Theresa Caputo - Theres More to Life Than This: Healing Messages, Remarkable Stories, and Insight About the Other Side from the Long Island Medium

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For my mom, Ronnie, who hasnt stopped encouraging, loving, and listening to me since I was a little girl. And for giving me a strong faith to hold on to when I was trying to make sense of this crazy gift.

For my husband, Larry, who picked up where Mom left off. Youve always made me feel so unconditionally loved, special, and safe. Always and forever, hon.

For my kids, Larry and Victoria, for never questioning that Mom sees dead people. Seriously, not even a little.

For God and Spirit, because without you, thered be no book.

Contents

Introduction

Welcome to My Life!

If you ask me, I have two amazing abilities: I speak to dead people, and I can walk all eleven floors of Macys Herald Square wearing really high heels. I realize the first skill is why you bought this book, so thats what Ill focus on for the next ten chapters. But before I do, there are a few important points that I want to get out of the way.

First, as I address topics related to your departed loved ones and the afterlife, know that nearly everything I understand about who we are and where we come from I owe to Spirit. This includes a lot of subjects Id never explored before I had to write about them, but because I knew they were important to you, I offered them to Spirit. Boy, did they deliver! Another thing I did when I got stuck was to turn to a friend who helped me hone my gift. All that said, there are some specifics I either couldnt or didnt want to tackle (like when I talk about negative energy), so if I dont go deep on some topics, thats why. I also feel theres a lot about death and the afterlife thats unknown and open to interpretation. Many mediums are okay with saying their word is final, but Im not like that. I only want to share what I think and feel, based on what Spirit has shown me and those I trust.

I realize that not everyone is going to believe what Im about to say, but save yourself a mean email or Shes a fraud! blog post, because Ive heard it all. People say I google to get your background information. That I throw out vague situations and then work off your reactions. That my ideas about the hereafter are wishful thinking. They say I read body language and take advantage of your vulnerability while grieving. And my all-time favorite, that Im bothering the dead. Lets just pause on this last one for a minute. Why hasnt it ever occurred to my critics that Im not bothering the dead, but that theyre bothering me? You think I woke up one day and thought, Ooh! Im going to talk to dead people for the rest of my life! Thats a great career choice!? Theres more to it than you think. But I didnt write a book to prove or defend my abilities. I did this to share what I know to be true: that theres more to life than whats in the physical world.

As youll soon find out, it took me a long time to accept my gift, but once I did, I was a pretty fast learner. I like to compare the process to putting together a jigsaw puzzle. In the beginning, it was hard for me to make sense of my abilities and fit the pieces together, but once I got started on the framework, filling in the rest of it was easy. I always had all the parts to complete the picture; I just had to learn how to make them work together. I believe that the same way some people are natural-born musicians or intellects, its in my DNA to speak to Spirit. Would I have rather been a concert pianist or cured cancer? Of course, but what are you gonna do.

Learning to channel has come with its benefits. Its been a way for me to ease some of my chronic anxieties that were linked to Spirit, but more than anything, its brought countless people joy and healing, which is the most rewarding part. Its helped them believe in an afterlife, trust that their loved ones are safe and at peace, and shown them that those souls are guiding, encouraging, and loving them from the Other Side. Its given clients proof that the unexplainable things they sense and feel after a loved one dies are real, and that theyre not nuts for thinking so. They even tell me theyre less afraid of dying and some have a renewed faith in God. Most important, they begin to embrace life when all they knew before was grief.

None of these amazing outcomes is a coincidence, since I choose to use my abilities to deliver healing messages from souls that walk in Gods white light. I believe that my intuition is a spiritual gift, because while I dont say this on my TV show, Long Island Medium, I accepted my abilities directly from Godwho, in so many words, said that I have it for a reason. He also told me not to question them, but to trust that He would love, guide, and protect me always, so thats what I do. By the way, I believe that we are all connected to God, who is unconditional love, and its that love which links us to our family and friends in the afterlife, because we all come from His energy. Since I was raised Catholic, I call this energy God, but if you want to call Him a Higher Power or Yahweh, go right ahead. Hes a God of many names, but I feel theres only one.

Being a psychic medium doesnt always feel like a blessing, but I know it is. While the TV show has helped me put my kids through college, Ive also lost friends over my abilities. Whats more, Ive met my share of people who want to hang out only so I can tell them what their dead grandparents are up to. And now that Im the Long Island Medium, forget it. Suddenly, everybody is a cousin. But I feel that were all in this world to fulfill a purpose, and I believe that connecting people to their departed loved ones is part of my souls journey. Im glad I figured that out, because for a few years there, I really thought it might have been shoe shopping.

Me and Spirit: A Match Made in Heaven

I wasnt born in the back of some gypsy wagon, and I didnt grow up reading fortunes on the Bayou. Listen, the only crystals on me are the Swarovski ones covering my Louboutins. I may not be your idea of a typical medium, but dead people dont care. Theyve been bugging me to deliver their messages since I was a child, and thats what I feel compelled and blessed to do.

I grew up on Long Island in a town called Hicksville, with my mom, dad, and younger brother, Michael. Mom was a bookkeeper and my dad was the public works supervisor for Nassau County. We were extremely close and still are. I was actually raised for most of my life in the house next door to the one I live in now. We have a gate in the back that connects our two yards, and Dad likes to use it so he can futz around in both our tomato gardens. When people come for readings, they sit at my dining room table, which looks out onto the back. I always say, If you see someone out there, its not a dead person walking around. Its just my dad!

Growing up, I had the most loving, happy, and seemingly normal childhood. I was on a traveling soccer team and local bowling league. I loved playing with my dolls hairI always thought Id be a hairdresser, go figure. I had nice friends, got good grades, and spent a lot of free time with my family. I was always with my cousins, grandparents, aunts, and uncles. On Thursdays, wed have spaghetti and meatballs at Nanny and Pops house; on Saturdays, Id paint ceramics with Auntie G; and on Sundays, our whole extended family would go to Gram and Gramps house after church to spend the afternoon eating, laughing, and telling stories.