“I’m just the messenger,” medium Theresa Caputo often says in interviews. From one aspect, she is. Aware of her gift since the age of 4, she can sense spirits that have passed on. Her “normal” is quite different from our everyday lives. She uses this gift, and her feisty personality, to inform others, sending messages from loved ones that died.
But she is also a teacher of faith and healing. For the people that grieve over the sudden death of someone they cared about, holding onto enormous amounts of guilt and anger – she brings her matter-of-fact, funny disposition and shares what she knows, hoping those on the receiving end get some kind of peace.
Her latest book, “You Can’t Make This Stuff Up,” gives clear-cut pointers on how to heal from loss and other situations; and to live life with intention.
“You’ll see that your life has a purpose, that things happen for a reason, and why, why, why,” she mentions in the introduction. “And the more you accept direction, the more intimately, you’ll understand your soul and trust your intuition and guidance to show you, and keep you on, the spiritual path you’re meant to follow.”
The existential questions we tend to ask ourselves about life – What is our purpose? How do I trust myself? How can I love more? Why do we need faith? – Caputo provides honest answers mixed with amusing anecdotes and client stories.
“It’s about the soul,” Caputo says. “The soul chooses the lessons.”
The connection with her clients, including her successful show on TLC, Long Island Medium, has led to an increasing number of devoted fans, with almost 3 million likes on her Facebook page. But she also has an equal number of skeptics, who have expressed strong criticism.
Some are wary of her clairvoyance, claiming she’s a charlatan, an imposter. She’s been accused of deceiving fans, giving false readings, and pouncing on vulnerable people to swindle them out of their money. She is currently being investigated for claims of fraud.
But can one discredit the help she has given? Does the skepticism more so have to do with our personal lack of faith and inability to believe in what we can’t physically see or that she is inaccurate? And is it our expectation of psychics to be correct 100% of the time, forgetting that at the end of the day, they are human beings and thus, fallible?
Whether you believe or not, Caputo hopes that the insight she offers allows others to connect with loved ones, restore faith from the grieving process, and move forward.
“It’s about hope and faith; learning…We have to learn to let go, but not to forget,” she says. “I just want people to be open, and to love.”
“You Can’t Make This Stuff Up” is published by Atria Books, a division of Simon & Schuster. It is available for purchase here.
Listen to an audio excerpt from the book on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/simonschuster/you-cant-make-this-stuff-up-audiobook-excerpt
