The allure of psychic mediums lies in their mysterious ability to bridge the tangible and intangible realms, offering a glimpse into the unknown. People are drawn to the prospect of connecting with departed loved ones or gaining insights into their future.
Theresa Caputo, renowned as the “Long Island Medium,” captivates audiences with her unique blend of charm and alleged psychic abilities. She has returned to television with a Lifetime series called Raising Spirits, which will begin airing on Jan. 25. The new series will explore the next phase of her personal life and embarks on a tour, including sold-out shows in London.
A Hicksville native born in 1966 Caputo rose to fame through her reality TV show, Long Island Medium, which premiered in 2011. Caputo claims to communicate with the spirits of the deceased, providing messages to those seeking closure or guidance. Her distinctive personality and big-hearted approach have garnered a devoted following, while skepticism persists regarding the authenticity of her gifts. Despite naysayers and disbelievers, Caputo’s enduring popularity reflects the enduring fascination with the mystical and the unexplained in contemporary culture.
Ahead of her recent back-to-back scheduled shows at The Paramount in Huntington, I had a chance to speak with Caputo about her gift. Here is what she shared.
CH: Explain your gift of communicating with spirits.
TC: I don’t think people realize what I do is so much more than just communicating with people that have died. It restores our faith, maybe in religion, but more importantly faith in ourselves. It’s okay to celebrate life and to find happiness even though our loved ones are gone. We can grieve; we’re going to grieve them for the rest of our life in the physical world, but the healing process is something completely different. It’s okay to heal too. Just because we feel like there will be negative emotion [when grieving] doesn’t mean that we’re not honoring or mourning our loved ones.
CH: What is your earliest memory of having a connection or some kind of communication with a spirit?
TC: My first memory is seeing a woman standing at the foot of my bed at the age of four. And I didn’t know and realize that it was my great grandmother until decades later. I had seen a picture of her in my grandmother’s house. She died a year or two before I was born.
CH: How did you explain to your parents that you have this ability?
TC: I come from a very spiritual, strong-faithed family. Telling my mom wasn’t difficult. I think I literally said, “Mom, I can read people” and she was like, “Oh, okay.” I know that we all have the ability to connect with our own departed loved ones. I think my family has always had that connection, so it wasn’t odd to them. The things that I would feel and hear became something different when I was saying things that I would know nothing about and that had nothing to do with our family, I was connecting with other people’s loved ones.
CH: How do you physically feel when you are in a spiritual communication with someone?
TC: When I’m channeling, I don’t have any personal thoughts, feelings, or emotions. It’s literally I sense and feel everything that the soul wants to communicate, and what that person is feeling that I’m speaking to. I can’t explain how it happens. It just happens. And a lot of times the reading stays with me, like if I have a tough reading, like a tragic departure that will affect my mood, it will affect how I am when I’m done reading. So, it is extremely emotional, and extremely difficult at times.
CH: Are you “approached” unsolicited by spirits when you walk in a room or are minding your own business grocery shopping?
TC: It’s really just a knowing or a feeling. Sometimes a spirit pushes me enough to say something. Sometimes a spirit can physically make me feel and bring me through how they passed. Sometimes it’s a sign or a symbol of a burden or guilt that someone is carrying, a negative emotion. And not everyone needs or wants to hear from a departed loved one, so if I am [moved] by a spirit, they have to show me certain things before I will say something and communicate to someone who is living. It is similar when I am on stage, and I have a room full of people. I walk through the audience. I am sensing things. There is always something that grabs me [figuratively] and makes me feel like I have to stop and look at someone and say all of the things that mean nothing to me, but will change someone’s life who is physically standing in front of me.
CH: Why are people allured to mediums?
TC: One of the things that I struggled with, when I discovered that I had this ability not only to connect with my own departed loved ones, but everyone else’s was why someone would want to see a medium to communicate with their loved ones who have died. I couldn’t understand that. But what I learned over the decades of channeling the souls of the departed is that, unfortunately, no matter who we lose someone or how they die, we’re left with these negative emotions and feelings. It really is remarkable how every show and every time I channel spirit, there is some type of universal message of healing and faith and hope. Having a spirit validate something unique to the person they are trying to speak to through me is incredible and it amazes me every time I channel spirit.
CH: Tell me about the new show, Raising Spirits.
TC: We’re filming on Long Island in my home and while I am out and about on daily errands. The viewer gets a deeper look into a different side of my life, with my family, how I interact with my crew, and also being on the road.
CH: Is there anybody from Hicksville who had some significant understanding of your abilities?
TC: Pat Longo helped me understand my ability and provided a safe place for me to explore my gift. She understood the gift of communicating. She was a spiritual healer and she used to teach awareness classes in her home. My anxiety was bad at the time; she helped me understand that I was being brought through people’s departure. I was absorbing that energy. In Pat’s class, I discovered that I had the ability to connect with everyone’s loved ones.
Psychic mediums, with their claimed extrasensory perceptions, tap into a realm beyond the ordinary, providing a sense of comfort and hope. Allure stems from the potential for personal validation, closure, or guidance that transcends conventional understanding. Whether fueled by curiosity, grief, or a quest for spiritual enlightenment, individuals seek solace and intrigue in the enigmatic world of psychic mediums.
Caputo will be appearing at The Paramount in Huntington in Theresa Caputo Live: Celebrating 10 Years Of The Experience on Dec. 6 and Dec. 7 at 7:30 p.m. Visit www.paramountny.com for more details and tickets.
Also visit Caputo’s website (www.theresacaputo.com) to learn more.
