March 6, 2024 • 41 mins
Internationally renowned psychic medium Karen Docherty joins us to discuss her connection with the spirit world and her over 25 years experience in mediumship. We talk about how she came to be a medium, the vulnerable place clients can be in when grieving and seeking a connection, and how her own grief was impacted by her role as a medium.
To connect with Karen, visit her website here at www.karenpsychic.com or find her on Facebook @mediumkarendocherty, Instagram @karendochertyspiritmedium, or Linked In @karen-docherty.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Hello, and welcome back to thegrief Charles podcast.
I am your host, Amanda.
Kernaghan from remember grams.
A small business dedicated tohelping you support those in
your life.
Experiencing grief.
I hope you'll consider sendingsomeone a personalized card or
grief support box.
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with special care.
(00:21):
Paying attention to everydetail.
How often have you wish that wecould have one more conversation
with our loved one?
Uh, continued connection.
Signs of an afterlife.
For today's guest.
These things are not someamorphous hope, but interacting
with spirits as a part of herdaily life.
Karen Doherty.
An internationally renowned,psychic medium with over 25
(00:44):
years in mediumship.
Brings her experience bridgingthe visible world and the
invisible spirit world with acompassionate conversation about
what this means in her own life,what it means for clients who
are grieving and seeking solacein this connection.
And how it has impacted her ownpersonal grief.
Let's take a listen.
Karen (01:04):
Okay, so when I think about where I started as a
medium, obviously as a youngchild, I was aware that there
were other people around thatweren't of this world.
I didn't know particularly itmeant they had died or that they
were in the spirit side.
I just knew that they weren'tlike us.
But they weren't there to do anyharm.
(01:24):
And it just really felt verynatural to me to know that there
was this other world there.
So as I kind of grew up frombeing a young child, that
experience still remained.
And I would see people,particularly in my grandmother's
house, more than anything else.
where I would say to mygrandmother, Oh, there's, you
know, there's a lady in thekitchen and she would just say,
(01:47):
Oh, don't worry about it.
You know, it's the living thatharm you, not the dead.
And she was just thistraditional Scottish grandmother
that would come out with thingslike that.
And she kind of made me feellike this is okay.
This is natural, but I didn't atany time, even as a teenager
think.
that meant I was a medium andthat I can communicate with
people that had died.
(02:07):
I just felt that it meant, youknow, I could see things and
that was it.
Later on.
Did you
Mandy (02:13):
realize that other people were not having the same
experience, or when did yourealize that this is not a
universal experience for
Karen (02:20):
people?
Yeah, that's a good questionbecause I really only realised
that in my late teens, where Iwould tell friends things.
You know, I would say, well,your grandmother's standing
behind you and this is whatshe's saying.
And, you know, they were alwaysvery fascinated with it, but
that's when I started torealise, well, They, they're not
getting this, you know, theydon't know this, they don't see
this.
(02:41):
And so it started to stand outto me at that point that maybe
this is something different, youknow, that not every person can
see.
Although it felt very natural tome, I realized then it's not
really natural for everyone.
And then from there on in, it's,it became more and more and I
was aware of voices.
Spirit people speaking to me inthe evening when I would go to
(03:02):
bed and it all became a littlebit overwhelming for me until I
actually went and spoke to amedium about it.
And then she was the one thatsaid, you have to develop this.
You are a medium and you have tocome and develop it.
And once I understood that, Ifelt like the penny had dropped
and I suddenly felt like, Oh,you know, this is, this is why,
this is why I'm getting this.
(03:23):
And then from there on, and Istarted my work as a
Mandy (03:25):
medium.
Did you ever, I noticed you saidgrowing up that your grandmother
was supportive and, and didn'tmake you feel shamed about that
or embarrassed or anything, butwere there other people in your
life who were not the same modelas your grandmother?
Were there people who questionedyou or thought you were weird
because
Karen (03:43):
of that?
Oh yeah, I think the term weirdhappened a lot, you know, I
think through friends and, youknow, through even like my mum
used to say, you know, I don'tknow where we got you from
Karen, I think you're from themoon, she used to just always
say you're from the moon, you'redifferent to your sisters
because no one else was pickingthese things up and I was always
a very sensitive child and Ithink that my parents struggled
(04:07):
with my sensitivity sometimes.
They didn't always know why Ifelt things the way that I did
or why I seen things the waythat I did.
So it was difficult for them andthey didn't, they didn't
actually.
you know, make out it was anissue, but they didn't
understand it either.
And I could feel that.
So sometimes I would justwithhold things or not tell them
things because I didn't wantthem to think that I was weird
(04:29):
or that there was somethingdifferent.
And I think that that is a bigpart of your mediumship journey
when you don't actually knowbecause you do feel different
and you do understand that.
People aren't going tounderstand this.
You will get called weird, orpeople will laugh, or people
will think that there'ssomething crazy going on.
So you tend to learn to trustthe ones you can trust.
And luckily for me, mygrandmother was one of the ones.
(04:51):
She used to say to my father, itwas, she was my father's mum.
And she used to say to him, youknow, Karen brings spirit with
her when she comes in.
They come with her.
So she was very mediumistic.
But even then, although my dadhad grown up with my grandmother
being like that, she didn'tpractice mediumship.
So it was always just thisthought.
And I think when I started todevelop at the time, I remember
(05:14):
telling my dad who I'm veryclose to, and I think he thought
it was just a hobby.
You know, it was something.
You know, that you're tappinginto, okay, yes, yes, sort of
thing.
And then he came to see me workone evening at a charity event
that I'd done.
And he said after, I can'tbelieve that, like you're
communicating with people.
I can see that you'recommunicating.
(05:34):
The evidence comes in and hecouldn't believe it.
And from that minute, that'swhen he truly believed or
realized the depth of what I wasdoing.
Mandy (05:43):
Wow, what a wonderful shift to have, to be able to
show that and have him see itfor what it is, because I think
so many people who don't havethat Any ability, it's so common
to question it and to wonder ifit's real and, and you don't
want to feel like a fool.
So you don't want to like, eventhough part of you wants to
(06:03):
believe so much, then I thinkthe other part of people is
afraid to believe in that.
So I love that your family wasable to come around to that.
You mentioned having tocultivate this skill.
How does that work?
Is there training that you, doyou have a mentor or how can
tell me what that looks
Karen (06:21):
like?
So I began by sitting in what wecall a circle, a development
circle, which is a term usedhere in the UK, I think.
Primarily, probably, where yousit with the same people every
week at a certain time and yousit together and you meditate
and you ask spirit to stepforward and you develop your
clairvoyance or yourclairaudience and clairsentience
(06:43):
and it's just about learning howto use.
your sensitivity, learning howto feel spirit around you.
So I sat in that developmentgroup for a while, but I also
went to the Arthur FinlayCollege, which is in London and
it's a prestigious college forspiritualism and learning and
developing.
But I, and I used to go there tosee different tutors, but
(07:05):
Mentoring, I didn't get, youknow, it was something that I
just kind of had to navigatemyself and it was difficult at
times because although I wasfeeling these things and
trusting what I was receiving, Ididn't always have the
confidence to go forward becauseI didn't want to say to someone,
yes, I'm a medium.
It took me a long, long time tosay I was a medium because that
(07:27):
for me came with such greatresponsibility.
And if I was this medium, then Ihad to prove that I was this
medium and it was finding theconfidence to actually be.
able to say this is what I'mdoing.
So it took a long time in thatrespect for me to actually be
okay with what I was doing.
So I didn't have someone sayingto me, yes, that's correct.
No, that's not correct.
(07:48):
It was just something that I hadto learn throughout my own time,
but.
I always knew that my guides andmy helpers, my spirit team were
keeping me on the right trackand helping me develop because
of the proof that I wasreceiving with that, maybe with
being asked to do readings orbeing asked to work at events
or, you know, so I kind of knewthis is, I know what I'm doing
(08:09):
here, but I just need to keepgoing with it.
What is the first
Mandy (08:14):
kind of event that you took part in as a medium?
And at that point, were youcalling yourself a medium or
were you just still practicingand trying to learn
Karen (08:22):
how to do that?
I was trying to learn.
So in over in Scotland here, wehave a lot of spiritualist
churches and centres.
And when I was sitting withinthat circle, the teacher said,
right, I'm taking you all tothis.
event and you've got to be anovice medium.
That's what they called it.
(08:43):
And you've got to stand up andyou have to give evidence.
And I was a nervous wreck.
Like I just felt like I can't dothis standing up, you know,
given this evidence and you'reall nervous about it.
And the other people werenervous too.
But the minute we went in, I'llnever forget when it was my turn
and I stood up, it was almostlike, like, I just knew it was
(09:04):
fine.
And I just knew that.
spirit were there, I could feelthem, the evidence had delivered
was really good evidence and Ijust felt like this is me, this
is what I'm supposed to do, thisis fine.
And so I'd done that and afterthat service, that event there
was someone in the audience,another medium who was quite
known, she was known locally,she was quite well thought of
(09:25):
and she approached me after itand said, I want you to come and
develop with me.
She said, I just feel like Youknow, you're real, you're
genuine, you're authentic.
So she kind of took me under herwing after that a little bit and
I worked with her at differentthings, different events, and
just really found my feet afterthat of believing in what I was
doing was true and genuine andthat I could do it.
