medium
When it comes to having a connection to a deceased loved one, new client expectations are often based on television shows that create a false idea of what a connection through a medium is like. No legitimate medium runs around town giving messages to people she sees at the grocery store. This is mostly because deceased persons do not “hound” mediums as they are going about their daily activities. Please click over to my FAQ page and scroll to the bottom to read what is reasonable to expect from a session. (Click HERE) It is vital that you be realistic. A connection with a deceased person occurs through energy and thought. There is no ghost that shows up for an in-depth conversation. Whatever you have witnessed on television should be checked at the door.
You should expect the medium to give several pieces of identifying evidence and a few “obscure” details. Obscure things include small details of situations happening around your house, thoughts you are considering and other events that usually have no significance outside of the fact that they serve as evidence that your loved one is aware of your life. Years ago I did a session with a bereaved mother whose son encouraged her to “use her voice” to speak out against gun violence. The next thing he communicated was an acknowledgment that she had purchased a new broom. This is a great example of obscure evidence. There is no proving that her deceased son’s message is real or true, but she did in fact, just buy a new broom. This type of validation lends much credibility to the message.
Your Responsibilities When Booking a Session with a Medium.
I have had clients come to me with stories that a so-called medium had told them they needed to sleep with a hand written letter to their deceased loved one under their pillow the night before a session. Or they should leave a glass of water behind a door for the deceased, because they get thirsty during a visit. Or that the medium required facts before the session such as names and birthdates. Because these rumors are rampant, I often have new clients ask me what they should do to prepare for a session. My only answer is, try to relax! You are hiring a medium to do the work. A true medium will not need anything to make the connection to your deceased loved ones, and that includes knowing ANYTHING about you or them. Bringing any type of "prop" to session gives away information. I once had a client pull out several rosaries at the start of her session. She thought it would enhance the connection to her grandmother, but in reality, all it did was give away important information about their religion. (Yet another reason for a phone session.)
Here are the top three things that will help you have a successful session that you need to take responsibility for:
1. Your privacy. It is perfectly acceptable for you to book a session under a false name or have a friend handle the booking for you. The burden is on you to keep your information private. Go to any extreme that you feel necessary. Some clients have a friend arrange their session with me, so I do not have any idea for whom I am reading. This is an especially important factor if you are a public figure or have a suffered a tragedy that was covered by news media. Along these same lines, please carefully consider how you use social media, such a Facebook. You should never be “friends” with a medium, as it gives the person access to your photos, timeline and personal information. Legitimate mediums know this and conduct business through a professional business “Page” that allows potential clients to “Like” and receive updates in their newsfeed from that medium. A professional “Page” has no access to your personal accounts, so your private information is safe. If you have any doubts or are skeptical of mediumship, protect your private information so that you can be assured the medium did not try to learn about you before the session.
2. Your budget. Mediums are available at every price range. The price a medium charges doesn’t indicate his level of ability. Some mediums, like myself, support themselves and a family solely on their income and run a legitimate, tax-paying business. There are mediums who work in Spiritualist churches that give messages as part of the divine service, with no fee. There are hobbyist mediums that do readings part-time and have a full-time job or a partner to cover their living expenses. The factors used to determine a medium’s pricing are extremely varied. The only person that can decide what it is worth is you. A general guideline to consider is that most legitimate, experienced mediums charge between $300 and $1,200 for a one-hour session. I have clients from every walk of life book sessions with me. Out of respect to those who have had to carefully save for a session, I do not offer discounts.
Read the medium’s refund policy before you book. My policy, which is typical, is that if either one of us feel a connection is not being made within 10-15 minutes, the reading will end and payment will be refunded. If you choose to take session to its conclusion, there is little to no chance of a refund.
3. You are in charge of what happens during your session. When you are newly bereaved and in distress, you often agree to things that you would never consider if you were in a more stable state of mind. This can work both for and against you. It’s wonderful that you would open your mind and heart to soul communication, but it is never advisable to put yourself in a position of danger or discomfort in an attempt to make a spiritual connection with a loved one.
I strongly encourage phone sessions to make the most legitimate connections, and also for your own comfort and safety. This is a completely unregulated profession; there is no way for you to know what you may encounter if you choose to go into a so-called medium’s home for an appointment.
When I conduct in-person sessions, they are held in a safe hotel board room where a receptionist has a list of clients I will be seeing that day. If, during your session, the medium presents you with any information that makes you uncomfortable, you need to speak up, end the session, and leave. With or without a refund, your mental wellbeing is a stake. It is far better to lose money than to put yourself in an unsafe position. I have had clients tell me that a medium wanted to hold their hands or make physical contact during the reading. I have heard every excuse in the book for why a medium cannot make a connection to a deceased loved one, and it usually follows the line of the deceased person being unavailable or unable to communicate for ridiculous reasons. This simply isn’t true. The problem is with the medium. Please understand this and know that you hold the power in this moment to end the session and leave.
You made it to the end of the page which shows a strong willingness to learn and educate yourself. You are going to be all right. There is a still so much more that you can learn by visiting my FAQ page or perusing my Blog.
If you are ready to take the next step towards making a healing connection, please submit a request for a personal session with me on my Appointment page.