Bridging Both Worlds: What the Other Side Wants You to Know (Karen Docherty) - Episode 198

You know those moments when you feel like someone just gets you? Like they see beyond what’s on the surface and tap into something deeper—something soul-level? That’s exactly how you’ll feel with Karen Docherty, an internationally renowned psychic medium and spiritual mentor.

Karen is a bridge between worlds—literally. Her mission is to help you connect with Spirit to receive healing messages, guidance, and love from the other side.
Karen has been communicating with spirit since she was a child—and she’s turned her gift into a calling that’s taken her around the world, guiding thousands to find peace, clarity, and connection after loss.

What’s even more incredible is how Karen helps you recognize your own intuitive abilities. Because as you’ll hear today, we all have the power to connect—Karen just helps us remember how.

So whether you’re navigating grief, feeling disconnected, or just curious about the spirit world… this conversation might be the nudge your soul has been waiting for.

WHAT YOU'LL HEAR

• Karen’s early experiences seeing spirit (yes, even in cemeteries at age 3!)
• The difference between psychic and mediumship readings — and how both can help guide and heal.
• How to recognize and develop your own intuitive gifts.
• Why Spirit also grieves — and how healing takes place on both sides of the veil.
• Real stories of signs from loved ones in Spirit — including beautiful synchronicities and messages that transcend logic.
• Why grief is sacred—and how spirit communication can transform it
• How to start connecting with your higher self through stillness, gratitude, and trust.
• Karen’s thoughts on free will, soul contracts, and how our experiences — even painful ones — can be part of our soul’s growth.

“We are all Spirit in human form. Mediumship just helps us remember who we truly are.” – Karen Docherty

Plus, you’ll walk away with new inspiration to explore your own connection to Spirit—and maybe even start a conversation of your own with the “other side."

TAKEAWAYS

• Intuition is innate — everyone has the ability to connect with Spirit and their higher self.
• Signs are everywhere — Spirit works through synchronicities and subtle nudges to remind you they’re near.
• Healing is mutual — mediumship brings comfort and release to both the living and those in Spirit.
• Authenticity matters — the most powerful readings come from love, integrity, and empathy.
• Gratitude transforms — even the hardest times can serve as catalysts for spiritual growth.

WORK WITH KAREN DOCHERTY: Visit karendocherty.com

Visit seekingcentercommunity.com for more with Robyn + Karen and many of the guides on Seeking Center: The Podcast. You'll get access to live weekly sessions, intuitive guidance, daily inspiration, and a space to share your journey with like-minded people who just get it.

You can also follow Seeking Center on Instagram @theseekingcenter.

Chapters

• 0:00 Introduction
• 1:39 Bridging Both Worlds: What the Other Side Wants You to Know

Transcript

Robyn: [00:00:00] I'm Robyn Miller Brecker and I'm Karen Loenser. Welcome to Seeking Center, the podcast. Join us each week as we have the conversations and we, through the spiritual and holistic clutter for you, we'll boil it down to what you need to know now, we're all about total wellness, which to us needs building a healthy life.

Karen: On a physical, mental, and spiritual level, we'll talk to the trailblazers who'll introduce you to the practices, products, and experiences that may be just what you need to hear about to transform your life. If you're listening to this, it's no accident. Think of this as your seeking center and your place to seek your center.

Robyn: And for the best wellness and spiritual practitioners, experts, products, experiences, and inspo, visit theseekingcenter. com. You know those moments when you feel like someone just gets you, like they see beyond what's on the surface and tap into something deeper, something soul level. That's exactly how you'll feel with Karen Dockerty, an internationally renowned psychic, [00:01:00] medium, and spiritual mentor. Karen is a bridge between worlds, literally.

Her mission is to help you connect with spirit, to receive healing messages, guidance, and love from the other side. Karen has been communicating with spirit since she was a child, and she's turned her gift into a calling that's taken her around the world, that guiding thousands to find peace, clarity, and connection after loss.

What's even more incredible is how Karen helps you recognize your own intuitive abilities. Recognize your own intuitive abilities, because as you'll hear today, we all have the power to connect. Karen just helps us remember how. So whether you're navigating grief, feeling disconnected, or just curious about the spirit world, this conversation might be the nudge your soul's been waiting for.

Hi, Karen. Hi. So nice to be here today. Oh my goodness. I am very excited to dig into all that you have going on. [00:02:00] First of all, how this came to be, and then really just having a conversation about bridging both worlds and that we all have this intuitive ability within us. So let's start with spirit's been with you all of your life, and we would love to know your earliest memory of communicating with spirit.

Karen: Sure. You know what? I think that you're so correct in what you're saying straight away about spirit, being us, we are all spirit in human form and have different ways of expressing that. So I'm looking forward to chatting more about that as well, to help people understand, who they really are.

But for me, when it became my work, if you like, or it was evident within me that I was going to use this in my life. I was very young and I think my earliest memory was around three years old. I was traveling on a bus with my mother going to visit someone, I think my grandfather possibly. And as we. Past this [00:03:00] cemetery, this graveyard. I remember saying to my mum why are all these people walking around there?

It's so busy. And she looked at me as if, okay, this is a random kid thing to say, and when she didn't reply, I just remember my nose being pressed up against the window pane of the bus and looking and thinking, maybe I'm buried in there. maybe that's where I am. And I was three, maybe three and a half at that point.

So that's my earliest memory. Of course, I look back on that and can recognize that's probably not the norm thing to see as a child. But then, throughout my childhood, things would occur like that, where I would see people in my grandmother's house and I would say to her, there's a lady in the kitchen.

And she would just say, oh, the dead don't harm you. She just took it in her stride, no problem. And she made me feel like maybe everyone feels this or sees this. And of course, it wasn't until much later that I realized maybe the don't, and this is something a little bit different, but I never had a fear [00:04:00] of it.

And I always felt like they were from the other place. That's why I used to call it they were from the other place. I knew that if I seen someone, they weren't in human form. 

