I was about 15 minutes into my conversation with medium Theresa Caputo about her new TLC series Long Island Medium when my mom decided to show up.
Caputo interrupts my questioning with, “You’ve lost a lot of loved ones.”
I disagree, saying “I wouldn’t say a lot, but a few, yeah.”
She confidently asks, “Is your mom departed?”
“OK, that’s weird,” I think. After all, most people my age still have their mothers, so she really took a long shot throwing that one out there. But, I acknowledge that my mother is indeed deceased.
Caputo goes on to explain that prior to answering my call she had written down a few things including my name, mother, daughter, young male, 4 and 62. She tells me there’s a “lot of energy” going on, and suddenly I get a little nervous, thinking this could be my doing. Although I didn’t tell Caputo, when I drove to work that morning I had actually talked to my mom in my head [and that’s something I just don’t do. I’m a bit skeptical on ghosts and spirits]. I simply thought, “Hey, if you want to reach out to me I’m talking to a medium today.” And that was it.
Caputo asks: “Where you at the actual passing of your mother because your mother showed me the holding of the hands, which means she wants to go back to the day of her passing. Were you actually there for that moment or did you just miss the passing?”
I gulp. It’s a sensitive topic for me, since I was the only family member who actually wasn’t there when she passed. So I tell her I was not.
Caputo says that my mother is validating that nothing was left unsaid and that “everything and anything you said to your mom was heard.” She then asks? “Whose birthday is now? If it’s not today or the week of it’s usually the month we are in.”
“That would be me,” I tell her. “OK,” Caputo says. “So your mom’s just wishing you a happy birthday.”
I give an uncomfortable laugh and jokingly ask Caputo to tell my mom to hush up, so I can get back to doing my job.
But Caputo — well, maybe it’s my mom — isn’t quite finished. We go on to connect months and dates, discuss that “young male” reference, significance of April and more. She presses on with “Do you remember the year 62? Or could it stand for the month of June and the month of February as far as birthdays or anniversaries?”
“My mom was born in February, died in June,” I confirm.
“Perfect,” Caputo says. “Just validating your mother’s presence and that she took this opportunity. Spirits will take any opportunity to get a message to someone.” Then Caputo’s Long Island accent comes out as she describes my mom as a “chatty catty.” Glad, she’s having a good time.
“Whether you believe or understand what I do, and I don’t mean to be rude, but it really doesn’t matter,” Caputo says. “That’s not what this is about. This phone call is not about you believing in what I do. What just happened right now, what I interpreted it as a beautiful gift you just received from your mother. Knowing that even after all these years of her not being here in the physical world she hasn’t missed out on anything. She acknowledged your children, that she held the children before coming here in the physical world and she’s still with you, and loving and guiding you from the other side. Right?”
Gulp.
What a loaded thought. I pause. I collect my thoughts. “Did I tell her I had kids? Could this seriously be real?” And I simply say: “That’s awesome. Thank you.”
So add me to Caputo’s long list of clients who have been given the gift of closure. Now, as for my sister, she’s really ticked my mom didn’t even give her a shout out! She’ll have to join Caputo’s long waiting list and maybe we’ll here back from her in a few years.
Long Island Medium airs on TLC Sundays beginning Sept. 25.
Information on contacting Theresa Caputo
i have alot of feelings around me
A co-worker told me about you, that you reminded her of me! So I turned on TLC today and I just couldn’t turn the TV off all day! You fascinate me to no end, I am a true believer and would love the opportunity to meet you and perhaps have a reading! I think it is wonderful that you can bring closure to people, keep doing what you do. It is truely a gift.
Hi Theresa,
My name is Brittany and I would like to get in contact with you in regards to my mother. When we lost my grandmother the person that took it the hardest was my mother. They were very close and I know my mom needs that closure, my mom and I watch your show and my mom tells me all the time how she wants to meet you. We live in California and would be coming to Long Island to see you just please e-mail me the information on appointment making. Please help me I know it would mean the world to my mom if she got to meet you. Thank you and God bless you!
Brittany
i WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WE ARE MOVING BACK TO San Antonio TX from Brownsville Tx are we doing the right move and my husband Manuel is trying to get a better job and get off the road he is a truck driver and to get a job were he is home every night .
Theresa,
I had some questions. I have been feeling that I need to reach out to you. I don’t understand why. If you feel that I am in need of something please e-mail me.
thank you.
I really apprecatie how you help others with reaching them through the loved ones that passed on.
Hi Theresa, I live in upstate ny but moving to florida by the end of may i would like to know if any of my loved ones have anything they would like to say to me, i feel as if they do. so please, can you help me. thank you.