Mandy (09:48):
You mentioned a few moments ago about your spirit
guides who are with you.
How does that work?
Is it the same spirits that youfeel have been with you all
along?
Or is it that you can justaccess different spirits at
different times?
Karen (10:05):
Well, different spirits at different times come in, so
that's why I tend to call themmy team, because let's say when
you start school, you get ateacher for that year that you
start school, and as you go upthrough school, develop
yourself, you get differentteachers for different Subjects,
different times in your life andit's exactly the same.
(10:25):
That's what happens with spirit.
So if I'm trying to develop my,let's say my clairvoyance in
some respect, I will have aguide coming in that can help me
with that.
And then if I'm trying todevelop trans mediumship, I'll
have a guide that will come inand help me with that.
So there are different onesdependent on what the need is at
the time for my own development.
But I know that there's a mainguide that's been with me.
(10:48):
you know, for my whole journey.
And I'm very, I communicate wellwith him and I, and I know him
and I feel like when he stepsin, I know why he's stepping in.
And then there are other guidesthat I've met along my journey.
I never, I'm a medium to say youmust know your guides.
I think guides will givethemselves to you when the time
is right.
(11:09):
But there are many guides nowthat I've met throughout my
journey that I'm well versedwith now and know when they're
coming in and why they're comingin.
Wow.
Mandy (11:17):
That's fascinating.
So when you work with people whohave lost someone and they want
you to access a specific personor a specific spirit, is that
something that's possible or howdoes that work for you?
And it, does it feel like a lotof pressure on you to try and
connect with somethingspecifically because that person
(11:41):
is grieving and they want thatconnection with the person who
they've
Karen (11:45):
lost?
Yes, you know, I know as amedium, I always would say to
someone, I can't guarantee aconnection because really, it's
not something that you can 100percent guarantee, but at the
same time, there's never reallybeen a communication that hasn't
worked, meaning I know, spiritknow who's coming.
So basically, if someone comesto me, their loved one knows
(12:09):
that they are there, they havekind of orchestrated that or
engineered that to happen.
So.
If a mother in the spirit sidewants to talk to her daughter
and her daughter reaches out tome, then in my mind, why would
the mother not be there?
So for me, although I've got tosay I can't guarantee that, it
wouldn't make sense for me thatthe spirit person didn't come
(12:29):
through.
However, the levels ofcommunication may differ.
So if someone has recentlypassed, it might mean that the
communication isn't as strong,or there's a lot of emotion
surrounding that.
So it takes longer for thatcommunication to happen.
Whereas it might be someone elsethat comes through and they're
strong and You know, evidentialand the, the communication is no
(12:52):
problem at all.
So it can vary, but I was, Iwould always tell the person
who's coming to me, I can'tguarantee anything, but I will
try.
And if I get the person throughthat you're looking for, and I
don't feel it's a strongconnection, we will try again in
a week's time, or we will tryagain another day, because I
want to make sure that you getthe best of the communication
from that person.
(13:15):
And you
Mandy (13:15):
mentioned strong emotions.
Is that a block for theconnection?
If somebody is really strugglingat the moment, does that prevent
that connection from beingstronger?
Karen (13:27):
It doesn't prevent it at all and it doesn't block it.
What it does is if, if someonecomes to me and they've lost
someone only weeks before, Whatcan happen is that person is
still in shock or an emotionalplace and their loved one in the
spirit world will come in andthey will want to make that
communication to give them theproof that they are okay and
that they're still with them.
(13:48):
But what can happen is therecipient is so emotional about
it that they won't take it inproperly.
You know, it's an experiencethat's quite surreal for them.
And really a communication fromthe spirit, because it is sacred
and because it is just in thatmoment and it's very present,
you want the recipient to getthe best out of that
communication.
(14:08):
So if.
If they are too emotional or tooupset, I would rather wait just
a little while until they weresettled and they could
understand what was takingplace, but it definitely won't
block their loved one comingthrough.
Wow.
Mandy (14:23):
Have you, in your personal life, ever lost someone
close to you?
And in that experience, Were youable to connect with them in the
spirit world or is it harder toaccess, like, the people who are
close to you in this life?
Karen (14:39):
It's definitely harder for me to access the people that
I have crossed over that I'vebeen close to, but not because
they're not there, just becauseI don't have the privilege of
just, you know, connectingbecause I'm a medium, I have to
wait for that communication thesame as anyone else.
So although I know where theyare and I don't have any doubt
(14:59):
of where they are because ofwhat I do, it doesn't mean I can
always talk to them and really,or hear from them, I should say.
I always talk to them but Idon't often hear from them.
But I, my mother is probably myclosest person that's passed
away and she passed away sevenyears ago and that was obviously
very difficult and she had adifficult time before she
(15:20):
crossed over so it was hard towatch.
But it gives you, it gives youthe context of what's taking
place.
So I work with people every daythat have lost people.
And what I felt it done for mewas give me the other side of
the experience too, you know,not just the mediumship side of
things.
But when my mom was crossingover, I sat with her the whole
(15:42):
night before she crossed and Icould feel her spirit move.
I could feel that her spiritwas.
shifting, that it wasdisconnecting from the physical
body.
I could feel every part of herjourney as a medium.
And I was talking to her andtelling her just go mum, it's
fine.
Like you're nearly there.
Just, I kept saying to her, makethe jump.
(16:02):
I know that you're frightened toleave this world behind, but
we're all okay.
And I just kept encouraging herto go.
And when she did actually let goof the physical body, I could
feel the room fill with herenergy, absolutely elated
energy, and I remember the thenurses coming in to tell me, you
know, do you realize your mumhas passed away and I said yes,
(16:25):
but I was, it was almost like anadrenaline because I could feel
that she was okay and that shefelt And Oh, I'm still here, you
know, like my mum was veryfrightened to die.
So it gave me a sense of sheknows now that this is okay, you
know, and I knew that she wasall right with it.
So I was happy for her becauseshe needed to leave the body.
(16:47):
The body was very sick and itwas, you know, she had a
terrible time.
So I was happy for her.
But of course, the grief sets inafter that, you know, you're
grieving your mother.
So the grief side of thingsstill come in, even though I
know where she is and that she'sall right.
Was
Mandy (17:02):
experiencing that with your mom, has it changed your
practice at all as a medium orinfluenced how you work with
your clients when they come toyou and they're grieving
Karen (17:13):
someone?
You know, I thought it would.
And the reason I say that isbecause two nights after my mom
passed away, I had alreadycommitted to a charity event an
audience reading, and I didn'twant to let them down.
And I kind of thought, should Igo?
Should I not?
And I sat with spirit and I.
Decided I'm going to go and Iwent and I remember saying to
(17:34):
Spirit on the way there, pleasedon't bring anyone through for
me that passed with cancer,because that's what my mum had.
I don't think that I could talkabout it because it's just too
close to what's just happened.
And would you know that everyperson that came through that
night for me had passed withcancer.
And.
At the time, I was like, this isunbelievable.
(17:55):
But I had to go with the flowand I had to bring the evidence
and I had to deliver that.
And after it, I felt like, well,it wasn't fair for me to ask
that really, because it's not upto me who comes in.
But more than that, what it, andI think this is the reason that,
that it happened that way.
It was to show me that when I amworking as a medium, I am
removed from my own.
(18:16):
emotions, my own grief.
I'm working for spirit.
I'm working for the otherpeople.
So it really showed me that Ican still work in a powerful way
without being too affected bythat in that sense.
So I was really grateful forthat experience and going
forward from that, you know,losing my own mum really.
gives me more empathy, ofcourse, about the whole process.
(18:39):
But I think I always had thatanyway as a medium.
I always felt people's pain.
I always felt their grief.
I've always felt what theyneeded, what I needed to
nurture, what I needed to lookafter.
And so it has affected me, ofcourse, in some ways.
But I think as a medium, you'realways aware of other people's
pain and suffering, always.
Mandy (19:00):
And I guess in a way, being a medium and feeling so
sure of what's next and thatthere is a spirit realm and that
it's not the end in the way thatsome people may believe that it
will be maybe, I'm just assumingprovides an extra layer of
comfort in knowing that it'sjust a different realm whereas I
(19:25):
think people who don't have thatgift I don't want to believe
that, but without the evidencethat you have or without the
experience that you have, maybeit's a little more difficult to
feel secure in that knowing.
Karen (19:38):
Yes, definitely.
I mean, obviously my two sistersexperienced the same loss of my
mom as I did.
And they're not media mystic,but they know what I do, but
it's all, it's obviously easierfor me to say to them, but mum's
all right.
You know, I could feel it.
I felt her the minute shepassed, I, and I can tell them
all of that, but for them, theydidn't feel that.
(19:58):
So for them, it was that feelingof, well, how, how can you know,
are you sure?
Is she all right?
You know, they had all thequestions and I was answering
the questions, but I felt for Ithought, I'm so blessed to feel
this.
And they don't feel this and itleaves them in that unsure place
of things, even though theybelieve in what I do, they
(20:18):
believe that there's a spiritworld, all of that, but you have
to feel it for yourself.
So I know that I am very blessedto have that knowledge and carry
that knowledge with me.
And really what I try to do isjust really share that with as
many people that as I can, thatI feel need that so that it
helps them.
Mandy (20:36):
I always wonder why is it that some people can feel that
and some people can not.