Robyn: When you say you saw them even at that young age, did you actually see. apparations 'cause when I.

Communicate with the other side. It's, in my mind's eye, I don't see anything outside of my being for you what was that like, it's like 

Karen: that for me too now. Throughout my mediumship it's been in the mind's eye it's clair voyance, but when I was younger, I definitely seen more with my physical eyes.

I always say, this is my physical eyes, this is my spirit eyes. And yes. I love the 

Robyn: way you put that. Yes.

Karen: Yeah. So now it's the spirit eyes and ears that see and hear things, but when I was younger, I'd definitely seen in a more physical way. But I do think that's mainly because they're trying to get your attention.

It's something that you have to see, in order to believe that it's actually there. And then as you develop it certainly, in my [00:05:00] experience it becomes a much quieter form of communication and you have to work harder at receiving that through your senses. 

Robyn: Yes. That's a really good way of putting that.

So then when was it that you just realized that this was something that would become part of your life's work? But I would say even where you were talking about it more regularly, whether it was family or someone else, how did that come to be? 

Karen: Probably around my teenage years, I would say that I started to notice that maybe I was speaking to friends about it and maybe bringing things up.

Like I would say to friends, oh, your grandmother's standing beside you and she's saying this and that. And I would give them like mini messages, but not really at that point. I wasn't thinking, oh, I'm a medium. I never really put two and two together that way. It just felt very natural to me.

So as I developed a little bit more, it was probably in my late teens, early twenties that I was like This is not [00:06:00] just, the norm, there's something else. And also, I had read lots of mediumship books. I followed mediums, watched them read about them. Like it was like I couldn't get enough knowledge.

So when I put all that together, I then realized that it was meant to be something I was supposed to do in life, and it chose me. I like to say, you're born with it. So for me it was more like it wasn't gonna go away. It was something that obviously becoming evident in everything that I did.

Even work choices as I was older. In the caring aspect, the caring field, it was always something that incorporated that care. 

Robyn: And where did your grandmother fit in, into this journey for you and help shape your spiritual path? 

Karen: She was definitely the one that kind of made me feel normal with it.

So when you're seeing these things or feeling or hearing things and other people are looking at you like there's nothing there, or it's your imagination, or, my mom used to say, I don't know where we got Karen. It's just from the moon. [00:07:00] My mom used to say I was from, oh my goodness.

And my sisters, I've got an older sister and a younger sister, and I feel like my parents just sometimes. Thought I was such a strange child. And I know it's only because they didn't understand, the sensitivity that I had or the intuition that I had. Whereas my grandmother just used to see it, and she used to say to my dad, it was my dad's mother.

She used to say to my dad when we would go over, oh, here's Karen. She brings spirit with her. She always said it. And she was never phased. So for me, it gave me like an anchor. It made me feel quite safe to say to her, this is happening

and later in my years, again I did learn that she was in fact mediumistic, even though she didn't go out and do reading. She did tea leave readings and things. I remember that from when I was small, but she didn't really use it in a day-to-day way. Whereas her sister actually was a medium and worked full-time with her abilities as well.

And I didn't know that until much later. 

Robyn: So in my opinion it's something that runs in the [00:08:00] family. It's in your lineage these abilities are more innate. 

Karen: Definitely. And I think a lot of people that do this work, if they look back over their family lineage, they'll probably find that there is a connection somewhere, even if it's, four generations ago or what it 

Robyn: might be.

But usually there is a link. Oh my goodness. I so need to look into that in my own family because for sure at the moment am the odd person. Although I see now even in my family younger generations, that because I'm open to it, they're open to really claiming theirs. So that's so interesting 

Karen: that. Yeah it has a ripple effect as well, doesn't it? I think now in my family I was the first really to be using this and working with it, but it made sense. Like most people in my family, especially my parents, my sisters, they were all like, oh, that makes sense now.

Because looking back, even for myself, in my teenage [00:09:00] years and childhood, I couldn't make sense of me. It was almost like I was watching my life from the outside looking in. Even though I had a good life , I always felt like two people.

I always felt like I was me as the child, as the teenager, but really there was another voice going on or another person watching that happen. 

Robyn: that's so interesting because it's basically. Being very aware of your soul playing a role as a human in this life. Exactly that.

Wow. So then was there a particular story or moment that everyone around you, especially your family, recognized like, okay, there's no way that Karen would've known this other. Was there anything like that happened? 

Karen: I think when it was becoming intense for me, meaning like there came a point where I was hearing spirit all the time, so I would go to bed at night and I would hear lots of different voices not knowing what any of them were saying.

Just knowing that there was many different [00:10:00] voices, almost speaking over one another. And it got to a point where I went and spoke to a medium in my local spiritualist center and said, this is happening to me. What could this be? And she said you have to develop that. That's because you're a medium.

And I said, I'm not a medium. I'm just hearing these things, and anyway, I went along and sat in a development group on her. Advice, and it all made sense. It's like everything fell into place. But for my family, it took them, , a little while longer than that, because I remember saying to my dad, who I'm very close to, oh, we did this and we did that at the development group last week.

. And he would just every week say, oh, that's amazing. I'm glad you're enjoying it. Almost humoring me, but interested in the things that were coming out. And then they came to see me at an event that I got asked to do as a novice medium where I was standing up and giving messages.

So I was all nervous. It was my first thing I'd ever done in public. And they came along to support this, and afterwards my dad just took me aside and said, now [00:11:00] this all makes sense. Like he was saying, I can't even believe you were communicating like that. Like you, could actively see that you were communicating with someone else, and I think that's when the penny dropped for them and they were like, This is definitely her path, yes. 

Robyn: And I was 

Karen: like, oh, this is amazing. Like I felt before that a little bit reluctant to share it because it's a very personal thing. And in mediumship development, as you'll know, as you do a lot of personal development as well, and it takes you time to accept that it's you.

