Understanding Mediumship: How It Works and What to Expect From a Reading

Have you ever thought about a loved one who has passed away, only to hear their favorite song on the radio moments later? Or perhaps you've had a dream about them that felt so real you woke up feeling as though you'd just spent time together.

Many people have experiences like these but quickly dismiss them as coincidence, imagination, or wishful thinking. But what if there's more to these moments than we realize?

I believe we all have the natural ability to connect with our loved ones in spirit. In fact, during many of my mediumship readings, loved ones have communicated about the ways they're already making their presence known in my clients' lives. Often, my clients recognize these experiences but haven't quite trusted what they've been feeling.

That's one of the beautiful things about mediumship. A reading can offer not only evidence of a loved one's continued existence, but also reassurance that the connection of love we share with them doesn't end when they pass away.

Understanding Our Intuitive Senses

We're all born with physical senses that allow us to see, hear, and feel the world around us. But I believe we also have intuitive senses that allow us to perceive information beyond what our physical senses can detect.

These intuitive impressions can come in different ways. We might see an image flash across our mind's eye, hear words or sounds within our mind, or experience a sudden feeling that we can't quite explain.

You may have experienced something like this yourself.

Perhaps you've had a friend's face pop into your mind moments before they called. Maybe you've had a strong gut feeling about a person or situation, even though you couldn't explain why. Or perhaps you've felt an overwhelming sense of comfort and love during a difficult moment, almost as though someone was there with you.

While experiences like these can certainly have ordinary explanations, I believe some may also involve our intuitive awareness.

For most people, these impressions seem to happen spontaneously, without much conscious control. However, I believe it's possible to develop a greater awareness of our intuitive senses through practice.

This is the foundation of psychic and mediumship development.

What's the Difference Between a Psychic and a Medium?

Although the terms psychic and medium are often used interchangeably, there is a difference between the two.

A psychic uses their intuitive senses to perceive information about a person, place, or situation. Someone seeking a psychic reading might have questions about their relationships, career, or possible future.

A medium, on the other hand, focuses on communicating with loved ones who have passed away. The purpose of a mediumship reading is to bring forward recognizable evidence, memories, personality traits, and messages that help the recipient identify and feel connected to their loved one in spirit.

This can include our beloved pets, too!

I believe the intuitive abilities involved in psychic work and mediumship are closely related, but not everyone feels drawn to develop or use them in the same way.

Personally, I choose to focus exclusively on mediumship. My passion is helping people reconnect with their loved ones in spirit through meaningful, evidence-based communication.

How Does a Medium Communicate With Spirit?

The word medium describes the role quite well. A medium acts as the person in the middle, communicating information between someone in the spirit world and someone here in the physical world.

I actually prefer to think of myself as a translator.

I believe that although our loved ones no longer have physical bodies, their consciousness continues to exist. Rather than communicating through physical speech or gestures, they can communicate through impressions that I perceive using my intuitive senses.

When I begin a reading, I shift my awareness away from the everyday thoughts running through my mind and focus on the information I'm intuitively receiving.

I may begin to see images, hear words, experience emotions, or feel physical sensations that I associate with the loved one I'm communicating with.

The information doesn't usually arrive as a complete story. Instead, it comes in pieces that gradually build upon one another.

It's almost like playing a game of charades!

For example, I might first become aware of a male presence and feel a strong fatherly connection. Interestingly, this doesn't necessarily mean the person was the recipient's biological father. It could be a stepfather, grandfather, or even a close family friend who filled that fatherly role.

I'm interpreting the relationship through the love and connection I'm feeling, rather than simply being given a title.

As the communication continues, I may begin receiving more specific information.

Let's say a loved one shows me an image of a ring, and I feel that it's a wedding ring.

I might say, "I need to talk about a wedding ring."

Next, I'm shown a gift box and feel a connection to the recipient's son.

Now I might say, "You'd understand that you gave their wedding ring to your son as a gift."

Then I experience a beautiful feeling of appreciation and love, which I might communicate as, "They want you to know how much that meant to them and how deeply they love you."

Piece by piece, the story unfolds.

Some information comes through clearly and immediately, while other details require a little more interpretation. Every connection is different, and that's part of what makes mediumship so fascinating to me.

How Do Mediums Develop Their Abilities?

Although I believe everyone has intuitive abilities, developing them to the point of providing meaningful readings for others can take years of learning, practice, and experience.

One of the first things a developing medium must learn is how to intentionally shift their awareness and become receptive to intuitive information.

I've heard this compared to tuning a radio to a particular frequency, and I think that's a wonderful analogy.

For me, it feels more like entering a relaxed state of expanded awareness.

I'm still conscious of my surroundings, but my attention shifts away from my physical senses and everyday thoughts. I become more aware of the subtle images, feelings, and impressions that arise within my mind.

Of course, this can be much easier said than done!

