Liza Mitchell
Theresa Caputo is serious about her role as the keeper of priceless memories. She takes great care to preserve these reflections, even if they don’t belong to her. Known as the Long Island Medium, Caputo delivers messages from spirits who have “crossed over.” She can’t really explain it, she refuses to defend it and has long since come to terms with her task as a vessel for these souls to communicate with their loves ones. It’s part of life and she wouldn’t trade it for the world.
Whether in an individual reading or a group setting, Caputo serves as the mouthpiece with a message, albeit in a thick, Long Island accent. She brings the experience to Jacksonville with a Jan 30 appearance at the Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts Moran Theatre.
”Every live show is different. The format is the same. I come out on stage and give a little quick speech and give a couple examples on how spirits communicate and then we get right down to spirit communication,” Caputo says. “It’s different because the message is different and the souls I channel are different. I know it sounds weird and as crazy as it is that what I do I channel the souls of people that have died, it’s the most natural thing for me. I consider it such a blessing.”
Caputo realized her unique abilities at a very young age. It took some getting used to at first but she has carried that skill with her throughout her entire adult life. Living a life without it is a prospect she’s not willing to imagine, even for a second.
“That would never happen because the souls of our loved ones are always with us. That’s the point of what I do, being able to validate that our loved ones are, in fact, still will us,” she says. “So I don’t think that or feel that my gift will ever go away because I honor and respect and treasure my gift as something very sacred and I treat it that way. I will never try to prove or defend my gift. It is what it is. This is my path and I truly believe that.”
Signs and symbols play a big part in Caputo’s interpretation of these messages. “I’ve learned that when I’m channeling spirit, whatever it is that I sense and feel, I share,” she says. “Even if I’ve never had it before or never experienced before, I will share everything that I’m sensing and feeling. And people are like ‘oh my God, I know exactly what you’re talking about’ and it’s amazing.”
It seems logical that readings could be trickier in a theatre setting. Certain symbols could mean different things to different people. Or if Caputo channels a father figure that died of a heart attack, it’s probable that scenario could apply to more than one person. But this is no place for logic.
“Spirit guides me. You will see me walking through the theatre and all of a sudden, I will just stop and look at someone and I’ll say ‘who lost a brother that passed in a car accident’? What are the odds of me stopping? I am not standing on that stage. I will move throughout that theatre channeling spirit,” says Caputo. “I can’t explain it. They just have me look in a direction, go in a direction or make a beeline for a particular person. And then they have me start feeling things. The things that I’m saying mean nothing to me but they are life-changing for the person that I’m standing in front of.”
Caputo is respectful of the ability she calls her “gift” and insists that the spirits extend her the same courtesy. Even the most demanding earthly personalities seem to soften a bit on the other side and almost always clear a path for others waiting in the cue.
“There are souls that do attach to me the entire time but a lot of the time, they will be helpful in trying to move the energy. If they have a very strong energy, they will try and keep things moving along and help other souls get the additional strength to be able to channel,” she says. “Like if I’m reading someone and I move onto another person then bounce back, that soul is still trying to come through. I try to move the energy as fast as I can so I can deliver as many messages as I can and channel as many souls as I can but what I’ve learned is that it’s not up to me.”
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