I have always been a bigbeliever in mediumship and my
mom was a big believer in all ofthat.
And then she passed away, and Ijust expected, like, I'm going
to be getting signs all thetime, and I'm going to feel her
near me all the time, and havedreams about her all the time.
(20:57):
And it really wasn't myexperience, and that was very
surprising to me, and made mequestion these things that I
believed in.
So, what is it about, Somepeople do and some people don't
Karen (21:09):
as far as mediumship goes, you're born a medium.
So it's something you're bornwith.
It's something you're alwaysmeant to do.
Whether you answer that callingor not, it's not up to the
spirit side.
Some people will have that andmaybe never discovered it or
maybe think they shouldn't bedoing it for whatever reason.
But if you're a medium, you areborn a medium.
So you will feel things on alevel that maybe other people
(21:30):
don't.
Psychically, we can all pickthings up because we are all
psychic.
So when we come here, we comefrom the spirit realm.
We come here, live our life.
And then when we die here, we gohome to the spirit.
So when we are in the spiritside of life, the communication
is only mind to mind becausethere is nothing physical there.
(21:51):
So when we come here, we allstill have that psychic ability,
that mind to mind communication.
All of these skills can bedeveloped but mediumship has to
be part of you and part of whoyou are.
As far as, you know, signs gofrom your loved ones, I agree
with you in the fact that peopleexpect, you know, to have these
big bold things that happen tothem that's going to tell them
(22:14):
that their loved one is okay andit never really happens like
that.
You do hear of things happeningon some scale but it's quite
rare that it would be massivelike that.
It's more about us fostering ourown belief in the fact that they
are there.
And when we believe in that,truly, we will get signs, but
they will be very subtle.
(22:34):
The spirit side, you know, if itcould say it like this, if the
spirit side of life could comein and appear in front of us or
give us a massive sign, theywould all be doing it.
They would all be doing itbecause there's not one person
in the spirit world that wantstheir loved one to suffer
because they don't know thatthey're still alive.
So they can't do it in that waybecause they're working from a
whole other.
(22:54):
place, a whole different energy,a whole different vibration,
different frequency.
So it just can't happen likethat.
So other things will come in.
Small signs will come in.
Coincidences, which aresynchronicity, will come in.
Maybe a song will come on theTV, just as you were thinking of
your loved one, their song mightcome on.
It's little things like thatthat come in.
But unfortunately, our brainwill interpret that as
(23:18):
coincidence, or it willinterpret that like, well, Maybe
that was our song, but maybe I'mjust thinking that that's a
message.
You know, our brain will keeptrying to make it logical, but
our soul wants to connect withthe experience.
So it's more about believing inyour soul a little bit more and
just going with the flow on itand you will receive signs.
Mandy (23:41):
I love, I have had a lot of guests on the podcast and
quite a few bring up signs thatthey feel they've had from their
loved ones.
And I always love that topic andtalking to people about what
they've experienced and how theyinterpreted it and everything.
I think it's fascinating all ofthe different ways that that
comes up for people.
I will share when my mom diedthe night.
(24:03):
After she died, I had a two yearold daughter who was like, just
learning to talk, didn't havetons of language by that point.
And she was asleep and we wereall asleep in the bed.
It was the middle of the night,like three in the morning.
She woke up and sat up and Ifelt her sit up and I tried to
lay her back down to go tosleep.
And she took my arm and wascaressing my arm from like my
(24:27):
elbow to my hand.
And she said, as clear as day,this is hard.
And it was the strangestexperience I've ever had.
I, and then as soon as she saidit, then she went, lay back
down, went right back to sleep.
And I got out of bed and I wroteit down because I was like, I
feel like I'm dreaming, but Iwant to remember that this
actually happened and that sheactually said those words.
(24:48):
And it was one of the onlyexperiences in my life where
I've felt very clearly like itwas a communication to me that
was not from her,
Karen (24:57):
but it was very beautiful.
And when it happens, it doesfeel very.
surreal, you know, but you know,your soul knows it was true.
Your soul knows that that was areal experience.
And that was from your mother.
That was from the person youwere looking for because your
two year old wouldn't come outwith that.
That's not something that wouldbe said.
(25:17):
So your soul knows it to betrue.
And that's why you believed it,right?
But when there's signs likemusic or a certain bird that
comes in the garden or whatever,sometimes your brain will just
make that logical.
And there's something to be saidfor looking for the logic
because there are other peoplethat say everything's a sign
from spirit.
You know, if the lights go onand off it's spirit, but
(25:40):
actually there's a storm goingon outside.
So it's electrical, you know,you've got to make it logical to
a certain degree.
But if it's something that thereis no logic for, if it's
something that stands out likewhat happened to you, that
absolutely is your loved one.
And the biggest thing that youcan do is thank them for that
and say that you received themessage because there are so
(26:00):
much, there's so many times thatI know that spirit come through
and give a message or give asymbol or something to their
loved one and they don't.
And I know that I can feel thefrustration from those in the
spirit side, almost saying, Oh,I nearly, I nearly managed.
She nearly believed me.
You know, she nearly got thatmessage.
(26:22):
And I always feel so bad becausethey try so, so hard.
So if any of your listeners dohave that experience, Even a
tiny part of them feels like itwas their mother or father or
whoever it might be.
Just say thank you and take itthat it was, because that person
in the spirit world will bedelighted that they managed to
reach you.
Mandy (26:42):
I've never thought about it from the other perspective,
but I like that.
Karen (26:46):
I think sometimes we don't ever think of it from,
it's human nature to think of itfrom our perspective, but as a
medium, I'm very aware of whatthe spirit world think of things
as well.
So every time I work withsomeone, I will thank the person
in spirit for trusting me withtheir loved one and saying, I
will take care of them.
You don't have to worry aboutthis because it is, it's a hard
thing for them to do as well.
(27:07):
Wow.
Mandy (27:08):
I have a random question that I was thinking because you
and I are meeting via Zoom andtechnology and we're living in a
world now where that's becomingmore and more common, whereas
people used to often only meetmediums in person, face to face,
and I imagine that those areservices that some people are
offering virtually.
So I'm wondering for you, isthat something that you do
(27:31):
virtually and if it is, is itmore difficult to connect with
With the people or the spiritsthat you're trying to when
you're not in the same sharedspace as someone
Karen (27:43):
else.
You know, it's quite a commonquestion because when the
pandemic happened, and everyonehad to kind of go online, right?
So everyone had to get used todoing things online.
I had already been doing onlinereading, Zoom, video, FaceTime,
Skype for a long time, because Ihave clients all over the world.
So that's, It's the only way Ican connect with them.
(28:05):
But when the pandemic happened,people even here, I'm based in
Scotland, so people in Scotlandhad to go online to do it if
they wanted a reading.
And they were all saying thesame thing, like, how does that
work?
I would rather wait and see youin person.
And I tried to explain to somany people, it doesn't matter
to me where we connect.
When I'm connecting with yourloved one, they are coming to
blend with me.
(28:26):
So it doesn't matter if I'm inthis room, your room, face to
face, telephone, none of thatmatters for me as the medium.
Some psychics will want to bewith the person in the room
because they will feel intotheir energy because they're
sitting right in front of them.
But I can do that on a screen.
If I was connecting with youright now, I could still read
(28:46):
for you from where I am becauseI'm working with the energy of
spirit.
So it's a slightly differentthing.
So for me, it makes nodifference because I've done it
for Such a long time now, and ifyou think about it, there is no
time or distance in the spiritside of things.
So if I'm working with a lady inAustralia, for instance, and I'm
bringing through her mother, hermother is with me and with her
(29:08):
at the same time.
There is no time or distance.
It's the blending of theenergies that counts.
So for the medium, it shouldn'tmake any difference.
Wow, that's
Mandy (29:17):
hard to even wrap my mind around because everything for us
is so physical, right?
And we're thinking about space.
Karen (29:25):
I remember doing a reading for a lady actually in
Australia, and that's what cameto mind when I was seeing it.
And she was obviously on thescreen and I was talking to her
about her mother and she waslike, yeah, that's right.
And I said, no, she's telling methat behind the computer screen,
so obviously I couldn't seethat.
You have her cup, like you drinktea out of her cup.
And she said, Yeah, and shereached and she got the cup and
(29:47):
she held it up and she said howcan, how can she see that if
she's with you and then I had toexplain to her she's not, she's
with you as well and she's withme as well and we went into all
that and she was the same, she'slike I can't get my head around
that but there is no distance,there is no time, it's just a
presence, you know, so they arealways with you even if they're
(30:07):
somewhere else at the same time.
Wow.
Mandy (30:11):
What about for people who have never been to see a medium
before and aren't sure what toexpect or maybe are nervous or
aren't sure what to believe,what kind of advice do you give
to first time people who arereaching out to you?
Karen (30:26):
I always say to people, if it's an event, for instance,
I will speak to the audience andsay, look, there are going to be
a mixture of beliefs in here.
You might be sceptical.
You might be a completebeliever, or you might not know,
you know, how you feel aboutthis and that's why you're here.
But whatever you do, just beopen, be sceptical until you
have proof that the mediumyou're going to see is
(30:48):
evidential, but always be open.
There's a difference.
You know, between the two.
Some people think beingsceptical means put your guard
up.