Hi Theresa, It’s been 20 Long years for me that I lost my First Love, he was murdered I would like to know if he is OK
I lost my brother to drugs and my mother in law to a stroke I have questions about if they suffered or if they are in peace
I’m hoping that This will reach you Theresa. I know a beautiful friend who would love to talk with you. It doesn’t matter how long or how much. You see this woman was there for me when my abusive relationship ended. Not just before or just after but there when the drama was over and I was totally alone, yet she was still there. Everybody forgets you when the drama is over. But this special friend (who I didn’t even know I had) NEVER forgot. She has lost her beloved daughter and Needs to hear from her. Is there any way you can come into her life and help her. I realize you must receive may e-mails such as this but if you could give her this time with her daughter I would be most grateful.
“my wife loves your show if you ever plane to come to wisconsin please let me know my wife would loveto come see you
help me with my ghosts please. Im very scared she or they are going to harm myself or my cats, she, or they already messes with us all
Daisy Rodriguez 871-1682
WHAT TO DO TO GO TO A READING OR HAVE A READING??? DO YOU HAVE A WEB PAGE THAT SETS YOUR APOINTMENTS FOR YOU????
“Were you actually there for that moment or did you just miss the passing?”
If the alleged ~psychic~ was indeed in contact with dear departed mum the above question wouldn’t need to be asked.
She’s just a 19th century snake oil salesman in modern dress, nothing more.
THeresa is NOT the only Medium out there!…if you go to TalkPsychic.com you can read the Bios and choose a Medium that you feel drawn or connected to.
God Bless Theresa for getting the message out there and legitimizing the LIGHT WORKERS who are working hard to help people and the “bad psychics or mediums” making the good ones look like scammers from the Gypsy Palm Readers on the corner!
I have to agree with Bill. When I began reading this article, I expected Theresa to tell the interviewer things about the mother, not ask leading questions that could be interpreted in whatever way was necessary. If Ms. Caputo can actually communicate with the dead, why can’t she pass on information instead of asking for it?
I don’t doubt that there is more to reality than the small bit we humans can comprehend or that some people actually have psychic abilities, but Theresa Caputo does not seem to be one of these people. She’s a good reader of facial expressions, tones of voice, and body language, and she knows how to get folks to give enough for her to work into something more…and she may even have some psychic ability, but as far as what she told this interviewer being any proof of that ability, it just doesn’t cut it.
You should have been more skeptical.
> “You’ve lost a lot of loved ones.”
Swing and miss.
> “OK, that’s weird,” I think. After all, most people my age still have their mothers, so she really took a long shot throwing that one out there.
Not really, you’ve just confirmed that you lost some loved ones. Your manner might have made it plain it was close family…but even blind it’s not too big of a gamble. Also, If you’re at least 30 it’s not that unlikely you’ve lost a parent.
Also, “mother” doesn’t necessarily mean your birth mother. It could be a grandmother, step mother, mother in law, mother figure, etc.
> Were you actually there for that moment or did you just miss the passing?”
There’s only two possible answers for this question…yes or no…and either way she’ll have something to say. The holding of the hands comment allows her to say something like “She was glad you were there.” if you answer yes. Holding someones hand is a gesture of comfort and occurs at just about every hospital visitation or difficult moment. Even if you didn’t literally hold the persons hand, she could claim it was just about general comforting.
…and if you missed it, it’s obvious you’re going to feel guilt or regret over it no matter the nature of it.
This question could also give insight into the nature of her death. It would encourage you to say something like “everyone else was there, but not me”…or “no she fell when she was home alone”….or “no she got hit by a car while shopping” or “yes I got to the hospital in time” etc etc.
> “Do you remember the year 62? Or could it stand for the month of June and the month of February as far as birthdays or anniversaries?”
This is extremely open ended. It could be 1962…it could be months, it could be the date 6/2 your mothers age, someone may be 6 years older, etc etc.
The problem is in retrospect it seems like a huge hit that she said “June and the month of February”…but she actually said 3 things:
“The year 62” which could be 1962 or an age, and the months June and February….so she had a 1 in 3 chance that one of those was significant. More importantly she deliberately implies it could mean a lot of things…so her chances of getting something were even better.
The point with psychic readings is they ask a lot of leading open questions, through sheer probability out of the many questions they ask one or two will be very close. Those stand out as “amazing” and the others which were only sort of close fade into the background.
> “My mom was born in February, died in June,”
Why “62” then? Why not “26”…probably because it’s doubtful that your mother was 26 when she died, or that the year 1926 is particularly important for her.