And for me it was an honor and a blessing, and it was a massive responsibility. So I was really like, am I able to do this? And I was asking myself all these questions. So when people start to see what you do and accept what you do, it adds to your own confidence with that as well.

Robyn: Yeah. That validation is huge because it isn't the norm, and here we are in this modern world and wanting to bring it through in a [00:12:00] way that can translate to people and have them understand that this is possible. That whole idea even of what we were just talking about, that we are a soul living in a human body, having a human experience.

And for you, your path was to accept and then utilize. These skills. And these abilities to help heal others. and that really was outside of anything normal. 

Karen: Absolutely is. And it's also that part of me that always understood, even when I was a lot younger, that what mediumship is and where that communication's coming from and how you can affect people through that, that for me was the biggest thing that I asked myself when I realized this is what it is.

It was. If you're going to say that you can do this, then you better make sure you can do it. And it really was like that for me. And I used to say I'm a skeptical medium because I would always question like, where did that come from and how did I get that? And [00:13:00] is that really what I'm saying?

And I think that just adds to the authenticity and integrity that you're trying to come forward. Because unfortunately, because of the type of work it is, you're always going to have the people that are going to test or make sure that you're saying what you say you can do. So that's an important part of that, to have your confidence in your link and your communication, but also to put yourself out there, you're very vulnerable.

Robyn: Very, and because we've had these discussions before that's part of what we do through Seeking Center, is make sure the people that we talk to that we recommend are authentic. Because I always say this like any profession, there are people who are good at what they do and there are those who aren't as good.

And even that word authentic, like for us, we know the responsibility that comes with having this type of experience and Exactly. It's very influential and to someone's [00:14:00] life. And so we take it so seriously, as do you, which is why we're talking to you and why Karen and I have both had readings with you And know how you are able to translate those messages and how much you care. And take that seriously. It's so important. And so you just brought, you know that word up in terms of being a medium and a psychic and a spiritual mentor. Can you define those for people who may not a hundred percent know the difference?

Between that. Yeah, 

Karen: sure. And I think, again, it's something that, in the grand scheme of things, if you're giving someone a reading, sometimes they don't need to know what's psychic and what's mediumship. I so agree. 

Robyn: Yeah. Yeah. They 

Karen: just want the reading and what can you get. But for me, as a teacher as well, and for developing mediums as well it's about you understanding the mechanics of that.

So psychic is where. The medium or the psychic will link in with the person in front of them. So if I was reading for you, [00:15:00] I'm linking in with your soul, with everything to do with your auric field, the people that are in your life. For instance, I could read for someone and pick up on their mother or their father or their brother, sister.

That still doesn't make it mediumship, mediumship is where you're linking with the spirit world. It's a different kind of link. And I think that when you're giving someone a reading, if they're coming to you for guidance or anything to do with their own life, then you're really going to work from a psychic perspective in that sense.

But the minute you switch to your mediumship, that's when you're linking in with the discarnate in soul. The mother, the father, the cousin, whoever they have in the spirit world. And it's about bringing evidence forward of their life and what they can see now. So there is a difference, but usually readings are mixed, depending.

You know what the person needs, but I just think it's important to know the difference. 

Robyn: I do too. Big time. And when you are helping to mentor somebody spiritually, how does that work? 

Karen: So every one of [00:16:00] us have that unique journey, don't we? But there's not one medium that's the same as the next. And I think that's a really important thing to hang onto because I think that there's a lot of teaching out there now where one size fits all.

And if you come to a certain class and do it this way because this is the way the teacher does it, then that's what you should be doing. Whereas I feel mentorship is more about bringing out the uniqueness of that medium or of that person if they're just developing personally. And I think it's about helping people realize that. Whatever they've got, whatever they want to develop, whether it's in a personal way or the mediumship way or psychic, it's about the beauty of them. What do they want to bring to that, where's their authenticity. And I think mentoring does that because it gives me the chance to tune into that person and say, okay, where did they meant to be going with this?

And I also have my spirit team helping me, my guides, my helpers, and it's really so that it's not one size fits all because medium ship's not [00:17:00] supposed to be, we're all meant to be different and work in our own authentic way. It's so true. And when 

Robyn: you talk about. Where as a soul we're supposed to go, what we came to do.

And for you to be able to tap into that and I always like to say get us back on track. 'cause there's no right or wrong way, but there is a more direct way to achieve what we came to do in this lifetime. And yeah, I feel like what you're able to do is tune into that for somebody so that Yeah.

And when you hear it as that person and as a soul, when you hear somebody reflect back to you something that you know is supposed to be part of your path, there's literally I like to say it unlocking you feel it very deeply. So if you were to say, did you ever think about doing this or talking to this person or whatever, and all of a sudden You get almost like [00:18:00] a rush. 

Karen: Yeah, you do, because it resonates with you. So if it's something that's touching your soul, you're always going to feel that, right? So I always say to people, remember, and just see how you feel about something. If you are trying to think of something that's the logical part of you, that's the part where your mind is going to give you the answers.

Your mind is always gonna jump in with answers, right or wrong. You know that your mind can tell you to do things and afterwards you're like, why did I do that? Or why did I listen to that? And it might be anxiety that's put it there. It might be fear, it might be just, that's the right thing to do for somebody else.

But if you. Tune into you and actually see what it feels like. That's when you will know where to go on things. And when I'm reading for someone and maybe doing a bit of spiritual assessment for them, or guidance, you're right. The person should feel that click or just feel like, oh, that really sits with me.

That's something I really want to explore. And bearing in mind that, a medium or psychic can give you those [00:19:00] things, but it has to be something that you feel, because this is another thing that I feel a bit, concerned about at times where people come to a medium and they want the medium to give them answers, what to do with their life, and they want them to solve the problems.

And a medium shouldn't be doing that. A medium should be saying, this is what I feel for your soul's path. This is what I see for you and this is the guidance that I'm receiving. What you do with that is entirely your decision. Because we do want someone to fix the problems or we do want someone to give us a solution, don't we?

But it has to come from within. 