Don't tell the medium anythingI've had people come for
readings in the past and Iremember one jumps out, this
girl walked into my studio andas she sat down I said that her
father was there and she said,okay And I said and he's telling
(31:11):
me you didn't have to take yourring off and put it in your
pocket And she had done it justbefore she came in because she
didn't want to give me any clueabout her life, whether she was
married, whether she wasn't.
And she started to laugh and shewas like, I can't believe you
just said that.
I said, you don't have to worry.
I'm not here to pick up on, youknow, clues and things like
that.
But I understood why she done itbecause there are so many
(31:33):
fraudulent.
mediums as well.
I mean, you get that in everywalk of life, no matter what you
do.
So people do need to be awarethat they're not given too much
away, but don't have your guardup, be open, because if you're
not open to what's taking place,it's harder work for the medium,
but it's harder work for thespirit side as well.
So you want to go with an openmind, but just tell yourself
(31:55):
that I'll wait to see what Ifeel about this.
And a lot of it's about thefeeling of it rather than you
know, the, the physical sense.
It's about how did you feel inthe presence of that medium?
How do you feel that mediumdealt with things?
And that will give them eitherthe belief in that medium, or
they might think that mediumwasn't for me, but I might try
again somewhere else.
And then they can gauge it forthemselves.
Mandy (32:18):
Yeah, I guess that leads me to another question where
when we talk about going to seea therapist, for example, often
you could have therapists whoare all equally as good at their
job, but I might not connectwell with a specific therapist.
We don't vibe well together, andso I have to move on to someone
else.
Is it the same in your fieldwhere maybe you can have a
(32:39):
stronger connection if Maybe youand I wouldn't have as strong a
connection as someone else orhow does that
Karen (32:46):
work?
It's exactly the same.
You know, there's, there'sdifferent mediums for different
people.
So I've seen mediums when I wasgoing through my journey before
I was like working as a medium,I would go and watch mediums all
the time.
Some mediums I connected withand resonated with other
mediums.
I was like, Nope, that's not forme.
It's a different style.
It's a different way to dothings.
(33:06):
It didn't sit well with me.
doesn't mean they were a badmedium or not.
It just meant that it wasn't forme.
And the spirit world will choosemediums that they can work
through as well.
So, you know, if my grandmotherwas coming to work through a
medium, my grandmother wouldchoose someone that she felt
resonated with her.
So there's nothing wrong withsaying, you know, that.
(33:27):
That medium's not for me or, youknow, I didn't feel that that
blended too well.
And likewise, I will get peoplecoming to see me.
95 percent of the time connectwith every single one of them,
but there might be a couplewhere I think that I'm just
didn't.
Feel the energy of that as well.
But that's human nature too.
You know, you're going to blendwith some people and other
(33:48):
people you're not.
So I don't think it's anythingto worry about, but it's
something to be aware of.
And if you connect with someoneor believe in them or believe
they're authentic, then that ishalf the battle with this kind
of work.
And to not be
Mandy (34:03):
afraid to try someone else.
If, if your first experienceisn't what you were hoping for.
Absolutely.
Karen (34:09):
I mean, anyone that goes to see different mediums usually
have varying stories.
You know, if I say to someone,have you had a reading before?
And they say, well, yes, I'vehad four or five readings over
my time and two of them weren'tgreat, but three were fine.
You know, there's all, there'susually a varying degree to
these stories, but it's for thatvery reason that there maybe
(34:30):
wasn't a connection there.
Sometimes it's because themedium Couldn't read for the
person or whatever, but usuallyit's an energy thing.
That's what I
Mandy (34:38):
would say.
I think there's a misconceptionor a belief that you mentioned
fraudulent mediums or and howthat can appear in any walk of
life, but I think people assumethat it's worse with mediums.
And so what would you say aboutthat and how common do you think
that really is?
Karen (34:57):
Yeah, I think it is worse with mediums and the reason for
that is because you're dealingwith vulnerable people.
So when there are fraudulentmediums out there they do a lot
of damage to mediumship but alsoto the people that they're
talking with.
And then a genuine medium has tocome along and pick the pieces
up of that.
So It is very difficultsometimes but it is something
(35:19):
that happens a lot.
And I think that, especially nowwith social media and, you know,
everyone can go online and findany medium, psychic, whatever,
or people can do one course andthen say they're, they have a
certificate.
So that means that they're amedium.
And all I would say ismediumship is very sacred.
It's, it's.
very special.
It's not something that everyperson can do.
(35:42):
It's something that someone'sborn to do.
It's almost like saying, youknow, if you wanted to be a
singer, let's say Beyonce, youknow, is a phenomenal singer.
Well, we all can't be Beyonce,even though some of us might
have a singing voice, you know,that we can carry the song, but
we can't be that.
So it's not about trying to besomeone else or trying to be the
medium because mediums areamazing.
(36:02):
It's about.
Trust in your own journey, trustin what your purpose is in life.
But for those that are going tofind mediums, please be always
aware that if it doesn't sitwith you, then it doesn't sit
with you for a reason.
And the fraudulent side ofthings I mean, I've had people
coming to me.
I remember a girl coming to me,she was about 21 and she'd been
(36:23):
told previously by a medium thatshe was at college at the time.
And she was told that somethingbad was going to happen to her.
In college.
So this girl gave up college,went back home, was frightened,
she didn't want to go out withfriends, she didn't want to
party, because of what thismedium told her.
And she came to me and I wentthrough everything with her, put
(36:44):
her mind totally at rest, saidthat was not from a medium, that
was Some, that woman was doingsomething else, it was nothing
to do with you.
And the relief that that girlfelt and started living her
life, and that's the kind ofdamage that can be done.
And it's awful, but all we cando as genuine mediums is pick up
on that and try to salvagesomething out of it or put
(37:06):
people's minds at rest.
Mandy (37:08):
How could she or anyone be able to spot that maybe this
wasn't authentic?
I would say.
What signs can people look forin that situation?
Any
Karen (37:20):
mediumship experience should be healing.
It should be uplifting, healing,emotional, yes, because you know
the subject matter, but youshould come away from a medium
feeling uplifted, more powerfulhealed in some way, close to
your loved ones, all of theabove.
If you come away from a mediumreading and you're feeling
(37:42):
worried, concerned, fearful,upset, It wasn't from spirit.
Spirit don't bring that.
The spirit world want to bringhealing.
They want to bring comfort.
They want to uplift.
They do not want to upset orbring bad news or negative
stuff.
They don't do anything likethat.
So if you are experiencing thatthrough a medium, they're not,
(38:02):
they're not mediumistic.
It's not coming from themediumship.
Mandy (38:06):
That's so helpful to know and for people to know before
they go.
What.
What would you say to people whoare listening to the show, who
are grieving and who've just hada loss, like what advice do you
have for them and when, youknow, whether they want to go
see a medium or whether theyjust want to feel closer to that
Karen (38:26):
loved one?
Every grief is different forevery person.
So when you're grieving is avery, very personal journey.
There's no right or wrong.
There's no way it should be.
I know we have guidelines likewe'll say, well, maybe in two
months you should feel like thisor five months you should feel
like this.
For me, it doesn't work likethat.
It's a very, very personal thingand it's a personal connection.
(38:49):
So if you are grieving, ifyou're listening to the show and
you are grieving for someone.
Biggest thing I could say isplease remember that they
haven't left.
Please remember that they arestill there, even though you
might not feel them right atthis point in your life, but
they are there.
I can assure you of that.
And the one thing to do to feelclose to them is keep speaking
(39:10):
to them, keep validating them.
If it's, let's say your mother,that's in the spirit side.
Keep speaking to her every day,you know, every morning I get up
and I say good morning to mymum.
I don't hear my mum saying goodmorning back to me, but I know
that she can hear me.
And just by having thatknowledge that my mum knows I'm
asking for her or speaking toher, that brings me comfort and
(39:32):
connection, even though I don'tfeel the connection coming back
the way I am assured that shewill hear me.
So keep talking to her.
Keep validating them.
The more you do that, the morethey will pull in closer, the
more the connection will buildand you will get your proof at
some point that they arelistening to you and that they
can hear you.
And using that to kind ofnavigate your grief is, is a
(39:54):
good thing because It will, itwon't take your grief away
because grief is pain becausewe've lost that person, but if
you have the knowledge that theycan hear you and that one day
they will respond to that, itlets you navigate that grief in
a, in a different way, in a morepowerful way.
Mandy (40:12):
That's incredible.
Thank you so much for being hereand for sharing all of this with
everyone.
I would love, I know youmentioned that you can work in
far distances in our world.
So how can people reach out toyou and work with you?
And yeah, what kind of resourcescan you give us?
Karen (40:29):
If if you go to my website, it's karendocherty.
com, everything is on there,whether it's one to one
readings, mentorship, courseseven just to chat about
something, if you have aquestion, it is me that answers
every question, everysubmission, it's not someone
else doing it for me.
So you know, if anyone islistening and they do want to
reach out, they can do that atkarendocherty.
(40:52):
com and I will personally answerany questions.
If you're interested in learningmore about working with a
medium.
Karen's website will be linkedin the show notes.
And if you notice anything inyour life that could be assigned
from your loved one.
Let's take her advice and thankthe spirits around us.
For today's journal prompt.
Right about an experience thatyou felt may have been assigned
(41:14):
from your loved one.
Let the writing take you in anydirection at Leeds.