Imagine sitting in front of a complete stranger, or even an entire room full of strangers, who are hoping you'll bring forward specific information about someone you've never met.

There's a natural temptation to start thinking, analyzing, and searching for answers.

But mediumship, at least in my experience, doesn't work very well when I try to force it.

Instead, I have to quiet that analytical part of my mind and allow the information to unfold naturally.

Once a medium becomes comfortable entering this receptive state, there's another important skill to develop: learning how to interpret the information they're receiving.

Learning the Language of Spirit

Mediumship is a deeply personal experience because the information is filtered through the medium's own mind, memories, and life experiences.

For example, seeing a rose might symbolize love to one medium, while another might associate it with an anniversary, a particular person, or a meaningful memory.

Neither interpretation is necessarily universal. The meaning depends on the context of the communication and how that particular medium has learned to understand their impressions.

Over time, through practice with volunteers and other developing mediums, we begin building our own personal library of symbols.

We also learn something equally important: how to distinguish between information that seems to arise intuitively and information we're creating through our own thoughts or assumptions.

This takes practice, patience, and a willingness to make mistakes.

And yes, even experienced mediums can get things wrong!

Why Mediums Sometimes Misinterpret Information

One of the biggest misconceptions about mediumship is that mediums should know absolutely everything about the person they're communicating with.

But that's not how I experience it.

Remember, I consider myself a translator. And just like translating between two spoken languages, sometimes things can get lost in translation.

One of my favorite examples comes from a reading I did for a woman whose father had passed away.

During the reading, her father showed me an image of a fishing pole.

I immediately said, "Your father is showing me a fishing pole. He must have loved to fish."

She replied, "I understand the fishing pole, but he didn't like to fish."

I wasn't sure what else the image could mean, so rather than forcing an explanation, I set it aside and continued with the reading.

At the end of our session, she explained, "My father didn't like to fish, but he loved to make fishing poles as a hobby in his spare time."

There it was!

The image of the fishing pole was meaningful and recognizable to her. My mistake was assuming that because he showed me a fishing pole, he must have enjoyed fishing.

The impression itself was relevant. My interpretation was the part that was wrong.

Experiences like this have taught me the importance of communicating what I receive as accurately as possible without adding unnecessary assumptions.

Sometimes the recipient understands something immediately, even when I don't. Other times, a piece of information may make sense later. And sometimes, neither of us understands what an impression was meant to represent.

That's okay, too.

Mediums are human. We aren't all-knowing, and we certainly aren't perfect.

There are also times when maintaining a connection can be more challenging. Physical discomfort, emotional stress, distractions, or even the pressure to perform can make it harder to remain focused and receptive.

For me, the best readings happen when I allow the communication to unfold naturally rather than trying to control the outcome.

What Should You Expect From a Mediumship Reading?

Every medium has their own approach, but my goal during a reading is to bring forward meaningful, specific evidence that helps you recognize your loved one in spirit.

This might include their personality, memories, relationships, interests, or experiences you shared together.

As the communication unfolds, messages of love, encouragement, and reassurance may also come through.

I encourage my clients to approach a reading with an open mind, but that doesn't mean you should feel obligated to agree with everything I say.

In fact, I want you to be honest with me!

If something doesn't make sense, it's perfectly fine to say so. I'd much rather know that an interpretation isn't resonating than have someone agree simply to be polite.

A mediumship reading should be a comfortable, collaborative experience where you feel free to be yourself.

And while no medium can promise that every detail will be understood or that every reading will unfold exactly as expected, my intention is always to communicate honestly, compassionately, and to the best of my ability.

Can You Develop Your Own Mediumship Abilities?

Absolutely! I believe mediumship is something that can be explored and developed by anyone who feels drawn to it.

You don't have to begin with the goal of becoming a professional medium, either.

Some people are simply curious about their intuitive experiences. Others want to explore their sense of connection with loved ones who have passed away. And some eventually feel called to develop their abilities so they can help others.

Wherever you are in your journey, I recommend beginning with an open mind, patience, and a willingness to learn.

Reading books about mediumship development can be a wonderful place to start. I've put together a Recommended Reading list on my website with some of my favorite resources.

I also offer classes from time to time, along with one-to-one mentoring for those who would like more personalized guidance, whether they're complete beginners or experienced mediums looking to deepen their practice.

Final Thoughts

For me, mediumship is about so much more than receiving images, words, or feelings.

It's about love, connection, and the possibility that the relationships we cherish continue beyond physical death.

It's about helping someone recognize the familiar personality of a loved one, remember a meaningful moment, or find comfort in a message that feels deeply personal.

And it's about approaching every connection with honesty, compassion, and respect.

I hope this article has helped you better understand how I experience mediumship and what goes into communicating with loved ones in spirit.

Thank you so much for reading! As always, if you have questions, please don't hesitate to reach out. I'm happy to help!