Robyn: such a good point, and it's really important because I like to always say the only person that has the real answers is you. And what I believe a really good spiritual mentor or psychic and or medium can do for you is help to bring Those messages for you to the surface.

 but there should never be an absolute, it has to resonate with you and then you're the one who has to then go and [00:20:00] take action on what you've received. That's it. Yeah. 

Karen: It's free will, I think that we all have our own free will and so we should, and you and me and everyone else that's listening to this will all know that sometimes we've made a decision and then thought I knew I shouldn't have done that before.

Yeah. Why did I listen to that? Yes. Because there's human influence on everything and there's conditioning on everything. And also, don't be hard on yourself either, because at the end of the day, this is about learning and it's about development. And sometimes we'll have to walk the wrong path before we realize what the right one is,

but we have free will to do that, and I think if a medium or mentor is telling anyone, you need to do this and you should be doing this. I'm like where is the room for that person to develop and grow if they're just gonna follow someone else's orders? It has to be felt within them so that they feel okay with the outcome.

Robyn: So true. Talking about the spirit world, you talk about the fact that they grieve as well. Can you [00:21:00] expand on that, what that means and what does that help us to understand about their journey? 

Karen: Of course, and I think, again, when I used to talk about this and when I first started to say it that way, I think it could confuse sometimes because people are like, oh, when you're in the spirit world, you're fine again.

You know where you are, everything's fine. you haven't died and that you still live on. But I think that makes it very flowery and lovely and, easy and I used to sit and meditate on this and speak to my guides and helpers about it, and of course in the communication through the loved ones and I soon learned that actually, when we cross over, we also are going to miss our physical life.

We are going to miss giving our children a physical hug. We are going to maybe if we didn't get to say goodbye to our loved ones, that feels very sudden. The impact of that is, huge for people, both sides. So it started to occur to me that actually there is healing that's needed on the other side as well.

There is a grief there. It's not the same as ours because the ones that are left behind [00:22:00] in the physical sense, some don't believe in this. So you think, oh, what if I never see that person again? And it feels very final. So it's a different kind of grief, but nevertheless, it is a grief of I have to now say goodbye to my physical.

Things, the hugs and the cup of coffee with my loved ones and whatever that might be. And there's that grief for that. And also there's a grief there if they're watching their loved ones going through grief. So I remember when, my mum passed away and my sister called me one night and she was just beside herself.

She just couldn't stop crying. And she was so upset. And I said to her, remember mom seeing this? And mom can't get back to help you with this, and as much as she's there for you, she can't stop this grief. So we'll have to think about what this is for her as well. And right away, my sister said, I didn't think of it like that.

And I said, that's not to make you feel guilty for grieving. We'll have to grieve. We have to cry. That has to come. But if you can take a breath and just think, okay, so we're both grieving, do I want my mom feeling helpless at this point [00:23:00] because she can't come and help me with this. 'cause as a mother, that's what you're gonna want to do.

So it gave it a different perspective. And when I said that it wasn't in any way, shape or form to kinda say we shouldn't be grieving, we have to grieve. It is part of what we have to go through. But it's just saying, let's think about it on both sides. that person that's passed away also will be missing us also.

We'll be having that kind of grief. And I think that communication then through mediumship, brings a comfort to both sides. I think it, comforts the person that wants to communicate and it comforts the person that's been left behind here as well. And for me, every time I do a mediumship reading, I can feel that.

I can feel the relief from the spirit person 'cause they got through. And I can feel the comfort from the person here who received that love as well. 

Robyn: And all the conversations we've had. I've never had anybody say that, and I think it's really helpful to understand that and that it can be healing on [00:24:00] both sides.

Karen: Yeah. And if you think about, let's say a mother losing a child, Even if it doesn't need to be like a baby, it could be someone that was grown up, whatever that might be, but the loss of a child I think is the hardest thing for anyone to go through. And when I've worked with families that have gone through that, I feel, how can I sit and say to someone, oh, your son's here and he's fine, That for me, just felt so. Uncomfortable because, not that I would want to say he is not fine, but just don't make it all oh, he's skipped into the spirit world and I know you're dealing with this grief, but he's okay. I just wanted to go deeper than that and that's when I think working with emotion through mediumship is a really important thing.

And just, a little funny thing about that when I was developing. My teacher said to me in the very first circle that I sat in, she said to me, Karen, if you're going to cry like that when you're working, you're never gonna be a good medium And she was very old school And I remember feeling it wasn't that I was sitting like sobbing my eyes out, but I used to [00:25:00] feel the emotion. And sometimes little tears would come in. And I thought at that time I think you're wrong because I feel like if I'm going to convey someone's love and convey what they want, why wouldn't I show that through feeling so that the person in front of me can actually feel that, because that's what you're trying to do is bring the feeling of spirit into this world.

So I ignored her advice on that and went with what I did anyway. And I feel like that's authentic for me. That's true. When someone feels the love of their person in the spirit world, I think it's amazing. 

Robyn: I so agree. I have the chills when you talk about it because I can feel that from even having had a reading with you and from everything that you're saying today and that's so important, and how beautiful that it can work for both sides, and that by somebody reaching out to you to have a reading, you're actually helping that person who crossed [00:26:00] over as well.

It's not just for you, it's for them too. I think that is really something that everybody should be better understanding and knowing that it's not. Selfish to want to ask them. It's actually quite healing. 

Karen: Yeah, because you're right. I think I've had questions before throughout the years that people have said, am I being selfish hanging onto my dad?

'cause I want to talk to him all the time. And some medium told me that, you've got to let your dad move on and you're holding him back. And I'm appalled at that because for me, that can't make sense. That dad in the spirit world is making his way in the spirit world is doing his development and evolving and doing the things he wants to do over there.

But the minute you think of him, the person thinks of their father, then the father's gonna want to be there and communicate. So I think that. People can see it sometimes as you're holding people back, Never, ever, like the spirit world want us to know they're there.