Thank you so much for listening,please make sure you subscribe.
Share this episode with anyonewho could benefit from it and as
always visit, remember grants.
Anytime you need to send alittle love to someone who is
grieving.
Thank you and have a wonderfulday.
Hello, and welcome back to thegrief Charles podcast.
I am your host, Amanda.
Kernaghan from remember grams.
A small business dedicated tohelping you support those in
your life.
Experiencing grief.
I hope you'll consider sendingsomeone a personalized card or
grief support box.
Shipping within the us is alwaysfree and we treat each order
with special care.
(00:21):
Paying attention to everydetail.
How often have you wish that wecould have one more conversation
with our loved one?
Uh, continued connection.
Signs of an afterlife.
For today's guest.
These things are not someamorphous hope, but interacting
with spirits as a part of herdaily life.
Karen Doherty.
An internationally renowned,psychic medium with over 25
(00:44):
years in mediumship.
Brings her experience bridgingthe visible world and the
invisible spirit world with acompassionate conversation about
what this means in her own life,what it means for clients who
are grieving and seeking solacein this connection.
And how it has impacted her ownpersonal grief.
Let's take a listen.
Karen (01:04):
Okay, so when I think about where I started as a
medium, obviously as a youngchild, I was aware that there
were other people around thatweren't of this world.
I didn't know particularly itmeant they had died or that they
were in the spirit side.
I just knew that they weren'tlike us.
But they weren't there to do anyharm.
(01:24):
And it just really felt verynatural to me to know that there
was this other world there.
So as I kind of grew up frombeing a young child, that
experience still remained.
And I would see people,particularly in my grandmother's
house, more than anything else.
where I would say to mygrandmother, Oh, there's, you
know, there's a lady in thekitchen and she would just say,
(01:47):
Oh, don't worry about it.
You know, it's the living thatharm you, not the dead.
And she was just thistraditional Scottish grandmother
that would come out with thingslike that.
And she kind of made me feellike this is okay.
This is natural, but I didn't atany time, even as a teenager
think.
that meant I was a medium andthat I can communicate with
people that had died.
(02:07):
I just felt that it meant, youknow, I could see things and
that was it.
Later on.
Did you
Mandy (02:13):
realize that other people were not having the same
experience, or when did yourealize that this is not a
universal experience for
Karen (02:20):
people?
Yeah, that's a good questionbecause I really only realised
that in my late teens, where Iwould tell friends things.
You know, I would say, well,your grandmother's standing
behind you and this is whatshe's saying.
And, you know, they were alwaysvery fascinated with it, but
that's when I started torealise, well, They, they're not
getting this, you know, theydon't know this, they don't see
this.
(02:41):
And so it started to stand outto me at that point that maybe
this is something different, youknow, that not every person can
see.
Although it felt very natural tome, I realized then it's not
really natural for everyone.
And then from there on in, it's,it became more and more and I
was aware of voices.
Spirit people speaking to me inthe evening when I would go to
(03:02):
bed and it all became a littlebit overwhelming for me until I
actually went and spoke to amedium about it.
And then she was the one thatsaid, you have to develop this.
You are a medium and you have tocome and develop it.
And once I understood that, Ifelt like the penny had dropped
and I suddenly felt like, Oh,you know, this is, this is why,
this is why I'm getting this.
(03:23):
And then from there on, and Istarted my work as a
Mandy (03:25):
medium.
Did you ever, I noticed you saidgrowing up that your grandmother
was supportive and, and didn'tmake you feel shamed about that
or embarrassed or anything, butwere there other people in your
life who were not the same modelas your grandmother?
Were there people who questionedyou or thought you were weird
because
Karen (03:43):
of that?
Oh yeah, I think the term weirdhappened a lot, you know, I
think through friends and, youknow, through even like my mum
used to say, you know, I don'tknow where we got you from
Karen, I think you're from themoon, she used to just always
say you're from the moon, you'redifferent to your sisters
because no one else was pickingthese things up and I was always
a very sensitive child and Ithink that my parents struggled
(04:07):
with my sensitivity sometimes.
They didn't always know why Ifelt things the way that I did
or why I seen things the waythat I did.
So it was difficult for them andthey didn't, they didn't
actually.
you know, make out it was anissue, but they didn't
understand it either.
And I could feel that.
So sometimes I would justwithhold things or not tell them
things because I didn't wantthem to think that I was weird
(04:29):
or that there was somethingdifferent.
And I think that that is a bigpart of your mediumship journey
when you don't actually knowbecause you do feel different
and you do understand that.
People aren't going tounderstand this.
You will get called weird, orpeople will laugh, or people
will think that there'ssomething crazy going on.
So you tend to learn to trustthe ones you can trust.
And luckily for me, mygrandmother was one of the ones.
(04:51):
She used to say to my father, itwas, she was my father's mum.
And she used to say to him, youknow, Karen brings spirit with
her when she comes in.
They come with her.
So she was very mediumistic.
But even then, although my dadhad grown up with my grandmother
being like that, she didn'tpractice mediumship.
So it was always just thisthought.
And I think when I started todevelop at the time, I remember
(05:14):
telling my dad who I'm veryclose to, and I think he thought
it was just a hobby.
You know, it was something.
You know, that you're tappinginto, okay, yes, yes, sort of
thing.
And then he came to see me workone evening at a charity event
that I'd done.
And he said after, I can'tbelieve that, like you're
communicating with people.
I can see that you'recommunicating.
(05:34):
The evidence comes in and hecouldn't believe it.
And from that minute, that'swhen he truly believed or
realized the depth of what I wasdoing.
Mandy (05:43):
Wow, what a wonderful shift to have, to be able to
show that and have him see itfor what it is, because I think
so many people who don't havethat Any ability, it's so common
to question it and to wonder ifit's real and, and you don't
want to feel like a fool.
So you don't want to like, eventhough part of you wants to
(06:03):
believe so much, then I thinkthe other part of people is
afraid to believe in that.
So I love that your family wasable to come around to that.
You mentioned having tocultivate this skill.
How does that work?
Is there training that you, doyou have a mentor or how can
tell me what that looks
Karen (06:21):
like?
So I began by sitting in what wecall a circle, a development
circle, which is a term usedhere in the UK, I think.
Primarily, probably, where yousit with the same people every
week at a certain time and yousit together and you meditate
and you ask spirit to stepforward and you develop your
clairvoyance or yourclairaudience and clairsentience
(06:43):
and it's just about learning howto use.
your sensitivity, learning howto feel spirit around you.
So I sat in that developmentgroup for a while, but I also
went to the Arthur FinlayCollege, which is in London and
it's a prestigious college forspiritualism and learning and
developing.
But I, and I used to go there tosee different tutors, but
(07:05):
Mentoring, I didn't get, youknow, it was something that I
just kind of had to navigatemyself and it was difficult at
times because although I wasfeeling these things and
trusting what I was receiving, Ididn't always have the
confidence to go forward becauseI didn't want to say to someone,
yes, I'm a medium.
It took me a long, long time tosay I was a medium because that
(07:27):
for me came with such greatresponsibility.
And if I was this medium, then Ihad to prove that I was this
medium and it was finding theconfidence to actually be.
able to say this is what I'mdoing.
So it took a long time in thatrespect for me to actually be
okay with what I was doing.
So I didn't have someone sayingto me, yes, that's correct.
No, that's not correct.
(07:48):
It was just something that I hadto learn throughout my own time,
but.
I always knew that my guides andmy helpers, my spirit team were
keeping me on the right trackand helping me develop because
of the proof that I wasreceiving with that, maybe with
being asked to do readings orbeing asked to work at events
or, you know, so I kind of knewthis is, I know what I'm doing
(08:09):
here, but I just need to keepgoing with it.
What is the first
Mandy (08:14):
kind of event that you took part in as a medium?
And at that point, were youcalling yourself a medium or
were you just still practicingand trying to learn
Karen (08:22):
how to do that?
I was trying to learn.
So in over in Scotland here, wehave a lot of spiritualist
churches and centres.
And when I was sitting withinthat circle, the teacher said,
right, I'm taking you all tothis.
event and you've got to be anovice medium.
That's what they called it.
(08:43):
And you've got to stand up andyou have to give evidence.
And I was a nervous wreck.
Like I just felt like I can't dothis standing up, you know,
given this evidence and you'reall nervous about it.
And the other people werenervous too.
But the minute we went in, I'llnever forget when it was my turn
and I stood up, it was almostlike, like, I just knew it was
(09:04):
fine.
And I just knew that.
spirit were there, I could feelthem, the evidence had delivered
was really good evidence and Ijust felt like this is me, this
is what I'm supposed to do, thisis fine.
And so I'd done that and afterthat service, that event there
was someone in the audience,another medium who was quite
known, she was known locally,she was quite well thought of
(09:25):
and she approached me after itand said, I want you to come and
develop with me.
She said, I just feel like Youknow, you're real, you're
genuine, you're authentic.
So she kind of took me under herwing after that a little bit and
I worked with her at differentthings, different events, and
just really found my feet afterthat of believing in what I was
doing was true and genuine andthat I could do it.
Mandy (09:48):
You mentioned a few moments ago about your spirit
guides who are with you.
How does that work?
Is it the same spirits that youfeel have been with you all
along?
Or is it that you can justaccess different spirits at
different times?