Why would your mother convey information in that way anyway? Why not with the seasons?
> “Whose birthday is now? If it’s not today or the week of it’s usually the month we are in.”
So she gives herself a 1 in 12 berth here. Honestly what are the chances that someone either you or your mother knew had a birthday, or even significant date in that time.
At each turn, she makes sure to give both a fairly specific but also general interpretation. If she gets lucky and the specific thing is right, it seems amazing. If she only gets “close” it’s still not counted as wrong…she’s stacking the deck.
> “Did I tell her I had kids? Could this seriously be real?”
Sure, but she didn’t say you had kids. She said your mother “held the children”. That could be your mother’s children, her grandchildren, some children she knew or worked with…it could mean anything.
You yourself admit leaving out portions of your talk, it’s obvious you’ve picked out the most impressive “hits”. If you ask someone a bunch of leading open ended questions, how likely is it that one or two will get pretty close in retrospect? Very likely.
The problem is people think of themselves as rational. This is completely wrong…the human brain is incredibly complex and your own brain is incredibly adept at tricking you. A recent study showed how easy it is for false memories to form in anyone. Show them a commercial for a non-existent brand product, and quite a few will remember having used it. This is just one of many ways our brains are much more irrational and faulty than we like to think.
Few people realize how horrible their memory is, and the great variety of cognitive biases and effects that are constantly going on. No matter who you are, you must constantly fight these in an epic battle if you have any hope of approaching rationality.
The human brain is an incredibly sophisticated pattern-finding machine. It instinctively tries to find patterns in everything, and often does even if there is no real pattern. (Hence we get societies that sacrifice people for a good harvest, they notice a “pattern” of better harvests after sacrifices which is just coincidence and/or cognitive bias).
I don’t think this women is a necessarily an outright fraud. She was probably a kid with an overactive imagination who wanted to feel special. The attention she got from playing at being psychic just fed back into her complex, and she’s long ago bought her own hype.
That’s the other thing people don’t realize is how people can fool themselves and do things like cold reading without even realizing they are doing it.
Look into the clever hans effect sometime to see how powerful body language and subtle cues can be even when they are not being deliberately or consciously noticed.
Reason and rationality are not something you are gifted with people. They are not something you can every truly win. They are something you must fight for constantly.
U understand that she does say things about tatoos, necklaces, pet names, etc. that she could not know! Why don’t you setup an apt with her and then speak all those words AFTER you learn first hand. By the way..you wrote way too much..I hardle read most of it but just enought to get the jest of what you were speaking of..sounds like you need an education on the topic. Unless you care to believe, then you shouldn’t watch or listen to what you think is hocus pocus! Just sayin!
Hi Theresa my nephew past alway almost a yeear ago in May 9th 2011 and he was only 3 years old. And me and my family would like to togther with you or even a call. we want some closer and we want to to know if he is ok and we want to tell him that we love and think about him everyday and that we want to know what really happen to him. please if you can get of hold of us my name is Leticia thanks
Hello Theresa
My uncle passed in Feb 2009 the day he died I I had a dream that we were going fishing. I forgot my jacket and said to him I will meet you at the boat when I got there the boat was sailing away and he was waiving good bye to me. I woke up and found out he died right before I woke up. Now I have dreams 2 or sometimes more a month he is always on the boat with other people that I don’t reconize mostly because they are blurry and they ask questions that I have no idea what there talking about the only person I understand is my uncle and some of the stuff scares the crap out of me. After his death I was his personal rep for his estate and his neighbors accused me of stealing money that he gave to my mother. The worst thing is my mother believed them and I never took a penny that she didn’t know or tell me to take to pay lawyers and in fact I went into debt over $50K that was paid back to me when we settled. My uncle telles me he knows i did the right thing but my mother won’t have anything to do with me. My uncles tells me he doesn’t want her to be burried with him and other things that I know nobody would believe me. How can I get in line to get a reading to try to figure this out. I think i’m losing my mind when I tell people they think i’m crazy I don’t believe in this stuff but he tells me he won’t stop until he can tell my mother what he wants to say to her.
Thanks Anything would be helpful
George
Hello Theresa my Name is Andrea I lost my Mom in October 2011 I miss her so so much I was in Germany to say Good bye and the next Day she past . But I feel so bad that I was not with her in the last Years I Live in Missouri and she in Germany. I can let go . I believe she is with my Dad . But I to no if she is not mad at me that I was not there for her the last Years. I Love her sooooo much and I want that she no this. I Hope to here from you . Thanks and God bless you
hello Theresa:
Could you tell me what my deceased husband wants to tell me now?