[00:27:00] They want to be able to communicate. And I feel the excitement of spirit when I'm getting ready to work or, sitting down for a reading with someone and you actually feel how eager they are to be here. 

Robyn: Yeah. And I can share from my own experience too, the first time that I ever reconnected with my father, he was bouncing off walls through through this medium.

He was so happy that I believe, and I would say for everybody listening our deceased loved ones, they work hard to get your attention so that you will go find An accredited and trusted medium to talk through. I believe there were so many signs and synchronicities that lined up and I was aware enough of them to then act on it and go and actually have a reading.

And I've now seen this, that was over 15 years ago, and through this work that I do now, and that the Seeking Center that we've created, I've seen now [00:28:00] countless times that has happened to others who've been connected to trusted mediums because their loved ones came through in the strangest of ways.

But they were trying to get that person on this side, the tension so that they could talk to them so that they could receive healing. Now on both sides. 

Karen: Yeah, exactly. And I think the spirit world works so hard to do that. And more often than not, we do miss these signs because they're very subtle in our world.

The spirit world worked very hard to bring those forward, but because our lives are so busy and, we've got a million things going through our mind at one time, we sometimes miss those. But if anyone listening really has felt that like you did, trust that, the spirit world are always trying to kinda divert us or guide us or bring something forward, that will stand out to us so that they can make their communication.

Robyn: Yes. And I'm just gonna share a quick story from yesterday. If you listen to this podcast, you know that I'm always sharing stories of signs from my dad and it [00:29:00] never ceases to amaze me. Yesterday I went to my first. NFL football game and I'm at Soldier Field, which is where the Chicago Bears play, in the bathroom.

Okay. And I said to my dad, can you believe I'm here? , I've never been to a game. I know he had never been to Soldier Field. And I said, show me a sign that you're with me. And I am not kidding you. I looked up and there was a certificate on the wall in the bathroom. From whatever it was, some sort of that they could be an operation.

And the date on this certificate was. November 17th, and November 17th is my dad's birthday. Yeah. And it's my guiding numbers in life. And then on top of it, there was the number 22. I took a picture of this. 22 is my birthday. It's four twenty two. So there's two twos and four.

So it's in 22 and then 1117 basically. And it was so automatic I don't know, [00:30:00] I thought about it looked up and it was there. I just wanna share that. Amazing. I know we're in the matrix in some ways, because that's just unbelievable to me. 

Karen: It's crazy because people automatically, some people will write that off, right?

Some people will say, that's a coincidence. that's airy fairy stuff. That's something that you choose to believe that makes you feel better. But I always say to people, not everyone has to believe in those things. Not everyone has to believe this, but. How random, you know those numbers and they're the exact numbers.

And I remember, I don't know if I shared this with you before, but when my mom had passed away, me and my sisters had bought Barry Manalow tickets for her. She loved Barry Manalow. We were raised with Barry Manalow, and a couple years before she fell ill we took her to a concert. It was like a dream come true for her.

So we'd bought these tickets knowing that she was ill. We didn't know how the illness was going to go. So we'd bought these tickets for her Christmas in the December, but she passed away in the February. So the concert was in the next June. And so my sisters and I were [00:31:00] like, should we go? Should we not?

Barry Manalow music's so emotive anyway, is it gonna be too much? my older sister and I decided to go. So in the morning I got in the car to drive to the train station to meet my sister, and the DJ on the radio was chatting away. And I was like. This is a message from my mom and he hadn't said anything at that point, and I was like, I just felt her there.

And I was like, she's gonna give us a message for today. So the DJ had said, oh, I've got a very excited lady on the line here. Who am I speaking with? And this woman who was on the phone said, Catherine, and that's my mom's name. And. He said, and why are you so excited today, Catherine? And she said, because I'm going to see Barry Manilow with my two daughters.

Oh, chill. I know. And I was like in the car. I knew that this was going to be a message, but I didn't know it was going to be that exact. Now the skeptic would say, oh, that was a real woman on the phone to the radio station. Yes it was. Of course it was. And the concert was in Glasgow, which is a city near us.

Yes, that's fine. But at that [00:32:00] exact moment when I was asking my mom and when I was saying, we're going here today for you, mom, I hope you're here. And then that message came through. And so when I met my sister, I was able to say, you're not gonna believe what just happened. And she was like, wow. And then when we got there, we got into the venue and I just put a thought out to my mom and said, I really wish you were here.

And my sister right at that moment reached across and said, I've just heard mom's voice saying, tell Karen and I'm here. What it was in the exact moment. And my sister doesn't do this. She's never worked with this. Nothing. She said, I heard mom saying, tell Karen I am here and said, I just said, I really wish you were here.

So the spirit world will find a way to work through whichever means they can. And it might be very subtle, but it's still a sign. And I always say celebrate those things no matter how small it seems because it's a lot of work for them to do. 

Robyn: Exactly. That's what I was thinking. That is a lot of work.

I don't know how it happens, but it's like, [00:33:00] it feels magical and you know that it takes energy on their side to do that. 

Karen: Oh yes. Huge amounts of energy. And I think that's underestimated as well. Even for mediumship. I often say to people, it's not like I'm picking a telephone up No. And just getting the communication.

 the work through all of my senses, all at the same time. And I've got to interpret that through my mind and all of the rest of it. And it's hard work for them. And I'll laugh sometimes and I'll say my spirit team, my guides and my helpers must be just shaking their heads sometimes.

why is she not getting this? 

Robyn: But that's the way it goes. 

 it's so true. What other universal messages, because you've done thousands of readings are there other universal messages from Spirit that they would like us to know? 

Karen: I think things are happening in the world all the time.

But at certain times, I feel like the energy universally can feel heavy and it can feel quite oppressive. And I think that's really what is going on right now. I don't know about yourself Robyn, you feel every [00:34:00] day, and I don't know if it's more because we'll have social media so much, and we're so aware and so connected, now you're hearing things left, right and center.