Karen (10:05):
Well, different spirits at different times come in, so
that's why I tend to call themmy team, because let's say when
you start school, you get ateacher for that year that you
start school, and as you go upthrough school, develop
yourself, you get differentteachers for different Subjects,
different times in your life andit's exactly the same.
(10:25):
That's what happens with spirit.
So if I'm trying to develop my,let's say my clairvoyance in
some respect, I will have aguide coming in that can help me
with that.
And then if I'm trying todevelop trans mediumship, I'll
have a guide that will come inand help me with that.
So there are different onesdependent on what the need is at
the time for my own development.
But I know that there's a mainguide that's been with me.
(10:48):
you know, for my whole journey.
And I'm very, I communicate wellwith him and I, and I know him
and I feel like when he stepsin, I know why he's stepping in.
And then there are other guidesthat I've met along my journey.
I never, I'm a medium to say youmust know your guides.
I think guides will givethemselves to you when the time
is right.
(11:09):
But there are many guides nowthat I've met throughout my
journey that I'm well versedwith now and know when they're
coming in and why they're comingin.
Wow.
Mandy (11:17):
That's fascinating.
So when you work with people whohave lost someone and they want
you to access a specific personor a specific spirit, is that
something that's possible or howdoes that work for you?
And it, does it feel like a lotof pressure on you to try and
connect with somethingspecifically because that person
(11:41):
is grieving and they want thatconnection with the person who
they've
Karen (11:45):
lost?
Yes, you know, I know as amedium, I always would say to
someone, I can't guarantee aconnection because really, it's
not something that you can 100percent guarantee, but at the
same time, there's never reallybeen a communication that hasn't
worked, meaning I know, spiritknow who's coming.
So basically, if someone comesto me, their loved one knows
(12:09):
that they are there, they havekind of orchestrated that or
engineered that to happen.
So.
If a mother in the spirit sidewants to talk to her daughter
and her daughter reaches out tome, then in my mind, why would
the mother not be there?
So for me, although I've got tosay I can't guarantee that, it
wouldn't make sense for me thatthe spirit person didn't come
(12:29):
through.
However, the levels ofcommunication may differ.
So if someone has recentlypassed, it might mean that the
communication isn't as strong,or there's a lot of emotion
surrounding that.
So it takes longer for thatcommunication to happen.
Whereas it might be someone elsethat comes through and they're
strong and You know, evidentialand the, the communication is no
(12:52):
problem at all.
So it can vary, but I was, Iwould always tell the person
who's coming to me, I can'tguarantee anything, but I will
try.
And if I get the person throughthat you're looking for, and I
don't feel it's a strongconnection, we will try again in
a week's time, or we will tryagain another day, because I
want to make sure that you getthe best of the communication
from that person.
(13:15):
And you
Mandy (13:15):
mentioned strong emotions.
Is that a block for theconnection?
If somebody is really strugglingat the moment, does that prevent
that connection from beingstronger?
Karen (13:27):
It doesn't prevent it at all and it doesn't block it.
What it does is if, if someonecomes to me and they've lost
someone only weeks before, Whatcan happen is that person is
still in shock or an emotionalplace and their loved one in the
spirit world will come in andthey will want to make that
communication to give them theproof that they are okay and
that they're still with them.
(13:48):
But what can happen is therecipient is so emotional about
it that they won't take it inproperly.
You know, it's an experiencethat's quite surreal for them.
And really a communication fromthe spirit, because it is sacred
and because it is just in thatmoment and it's very present,
you want the recipient to getthe best out of that
communication.
(14:08):
So if.
If they are too emotional or tooupset, I would rather wait just
a little while until they weresettled and they could
understand what was takingplace, but it definitely won't
block their loved one comingthrough.
Wow.
Mandy (14:23):
Have you, in your personal life, ever lost someone
close to you?
And in that experience, Were youable to connect with them in the
spirit world or is it harder toaccess, like, the people who are
close to you in this life?
Karen (14:39):
It's definitely harder for me to access the people that
I have crossed over that I'vebeen close to, but not because
they're not there, just becauseI don't have the privilege of
just, you know, connectingbecause I'm a medium, I have to
wait for that communication thesame as anyone else.
So although I know where theyare and I don't have any doubt
(14:59):
of where they are because ofwhat I do, it doesn't mean I can
always talk to them and really,or hear from them, I should say.
I always talk to them but Idon't often hear from them.
But I, my mother is probably myclosest person that's passed
away and she passed away sevenyears ago and that was obviously
very difficult and she had adifficult time before she
(15:20):
crossed over so it was hard towatch.
But it gives you, it gives youthe context of what's taking
place.
So I work with people every daythat have lost people.
And what I felt it done for mewas give me the other side of
the experience too, you know,not just the mediumship side of
things.
But when my mom was crossingover, I sat with her the whole
(15:42):
night before she crossed and Icould feel her spirit move.
I could feel that her spiritwas.
shifting, that it wasdisconnecting from the physical
body.
I could feel every part of herjourney as a medium.
And I was talking to her andtelling her just go mum, it's
fine.
Like you're nearly there.
Just, I kept saying to her, makethe jump.
(16:02):
I know that you're frightened toleave this world behind, but
we're all okay.
And I just kept encouraging herto go.
And when she did actually let goof the physical body, I could
feel the room fill with herenergy, absolutely elated
energy, and I remember the thenurses coming in to tell me, you
know, do you realize your mumhas passed away and I said yes,
(16:25):
but I was, it was almost like anadrenaline because I could feel
that she was okay and that shefelt And Oh, I'm still here, you
know, like my mum was veryfrightened to die.
So it gave me a sense of sheknows now that this is okay, you
know, and I knew that she wasall right with it.
So I was happy for her becauseshe needed to leave the body.
(16:47):
The body was very sick and itwas, you know, she had a
terrible time.
So I was happy for her.
But of course, the grief sets inafter that, you know, you're
grieving your mother.
So the grief side of thingsstill come in, even though I
know where she is and that she'sall right.
Was
Mandy (17:02):
experiencing that with your mom, has it changed your
practice at all as a medium orinfluenced how you work with
your clients when they come toyou and they're grieving
Karen (17:13):
someone?
You know, I thought it would.
And the reason I say that isbecause two nights after my mom
passed away, I had alreadycommitted to a charity event an
audience reading, and I didn'twant to let them down.
And I kind of thought, should Igo?
Should I not?
And I sat with spirit and I.
Decided I'm going to go and Iwent and I remember saying to
(17:34):
Spirit on the way there, pleasedon't bring anyone through for
me that passed with cancer,because that's what my mum had.
I don't think that I could talkabout it because it's just too
close to what's just happened.
And would you know that everyperson that came through that
night for me had passed withcancer.
And.
At the time, I was like, this isunbelievable.
(17:55):
But I had to go with the flowand I had to bring the evidence
and I had to deliver that.
And after it, I felt like, well,it wasn't fair for me to ask
that really, because it's not upto me who comes in.
But more than that, what it, andI think this is the reason that,
that it happened that way.
It was to show me that when I amworking as a medium, I am
removed from my own.
(18:16):
emotions, my own grief.
I'm working for spirit.
I'm working for the otherpeople.
So it really showed me that Ican still work in a powerful way
without being too affected bythat in that sense.
So I was really grateful forthat experience and going
forward from that, you know,losing my own mum really.
gives me more empathy, ofcourse, about the whole process.
(18:39):
But I think I always had thatanyway as a medium.
I always felt people's pain.
I always felt their grief.
I've always felt what theyneeded, what I needed to
nurture, what I needed to lookafter.
And so it has affected me, ofcourse, in some ways.
But I think as a medium, you'realways aware of other people's
pain and suffering, always.
Mandy (19:00):
And I guess in a way, being a medium and feeling so
sure of what's next and thatthere is a spirit realm and that
it's not the end in the way thatsome people may believe that it
will be maybe, I'm just assumingprovides an extra layer of
comfort in knowing that it'sjust a different realm whereas I
(19:25):
think people who don't have thatgift I don't want to believe
that, but without the evidencethat you have or without the
experience that you have, maybeit's a little more difficult to
feel secure in that knowing.
Karen (19:38):
Yes, definitely.
I mean, obviously my two sistersexperienced the same loss of my
mom as I did.
And they're not media mystic,but they know what I do, but
it's all, it's obviously easierfor me to say to them, but mum's
all right.
You know, I could feel it.
I felt her the minute shepassed, I, and I can tell them
all of that, but for them, theydidn't feel that.
(19:58):
So for them, it was that feelingof, well, how, how can you know,
are you sure?
Is she all right?
You know, they had all thequestions and I was answering
the questions, but I felt for Ithought, I'm so blessed to feel
this.
And they don't feel this and itleaves them in that unsure place
of things, even though theybelieve in what I do, they
(20:18):
believe that there's a spiritworld, all of that, but you have
to feel it for yourself.
So I know that I am very blessedto have that knowledge and carry
that knowledge with me.
And really what I try to do isjust really share that with as
many people that as I can, thatI feel need that so that it
helps them.
Mandy (20:36):
I always wonder why is it that some people can feel that
and some people can not.
I have always been a bigbeliever in mediumship and my
mom was a big believer in all ofthat.
And then she passed away, and Ijust expected, like, I'm going
to be getting signs all thetime, and I'm going to feel her
near me all the time, and havedreams about her all the time.
