1. How did you first discover your abilities as a medium? Was it something natural and inherent, or did you need to hone and practice your skills?

My journey as a medium began in Boston when I was going to film school back in 1998. My wife had an uncle pass away and I had a friend of the family pass away, so I began to surf the Internet for information about the afterlife, near death experiences, etc. In my search, I came across the First Spiritual Temple in Boston, a Christian Spiritualist church that offered mediumship workshops. I was curious and took one of the workshops, in the process discovering that connecting with spirits was an ability I had. In fact, I believe it is an ability we all have. It's just like any other muscle: you have to exercise it to strengthen it. I'm continuously practicing and developing my skills. It's not just something you become and then you're done; it's a life-long study.

2. Are you always in tune with the spirit world, or do you need to tune in and tune back out as needed?

I'm not always "tuned in." I have created a process for myself where I open and close the connection; I've done that for my own sanity. I'm not committed to walking around all the time hearing spirits. When I go to the mall or a large group event, it could be overwhelming to have spirits talking to you left and right. I've worked with my guides and they help me open and close when the time is appropriate. That is not to say I still don't get moments of inspiration, but it is rare that I get messages for people unless I'm sitting for a proper session.

3. You refer to yourself as an "evidential medium." What distinguishes an evidential medium from any other medium?

An evidential medium is a medium that brings forward evidence that a sitter can verify, specific details that only the person receiving the message would know (character build, personality traits, sometimes names, etc.). This is different from, say, an inspirational medium, that may only get inspired messages from spirits but not specific details on who they are and what they look like.

4. Have you ever had any particularly meaningful experiences of your own while working as a medium?

The most meaningful moments in my work as a medium occur in the responses I receive from the people with whom I'm sitting. It touches me most when a mother and father tell me that they finally feel peace with the passing of their child because their spirit came forward so strong in a session. As the father of a five-year-old and with another one on the way, it's very humbling to connect with parents who have lost a child. In my book, Bridge to the Afterlife, I've written about those experiences.

5. What drives you to continue your work as a medium?

My work as a medium is to be in service to others, to help be a bridge to the afterlife so they know that their loved ones live on. The most rewarding part is when people tell me that they finally have peace and a sense of hope after a session with me. Being a medium is not something I believe most people would "choose" to do; there is a lot of energy and emotion with this work, and there are challenges at times. But, I do it because of the difference people tell me it makes in their healing process and in their lives.

6. Can anyone develop skills as a medium?

Absolutely. I'm a perfect example of someone who spent twenty years of their life thinking they had no intuitive muscle, but with training, education, and mentoring I discovered it was an ability with which I was born, an ability with which we are all born. I like to compare it to basketball: on some level we all have the ability to through a ball into a basket, but some of us do it with a piece of paper and a trash basket while others play for the NBA. Ultimately, if we practice enough, we can be successful connecting to spirits on various levels.

7. What steps can we take to enhance our sensitivity to spirits and the "other side?"

Learn to trust your gut and understand that communication occurs differently for different people. When I started as a medium, I wanted to see as clearly as the little boy in the film The Sixth Sense. What I had to learn was that the communication came forward on a very subtle level. Yes, I see…but I see within my mind's eye. It's not something that always "pops," but on the other hand, I physically feel spirits very strongly through clairsentience. Through practice you'll start to learn how you pick up information from spirits. Dreams and signs (whether through music, animals, flickering lights, etc.) are also powerful ways spirits can connect. If I had to sum it up in three steps:

1. Trust the journey of development.
2. Find a good teacher or class to help you develop and hone your skills.
3. Have patience.