But the energy of things can sometimes feel very heavy. And universally just now, I find myself saying to people all the time, we're moving through this as a society and as a universe, we are going to move through this heavy energy. And I think when I'm receiving things like that from my guides and helpers, of course it's a one message fits all.

It's a message for everyone in that. So yeah, you do get that. And I find particularly just now it's happening more and more. 

Robyn: I agree. And if somebody wants to start to connect with spirit and they don't think that they're intuitive, what would you say to them? 

Karen: the first thing is believing that you are spirit in human form, because once you recognize that within yourself, it gives you a place to go.

I think quite often when you say to someone who's not experienced with this, just sit and meditate. They're like, how do you do that? I [00:35:00] can't switch off, and there's a lot of misconception about that. So meditation is not switching off. You cannot switch off. If you switch off, you're going to the other world.

There's not possible to switch your mind off completely. So it's about recognizing that the place that you're going to, when we talk about meditation is connection. It's about connection with your higher self, which is your spirit, your soul. And if you can start to believe that you are that in human form, then it gives you that place to start to go to.

And I would always say to someone, center yourself first. Soul. Find a quiet place. It doesn't have to be a long and drawn out meditation. It could be a walk in nature. It could be sitting on the grass or going beside the water or just creating a quiet place in your home that you can sit even for 10 minutes.

And just take a few deep breaths and do some breath work that will always help you get to the center of you, and that's the part of you that we're looking for when you need to try and make that connection to spirit. [00:36:00] Then from there on, it's about developing that through consistency, understanding that inner voice of yours is you, is your higher self talking to you.

' cause I think another thing that we do as humans is make it external. So you've heard people saying, oh, my guides told me X, Y, and Z. Or, I heard a voice from Spirit telling me when quite often it's your higher self that you go to first, and you have to understand that first. So I think creating that quiet place, believing in yourself, believing that you are connected and believing that you are spirit, these are the first steps I would take.

Robyn: I agree. And when we talk about starting to. Better understand and believe your own intuition or whispers, if somebody like I'm thinking of an example, for me, sometimes in the morning when I first get up, I'll wake up with something in my [00:37:00] mind and it feels very random, let's say, and I just don't think I'm the only one who has that experience.

Even though I might consider myself more intuitive , and a medium at this point, because I've been practicing now for quite some time, but I'm saying this used to happen to me all the time before I better understood how to connect. I would wake up. and there'd be something random in my head.

Maybe it's a person or a topic that I wasn't really thinking about prior and I don't know how it makes sense. But then sometime later that day, usually that person will call or I'll be reading something and that topic comes up. What would you say that is, and how do you then start to better understand how to utilize those kinds of whispers or messages?

Karen: Yeah, so I think everyone has those experiences to a degree. Like you say, if you've developed your mediumship, [00:38:00] you're probably going to get them stronger or you just know to connect at certain points. But if you haven't developed that, your sixth sense, which is your psychic senses, which we all have because we are all from the spirit world and we bring it here with us that's your psychic sense connecting before your conscious mind is aware of it.

So it's like deja vu as well. People talk about deja vu, does that mean I've been here before or it feels like I've already done this, whatever it might be. And it's really because. If you can think of like the lens of a camera. When a camera takes photographs the photographs are taken before we can get to see them on the screen, right?

The flash or the camera works away. And that's kinda what's happening with your soul. The soul part of you is it can see things up ahead of time before it reaches your conscious mind. So basically, if you're suddenly having these random thoughts that aren't really random, but we term them as random then it comes to fruition.

It's really because you've just been connected and that your soul knows that these [00:39:00] things are going to come up. And I think that Sometimes hard to listen to those. Sometimes you'll write off as your imagination or you'll just think, oh, I don't know why I was thinking of that. And then obviously when the thing happens, you're like, oh, I thought about that this morning.

Or, something like that. And it just gives you that reaffirmed belief that was real. And I think as a medium, it means that we are supposed to remember that all the time. And we don't, I don't know about you, Robin, but sometimes you'll get things and you'll just dismiss it.

Yes. ' cause you're like, you're busy and one kinda serious one that happened to me was, I was in a car accident three years ago and all day I'd got in my car in the morning and all the way up on this journey to my friend's house, which was about an hour. I kept getting these thoughts of, what would you do if you were trapped in the car?

What would you do if the car went off the road? And I kept. Catching myself and kept going. Karen, why are you thinking like that? I'm not a negative thinker. I wasn't particularly anxious about anything. What if the car, went off and you couldn't get out and the door was closed? All [00:40:00] of these things kept dismissing them.

Got to my friends, had a nice time on the way home. Five minutes from home, my car went into a full skid. There was loose gravel on the road, full skid, could not get control of it. And that's when I realized, oh, this is the way to happen. And basically put my head down, took my hands off the steering wheel.

I couldn't do anything. And I went into a tree and a wall, and the car bounced back and spun on its roof four times. And it was a really bad accident. But I fell in that accident as it was happening. This is okay, this is what you were being told. And I walked away with not one scratch, and it was unbelievable.

Now, in hindsight, I was receiving those thoughts because my soul knew ahead of time. And had I have listened to that, I'm not saying I could have changed it, because accidents happen, we can't change things like that. But had I have listened to it, it maybe would've made me more vigilant. [00:41:00] It maybe would've made me think, okay, just slow down a little bit.

Or, go around the corner differently. But I didn't listen to any of them. I dismissed them all. So that was a real big lesson to me, even as a medium, that we too can just be our human selves. And dismiss these things, but we do. Every one of us get things like that. It's just that we don't listen all the time. 

Robyn: Wow. I'm so grateful that you walked away. Okay. Oh, me too. But thank you for sharing that because yeah, I do think we all get them, whether , you consider yourself a medium or not and we are also human, even though we may be able to connect with the other side.

we came here to have a human experience too. 