(20:57):
And it really wasn't myexperience, and that was very
surprising to me, and made mequestion these things that I
believed in.
So, what is it about, Somepeople do and some people don't
Karen (21:09):
as far as mediumship goes, you're born a medium.
So it's something you're bornwith.
It's something you're alwaysmeant to do.
Whether you answer that callingor not, it's not up to the
spirit side.
Some people will have that andmaybe never discovered it or
maybe think they shouldn't bedoing it for whatever reason.
But if you're a medium, you areborn a medium.
So you will feel things on alevel that maybe other people
(21:30):
don't.
Psychically, we can all pickthings up because we are all
psychic.
So when we come here, we comefrom the spirit realm.
We come here, live our life.
And then when we die here, we gohome to the spirit.
So when we are in the spiritside of life, the communication
is only mind to mind becausethere is nothing physical there.
(21:51):
So when we come here, we allstill have that psychic ability,
that mind to mind communication.
All of these skills can bedeveloped but mediumship has to
be part of you and part of whoyou are.
As far as, you know, signs gofrom your loved ones, I agree
with you in the fact that peopleexpect, you know, to have these
big bold things that happen tothem that's going to tell them
(22:14):
that their loved one is okay andit never really happens like
that.
You do hear of things happeningon some scale but it's quite
rare that it would be massivelike that.
It's more about us fostering ourown belief in the fact that they
are there.
And when we believe in that,truly, we will get signs, but
they will be very subtle.
(22:34):
The spirit side, you know, if itcould say it like this, if the
spirit side of life could comein and appear in front of us or
give us a massive sign, theywould all be doing it.
They would all be doing itbecause there's not one person
in the spirit world that wantstheir loved one to suffer
because they don't know thatthey're still alive.
So they can't do it in that waybecause they're working from a
whole other.
(22:54):
place, a whole different energy,a whole different vibration,
different frequency.
So it just can't happen likethat.
So other things will come in.
Small signs will come in.
Coincidences, which aresynchronicity, will come in.
Maybe a song will come on theTV, just as you were thinking of
your loved one, their song mightcome on.
It's little things like thatthat come in.
But unfortunately, our brainwill interpret that as
(23:18):
coincidence, or it willinterpret that like, well, Maybe
that was our song, but maybe I'mjust thinking that that's a
message.
You know, our brain will keeptrying to make it logical, but
our soul wants to connect withthe experience.
So it's more about believing inyour soul a little bit more and
just going with the flow on itand you will receive signs.
Mandy (23:41):
I love, I have had a lot of guests on the podcast and
quite a few bring up signs thatthey feel they've had from their
loved ones.
And I always love that topic andtalking to people about what
they've experienced and how theyinterpreted it and everything.
I think it's fascinating all ofthe different ways that that
comes up for people.
I will share when my mom diedthe night.
(24:03):
After she died, I had a two yearold daughter who was like, just
learning to talk, didn't havetons of language by that point.
And she was asleep and we wereall asleep in the bed.
It was the middle of the night,like three in the morning.
She woke up and sat up and Ifelt her sit up and I tried to
lay her back down to go tosleep.
And she took my arm and wascaressing my arm from like my
(24:27):
elbow to my hand.
And she said, as clear as day,this is hard.
And it was the strangestexperience I've ever had.
I, and then as soon as she saidit, then she went, lay back
down, went right back to sleep.
And I got out of bed and I wroteit down because I was like, I
feel like I'm dreaming, but Iwant to remember that this
actually happened and that sheactually said those words.
(24:48):
And it was one of the onlyexperiences in my life where
I've felt very clearly like itwas a communication to me that
was not from her,
Karen (24:57):
but it was very beautiful.
And when it happens, it doesfeel very.
surreal, you know, but you know,your soul knows it was true.
Your soul knows that that was areal experience.
And that was from your mother.
That was from the person youwere looking for because your
two year old wouldn't come outwith that.
That's not something that wouldbe said.
(25:17):
So your soul knows it to betrue.
And that's why you believed it,right?
But when there's signs likemusic or a certain bird that
comes in the garden or whatever,sometimes your brain will just
make that logical.
And there's something to be saidfor looking for the logic
because there are other peoplethat say everything's a sign
from spirit.
You know, if the lights go onand off it's spirit, but
(25:40):
actually there's a storm goingon outside.
So it's electrical, you know,you've got to make it logical to
a certain degree.
But if it's something that thereis no logic for, if it's
something that stands out likewhat happened to you, that
absolutely is your loved one.
And the biggest thing that youcan do is thank them for that
and say that you received themessage because there are so
(26:00):
much, there's so many times thatI know that spirit come through
and give a message or give asymbol or something to their
loved one and they don't.
And I know that I can feel thefrustration from those in the
spirit side, almost saying, Oh,I nearly, I nearly managed.
She nearly believed me.
You know, she nearly got thatmessage.
(26:22):
And I always feel so bad becausethey try so, so hard.
So if any of your listeners dohave that experience, Even a
tiny part of them feels like itwas their mother or father or
whoever it might be.
Just say thank you and take itthat it was, because that person
in the spirit world will bedelighted that they managed to
reach you.
Mandy (26:42):
I've never thought about it from the other perspective,
but I like that.
Karen (26:46):
I think sometimes we don't ever think of it from,
it's human nature to think of itfrom our perspective, but as a
medium, I'm very aware of whatthe spirit world think of things
as well.
So every time I work withsomeone, I will thank the person
in spirit for trusting me withtheir loved one and saying, I
will take care of them.
You don't have to worry aboutthis because it is, it's a hard
thing for them to do as well.
(27:07):
Wow.
Mandy (27:08):
I have a random question that I was thinking because you
and I are meeting via Zoom andtechnology and we're living in a
world now where that's becomingmore and more common, whereas
people used to often only meetmediums in person, face to face,
and I imagine that those areservices that some people are
offering virtually.
So I'm wondering for you, isthat something that you do
(27:31):
virtually and if it is, is itmore difficult to connect with
With the people or the spiritsthat you're trying to when
you're not in the same sharedspace as someone
Karen (27:43):
else.
You know, it's quite a commonquestion because when the
pandemic happened, and everyonehad to kind of go online, right?
So everyone had to get used todoing things online.
I had already been doing onlinereading, Zoom, video, FaceTime,
Skype for a long time, because Ihave clients all over the world.
So that's, It's the only way Ican connect with them.
(28:05):
But when the pandemic happened,people even here, I'm based in
Scotland, so people in Scotlandhad to go online to do it if
they wanted a reading.
And they were all saying thesame thing, like, how does that
work?
I would rather wait and see youin person.
And I tried to explain to somany people, it doesn't matter
to me where we connect.
When I'm connecting with yourloved one, they are coming to
blend with me.
(28:26):
So it doesn't matter if I'm inthis room, your room, face to
face, telephone, none of thatmatters for me as the medium.
Some psychics will want to bewith the person in the room
because they will feel intotheir energy because they're
sitting right in front of them.
But I can do that on a screen.
If I was connecting with youright now, I could still read
(28:46):
for you from where I am becauseI'm working with the energy of
spirit.
So it's a slightly differentthing.
So for me, it makes nodifference because I've done it
for Such a long time now, and ifyou think about it, there is no
time or distance in the spiritside of things.
So if I'm working with a lady inAustralia, for instance, and I'm
bringing through her mother, hermother is with me and with her
(29:08):
at the same time.
There is no time or distance.
It's the blending of theenergies that counts.
So for the medium, it shouldn'tmake any difference.
Wow, that's
Mandy (29:17):
hard to even wrap my mind around because everything for us
is so physical, right?
And we're thinking about space.
Karen (29:25):
I remember doing a reading for a lady actually in
Australia, and that's what cameto mind when I was seeing it.
And she was obviously on thescreen and I was talking to her
about her mother and she waslike, yeah, that's right.
And I said, no, she's telling methat behind the computer screen,
so obviously I couldn't seethat.
You have her cup, like you drinktea out of her cup.
And she said, Yeah, and shereached and she got the cup and
(29:47):
she held it up and she said howcan, how can she see that if
she's with you and then I had toexplain to her she's not, she's
with you as well and she's withme as well and we went into all
that and she was the same, she'slike I can't get my head around
that but there is no distance,there is no time, it's just a
presence, you know, so they arealways with you even if they're
(30:07):
somewhere else at the same time.
Wow.
Mandy (30:11):
What about for people who have never been to see a medium
before and aren't sure what toexpect or maybe are nervous or
aren't sure what to believe,what kind of advice do you give
to first time people who arereaching out to you?
Karen (30:26):
I always say to people, if it's an event, for instance,
I will speak to the audience andsay, look, there are going to be
a mixture of beliefs in here.
You might be sceptical.
You might be a completebeliever, or you might not know,
you know, how you feel aboutthis and that's why you're here.
But whatever you do, just beopen, be sceptical until you
have proof that the mediumyou're going to see is
(30:48):
evidential, but always be open.
There's a difference.
You know, between the two.
Some people think beingsceptical means put your guard
up.
Don't tell the medium anythingI've had people come for
readings in the past and Iremember one jumps out, this
girl walked into my studio andas she sat down I said that her
father was there and she said,okay And I said and he's telling
(31:11):
me you didn't have to take yourring off and put it in your
pocket And she had done it justbefore she came in because she
didn't want to give me any clueabout her life, whether she was
married, whether she wasn't.
And she started to laugh and shewas like, I can't believe you
just said that.
I said, you don't have to worry.
I'm not here to pick up on, youknow, clues and things like
that.
But I understood why she done itbecause there are so many
(31:33):
fraudulent.
mediums as well.
I mean, you get that in everywalk of life, no matter what you
do.
So people do need to be awarethat they're not given too much
away, but don't have your guardup, be open, because if you're
not open to what's taking place,it's harder work for the medium,
but it's harder work for thespirit side as well.
So you want to go with an openmind, but just tell yourself
(31:55):
that I'll wait to see what Ifeel about this.
And a lot of it's about thefeeling of it rather than you
know, the, the physical sense.
It's about how did you feel inthe presence of that medium?
How do you feel that mediumdealt with things?
And that will give them eitherthe belief in that medium, or
they might think that mediumwasn't for me, but I might try
again somewhere else.
And then they can gauge it forthemselves.
Mandy (32:18):
Yeah, I guess that leads me to another question where
when we talk about going to seea therapist, for example, often
you could have therapists whoare all equally as good at their
job, but I might not connectwell with a specific therapist.
We don't vibe well together, andso I have to move on to someone
else.
Is it the same in your fieldwhere maybe you can have a
(32:39):
stronger connection if Maybe youand I wouldn't have as strong a
connection as someone else orhow does that
Karen (32:46):
work?
It's exactly the same.
You know, there's, there'sdifferent mediums for different
people.
So I've seen mediums when I wasgoing through my journey before
I was like working as a medium,I would go and watch mediums all
the time.
Some mediums I connected withand resonated with other
mediums.
I was like, Nope, that's not forme.
It's a different style.
It's a different way to dothings.
(33:06):
It didn't sit well with me.
doesn't mean they were a badmedium or not.
It just meant that it wasn't forme.
And the spirit world will choosemediums that they can work
through as well.
So, you know, if my grandmotherwas coming to work through a
medium, my grandmother wouldchoose someone that she felt
resonated with her.
So there's nothing wrong withsaying, you know, that.
(33:27):
That medium's not for me or, youknow, I didn't feel that that
blended too well.
And likewise, I will get peoplecoming to see me.
95 percent of the time connectwith every single one of them,
but there might be a couplewhere I think that I'm just
didn't.
Feel the energy of that as well.
But that's human nature too.
You know, you're going to blendwith some people and other
(33:48):
people you're not.
So I don't think it's anythingto worry about, but it's
something to be aware of.
And if you connect with someoneor believe in them or believe
they're authentic, then that ishalf the battle with this kind
of work.
And to not be
Mandy (34:03):
afraid to try someone else.
If, if your first experienceisn't what you were hoping for.
Absolutely.
Karen (34:09):
I mean, anyone that goes to see different mediums usually
have varying stories.
You know, if I say to someone,have you had a reading before?
And they say, well, yes, I'vehad four or five readings over
my time and two of them weren'tgreat, but three were fine.
You know, there's all, there'susually a varying degree to
these stories, but it's for thatvery reason that there maybe
(34:30):
wasn't a connection there.
Sometimes it's because themedium Couldn't read for the
person or whatever, but usuallyit's an energy thing.
That's what I
Mandy (34:38):
would say.
I think there's a misconceptionor a belief that you mentioned
fraudulent mediums or and howthat can appear in any walk of
life, but I think people assumethat it's worse with mediums.
And so what would you say aboutthat and how common do you think
that really is?
Karen (34:57):
Yeah, I think it is worse with mediums and the reason for
that is because you're dealingwith vulnerable people.
So when there are fraudulentmediums out there they do a lot
of damage to mediumship but alsoto the people that they're
talking with.
And then a genuine medium has tocome along and pick the pieces
up of that.
So It is very difficultsometimes but it is something
(35:19):
that happens a lot.
And I think that, especially nowwith social media and, you know,
everyone can go online and findany medium, psychic, whatever,
or people can do one course andthen say they're, they have a
certificate.
So that means that they're amedium.
And all I would say ismediumship is very sacred.
It's, it's.
very special.
It's not something that everyperson can do.
(35:42):
It's something that someone'sborn to do.
It's almost like saying, youknow, if you wanted to be a
singer, let's say Beyonce, youknow, is a phenomenal singer.
Well, we all can't be Beyonce,even though some of us might
have a singing voice, you know,that we can carry the song, but
we can't be that.
So it's not about trying to besomeone else or trying to be the
medium because mediums areamazing.
(36:02):
It's about.
Trust in your own journey, trustin what your purpose is in life.
But for those that are going tofind mediums, please be always
aware that if it doesn't sitwith you, then it doesn't sit
with you for a reason.
And the fraudulent side ofthings I mean, I've had people
coming to me.
I remember a girl coming to me,she was about 21 and she'd been
(36:23):
told previously by a medium thatshe was at college at the time.
And she was told that somethingbad was going to happen to her.
In college.
So this girl gave up college,went back home, was frightened,
she didn't want to go out withfriends, she didn't want to
party, because of what thismedium told her.
And she came to me and I wentthrough everything with her, put
(36:44):
her mind totally at rest, saidthat was not from a medium, that
was Some, that woman was doingsomething else, it was nothing
to do with you.
And the relief that that girlfelt and started living her
life, and that's the kind ofdamage that can be done.
And it's awful, but all we cando as genuine mediums is pick up
on that and try to salvagesomething out of it or put
(37:06):
people's minds at rest.
Mandy (37:08):
How could she or anyone be able to spot that maybe this
wasn't authentic?
I would say.
What signs can people look forin that situation?
Any
Karen (37:20):
mediumship experience should be healing.
It should be uplifting, healing,emotional, yes, because you know
the subject matter, but youshould come away from a medium
feeling uplifted, more powerfulhealed in some way, close to
your loved ones, all of theabove.
If you come away from a mediumreading and you're feeling
(37:42):
worried, concerned, fearful,upset, It wasn't from spirit.
Spirit don't bring that.
The spirit world want to bringhealing.
They want to bring comfort.
They want to uplift.
They do not want to upset orbring bad news or negative
stuff.
They don't do anything likethat.
So if you are experiencing thatthrough a medium, they're not,
(38:02):
they're not mediumistic.
It's not coming from themediumship.
Mandy (38:06):
That's so helpful to know and for people to know before
they go.
What.
What would you say to people whoare listening to the show, who
are grieving and who've just hada loss, like what advice do you
have for them and when, youknow, whether they want to go
see a medium or whether theyjust want to feel closer to that
Karen (38:26):
loved one?
Every grief is different forevery person.
So when you're grieving is avery, very personal journey.
There's no right or wrong.
There's no way it should be.
I know we have guidelines likewe'll say, well, maybe in two
months you should feel like thisor five months you should feel
like this.
For me, it doesn't work likethat.
It's a very, very personal thingand it's a personal connection.
(38:49):
So if you are grieving, ifyou're listening to the show and
you are grieving for someone.
Biggest thing I could say isplease remember that they
haven't left.
Please remember that they arestill there, even though you
might not feel them right atthis point in your life, but
they are there.
I can assure you of that.
And the one thing to do to feelclose to them is keep speaking
(39:10):
to them, keep validating them.
If it's, let's say your mother,that's in the spirit side.
Keep speaking to her every day,you know, every morning I get up
and I say good morning to mymum.
I don't hear my mum saying goodmorning back to me, but I know
that she can hear me.
And just by having thatknowledge that my mum knows I'm
asking for her or speaking toher, that brings me comfort and
(39:32):
connection, even though I don'tfeel the connection coming back
the way I am assured that shewill hear me.
So keep talking to her.
Keep validating them.
The more you do that, the morethey will pull in closer, the
more the connection will buildand you will get your proof at
some point that they arelistening to you and that they
can hear you.
And using that to kind ofnavigate your grief is, is a
(39:54):
good thing because It will, itwon't take your grief away
because grief is pain becausewe've lost that person, but if
you have the knowledge that theycan hear you and that one day
they will respond to that, itlets you navigate that grief in
a, in a different way, in a morepowerful way.
Mandy (40:12):
That's incredible.
Thank you so much for being hereand for sharing all of this with
everyone.
I would love, I know youmentioned that you can work in
far distances in our world.
So how can people reach out toyou and work with you?
And yeah, what kind of resourcescan you give us?
Karen (40:29):
If if you go to my website, it's karendocherty.
com, everything is on there,whether it's one to one
readings, mentorship, courseseven just to chat about
something, if you have aquestion, it is me that answers
every question, everysubmission, it's not someone
else doing it for me.
So you know, if anyone islistening and they do want to
reach out, they can do that atkarendocherty.
(40:52):
com and I will personally answerany questions.
If you're interested in learningmore about working with a
medium.
Karen's website will be linkedin the show notes.
And if you notice anything inyour life that could be assigned
from your loved one.
Let's take her advice and thankthe spirits around us.
For today's journal prompt.
Right about an experience thatyou felt may have been assigned
(41:14):
from your loved one.
Let the writing take you in anydirection at Leeds.
Thank you so much for listening,please make sure you subscribe.
Share this episode with anyonewho could benefit from it and as
always visit, remember grants.
Anytime you need to send alittle love to someone who is
grieving.
Thank you and have a wonderfulday.
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