Karen: Exactly that. And I think that people as well don't often realize that they think that you're switched on all the time and we're not. We've got like our human things to deal with as well. And I sometimes laugh because I know that when I'm out and about locally and I maybe bump into someone in the store that [00:42:00] has been to an event or something and they say hello and everyone's so lovely and so supportive and I say, oh, hi.

And I know that they're looking at me as to say, what is she getting right now? Totally. And I'm like, I can't even remember why I'm in this shop 

Robyn: to this point in time. I'm so glad you said 

that actually, because I think that is something that people often think that. If you're able to connect, you can actually listen, see things all the time.

And I know for me that's not the case. So 

Karen: yeah, it doesn't work like that and it, and neither it should, I think that there's sometimes TV programs and things that are on where, people are randomly walking up to strangers and they're saying, oh, I'm picking this up for you. And you're like, that's so heavily edited the camera crew, but in the shop before the person walked in.

But because it's portrayed in such a way, I think that people think that's what happens when you're a medium and you're like, no, it doesn't, it really 

Robyn: doesn't happen like that. No, and that there is [00:43:00] intention when you are doing that work. Like you first of all need to ask permission from somebody to even.

Read them, and you might get, if you're with a good friend or family member and you get some sort of hit, they're your good friend or family member, you might say something. And it may be that their spirit team really working hard to get their attention for something.

Yes, that's somewhat different and that's not the norm. 

Karen: Yes, exactly. And you don't know what someone's beliefs are. You can't, and you don't know what their grief is like as a medium. You might feel things. I've been in situations where I've felt someone's loved one there, but I'm not going to walk up to them and say, this is what I'm getting for you, because I don't know what their feelings are.

I don't know how that would leave them. And remembering that we just go home after that, that person is actually left with that. And it has happened one thing that jumps out was a lady on a train, and she was a stranger and she was sitting across from me on the train and I suddenly felt her husband there.

And I was like. I'm not doing this, [00:44:00] like I'm not gonna just approach this lady. And so he was persistent and he kept telling me her name was Maggie. And I was like, I can't say that to her. So I'd said to him, in my mind, if I meant to talk to her, she's gonna have to ask me. I don't know how you're going to do it, but she's going to have to ask me.

So in the next sort of 15, 20 minutes, she said oh, where are you off to today? And I said, oh, I'm going down to England to do some work. And she said, what do you do? And I said, I'm a medium. And she went, I love that. I love everything to do with mediumship. And I said, oh. I said, I, don't mind talking to you about it if you're open to it.

And we were able to kinda broach the subject and she said, no, I would love to talk to you. And I said is your name Maggie? And she said, yes it is. And I said, I've got your husband here. And I was able to kinda give her what he was giving me. And it actually turned out that he had only passed away six weeks previously.

And for him, he was desperate to get that information to her, that he was okay she was dealing with a lot of complications this side of life due to [00:45:00] the passing. And I was able to give her some guidance from him. And for that, when she got off the train, she said to me, I can't believe that just happened.

And it's made such a difference to the way I can view things now. So when she left, I was sitting speaking to spirit and saying, that shouldn't have happened that way. I would never randomly do that. But I knew that they made it happen. So as a medium, there's times where it might happen, but not in me, just deciding from my perspective, I'm gonna walk up to that person and tune into them.

I just would never do that. That 

Robyn: was such a good example though, Of how persistent spirit can be and how responsible you are, because you weren't gonna just blurt that out. that's very respectful but how beautiful 

Karen: It was beautiful.

And I think that's where I, sometimes as a medium, I just feel, so blessed in your to be part of that exchange and to know that has made a difference. It's not about Karen, it's not about my ego, it's about just [00:46:00] understanding that good was done through the power of spirit. And for me, that just speaks volumes.

Robyn: I did wanna ask you, what do you think about exit points for us as. Souls within this human body. like I'm just thinking when you were talking about your car accident, it made me think about that.

because you've had so much experience talking to the other side, is that something that's ever come up that we have more than one, let's say? What's your opinion on that? 

Karen: It's interesting because when I first started, I used to think there isn't a set thing. Like I don't believe in when it's your time, it's your time.

I think things can happen. And for the most part, I still believe in that side of it. Meaning I think that the human body can stop working through illness, cause we have to remember as well that we chose the life we live. And now there's a lot more like people talk about cancer, there's a lot more of this, there's a lot more of that.

And I think [00:47:00] some of that's to do with the way we live and how the world's gone, and food and all the rest of it. So there's all of these human ways that I think. It put us more at risk in that sense, so that sits with me as there's not a set time for someone to pass, but then on a couple of occasions, maybe more than a couple, I really felt the soul of the person in the spirit world telling me that.

it just had to happen that way, so I just honestly feel like you're right, that there's maybe a few different variations of that. Again, I don't feel like it's one way only, and I don't feel that necessarily, it would be unfair, for instance, to say it wasn't my time to go in that car accident, but then how is that fair for the next person?

So for me, I think accidents can absolutely happen where the spirit world can't save us or keep us here in this life. I think there's other times where there can be protection put in place if it's feasible that they can do that. And likewise with [00:48:00] illness, you've heard stories of people literally at death store and then all of a sudden miraculously come back from that.

I suppose I can't give a definite answer, but my feeling on it is that for the most part, let's say 95% of the time, I think a lot of the passings that occur are just because the body breaks. There's accidents, there's things that happen, but there is room, I would say for.

A couple of different variations of that. 

Robyn: Yeah, because I'm thinking about like with my dad, he passed away when he was 41 of a sudden heart attack, and could he have taken care of himself better and X, Y, and z and so therefore he may not have passed at that time or been saved potentially if the ambulance had gotten there quicker.

I have no idea, but I often think about, and the conversations that I have with him while he's on the other side, that the way that happened and the events that happened after. Happened for a reason so that I could be doing this work and that I could [00:49:00] help bring this information and these healers to others so that they can heal from grief or better understand spirit and their soul journey and all that.

So I see how that. Could have happened in many ways on purpose at that time. But I'm always curious, What's your thought on that? On so contract or that kind of plan? 

Karen: Yeah, I think that we all do have a loose plan when we come here, meaning we have our free will. So for instance, like you said, your dad passed at four one very sadly could he have changed that depending on life choices?

I think that we come here with a loose plan and our decisions might, change certain aspects of our life. Do I feel that we come here? It's a hard and fast plan. No, because then again, if you think about someone who chooses, if it is a soul contract to come into a really. Hard life full of hardship.

I just, I don't know that I get [00:50:00] that. I feel that we have choices when we get here, depending on our conditioning, the way we are raised, the family we are with what happens in life. Use an example of someone that might choose a path of addiction, let's say, or they've got fallen into addiction.

It's an illness, it's something that's, in their makeup. And so you can't blame someone for that, but maybe, depending on the life that they've led up until that point, it's resulted in that. But that could have been a very different choice, and then they would've stayed here. So for me it's a okay, there's a.

Plan for you if you know where you're going, you've chosen your parent. I do believe we choose where we go as in the family we're born into. And then I think a lot of it's up to us to make choices. There's always going to be things that we can't avoid. Like unfortunately, I heard just before we started recording that a friend's son has unfortunately died in a car accident.

And it's funny, I haven't seen her for about five years, and I bumped into her two weeks ago randomly, and I said, [00:51:00] wow, it's so good to see you and blah. And she said, let's reconnect. And so she added me on Facebook two weeks ago and I said, let's get a coffee. At some point we'll connect.

And then two weeks later, wow, this happens. And I'm like, so again, as soon as I seen that, I was like. Okay, this is going to be where there's a connection, and it's going to happen. And again, it's trusting that was put in place. Now that's not to say that he should have passed, that was gonna happen.

It's just that it's happened in the spirit world of made sure that there's maybe going to be a place for them to talk about it or something like that. That'll come down the line. But you just have to trust, that the soul contract as such, I do think exists, but maybe not hard and fast all the time.

Robyn: Thank you. And is there anything in terms of any rituals that you have in place in your life that you feel could help others in terms of how you start your day or end your day? 

Karen: I try to always start my day in gratitude. I always, even if things have been tough or [00:52:00] if there's things that are stressing me out or whatever, just like everyone else, I always try to say thank you for those two.

It is one thing that I'll always do. Thank you for the hard times. Thank you for, I know it's a blessing. I know I'm gonna grow from that sooner or later, and it might be tough at the time, but there's always an end goal with this. There's always a bigger picture. So I do Tried to start my day, with a gratitude prayer.

Now there are days that I miss it. There's days that I'm just up and out and getting on, and then suddenly two days later I'm like, oh, I haven't said this. But I think if you've set the intention to live that way, that counts as prayer, setting an intention as a prayer as well. So that's a big thing for me.

I would urge everyone to do that. Look at their life, count their blessings, and say thank you for them and add on the end. And thank you for the things that have been tough too. 'cause I know that you're giving me this for a reason. And that's really the only ritual I do.

That's probably the only regular thing I do. Apart from that, it's just trust. that When you look back on your life, you see the patterns like [00:53:00] you just explained about your dad. You came into this then, and you've been able to help lots and lots of people and work with this, which is so beautiful.

And if you look at things like that and think that was a really hard thing that happened, but because of that. This and this is that. That's right. 

Robyn: Exactly. To move 

Karen: forward.

Robyn: Yeah. And it's so interesting what you said about acknowledging and having gratitude for the hard times.

Because my download, I do a download every week and then I share it, and it's for everybody, anybody who's reading it, and Spirit, said to me this week, if you're at a crossroads, there is no wrong way all right. Because to your point, whichever way you get is gonna lead you to exactly where you're meant to be at that time, and you're equipped to handle it.

So just remember that, and it goes to what you just said, It's your perspective on it. And it doesn't mean that it doesn't feel hard or challenging while you're going through it. 

Exactly. 

But it's gonna help you grow, [00:54:00] as you say. 

Karen: Exactly. like my dad's quite spiritual in his thinking, he always has been his wisdom about him and things.

And I remember when I just was starting out on my mediumship journey and I was still married at that time and it was a really abusive marriage and I knew I was gonna leave. I knew that at some point I'm coming out of this. And when I did come outta it, my dad was so fixated on you shouldn't have had to go through that.

He done this and he done, and I said, listen, it doesn't matter. I was there too, and at the end of the day, then I could have left before I did. So let's just not. Do it that way. I know that me going through that is going to end up helping other people because my perspective, through living that and going through that, I will be able to talk to other people that need the help with this as well.

So for me, yes, it was difficult and yes, it left its mark and I have children and so it's very difficult, but when you come out of something and look back, I think if you can have that kind of hindsight and [00:55:00] say, okay, but I'm still here and I learned so much through it, so now how can I utilize that and how can I move forward?

And it's not easy. don't say that flippantly, it's very difficult to go through for a lot of people. But there is light at the end of the tunnel for everyone. There is a bigger plan. 

Robyn: Thank you for sharing that. Thank you for sharing so much today because I am hoping that for some people who've never heard about.

What we're talking about and or in the way that we talked about it, it was a little bit of an unlocking for them and makes them curious to explore more and help heal themselves even more. So what is the best way for people to work with you, Karen? 

Karen: So anyone can get in touch with me at my website, which is karen docherty.com and there's lots of information on there about my work and podcasts and how I work and, one-to-one sessions.

All of that's on the website. And if anyone does go on it [00:56:00] and they do want to get in touch with me directly, it is only me that's behind that. So it will be me that's answering any questions that come in. 

Robyn: Thank you so much Karen, and we'll have the link to your website in our show notes

and we're so grateful to know you and we know we're gonna collaborate and do more in the future and I'm so grateful, the spirit for bringing us together. 

Karen: I am too and I'm so excited to just even be part of what you do in your channel and everything. I just think being part of something that's also so authentic and is there to guide and help and bring knowledge and information, I am just blessed to be part of it and thank you for asking.

Robyn: Thank you.