As an Irish medium, best-selling author, and public speaker, Dr Karen Frances McCarthy offers a thoughtful and compassionate approach to mediumship that brings comfort, clarity, and reassurance to those navigating the pain of loss. Rooted in the evidence-based tradition of Spiritualism, guided by the mindfulness of her Zen practice, and shaped by the lyrical storytelling of her Irish heritage, she brings forward meaningful, heartfelt messages from loved ones in spirit. Her work aims to provide a sense of continuity, connection, and calm for those seeking solace, helping them move through grief with gentleness and grace, and reminding them that love endures beyond physical form.
As an advocate of the ethical practice and healing potential of mediumship, she underwent years of intensive training at the world-renowned Arthur Findlay College in England and holds three awards, Certificates of Recognition, in mediumship, spiritual healing, and public speaking from its governing body, the Spiritualist National Union. To further understand the complexities of grief, she obtained a Diploma in Bereavement Counselling from the Institute of Counselling in Scotland.
Books & Media
She is passionate about writing for mindfulness and spiritual transformation. Her latest book, Till Death Don't Us Part (White Crow Books, 2020), is a true and transformational story of her extraordinary journey as a former journalist from skepticism, through tragedy to awakening to the knowledge that consciousness is not an emergent property of the brain, meaning the spirit continues beyond physical life.
Described as "a gripping modern love story that transcends all boundaries," by Academy Award Nominee, Juanita Wilson, both the paperback and the audiobook were listed as a #1 Hot New Release on Amazon and both are currently Amazon Best Sellers. The book has been featured in Forbes, The Irish Times, and HuffPost, and on New Thinking Allowed with Jeffrey Mishlove, New Realities TV with Alan Steinfeld, and Seek Reality with Roberta Grimes.
Her first non-fiction book, The Other Irish (Sterling, 2011) was supported by Ireland's Department of Foreign Affairs as a cultural outreach contribution to the country's Reconciliation and Anti-Sectarian peace effort. It was featured on NPR, the BBC and RTE and in The Irish Times, The Belfast Telegraph, HuffPost, and Irish American Magazine, among other television and print outlets. For this work, she was named one of Ireland's top female broadcasters who have had an international impact.
In television, she has written and produced documentaries, including producing Alchemy and The Crystal Cave with Deepak Chopra.
She continues to write feature articles for The Irish Times, Irish Voice, OmTimes, Salon, HuffPost Religion, and Beliefnet, among other publications.
In this clip from an interview with The Shift Network, Dr McCarthy shares her backstory and how she transformed from political journalism to an accredited mediumship.
Teaching
Karen has a passion for teaching mediumship, healing, spiritual writing, and spiritual development. Teaching is something she inherited from her father, a high-performance, Olympic coach. She credits her success as a teacher to his inspiration. He taught her to meet students where they are, identify their needs, help them reach their highest potential, and encourage them to expand intentionally and deepen internally.
As an advocate for evolving mediumship into the twenty-first century in line with contemporary theories of consciousness, Karen teaches at NYU, the Shift Network, Humanity’s Team, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Centre, the Edgar Cayce Center, and One Spirit Learning Alliance and offer private courses and mentoring.
She has a keen interest in metaphysics, physics, and consciousness theory and hosted the Science and Spiritualism initiative for the SNU international school online, which included speakers such as Dr Dean Radin and Prof Chris Roe.
Public Speaking
Karen is passionate about giving voice to those in spirit to bring messages of joy, upliftment, and healing to loved ones still here in physical form. She advocates for demythologizing concepts of spirit, consciousness, and the afterlife, and for maintaining healthy relationships with those in spirit form.
She is a regular speaker at summits and gatherings, advancing contemporary thought around spirituality, consciousness expansion, and metaphysics, which facilitates our understanding of the fullness of our existence and our connection to all beings, seen and unseen.
Research
Her doctoral research at the University of Birmingham, one of the UK’s leading Russell Group universities, explored contemporary ghost literature, evolving theories of consciousness, and the cultural forces that shape our understanding of spirit and self. This scholarly foundation enriches her holistic approach to healing and continued consciousness. Through her writing, she invites deeper reflection on empathy, meaning, and the enduring threads of human connection.
She regularly speaks at conferences in the US and UK and contributes to international peer-reviewed journals in the field. She is a member of leading research organisations at the forefront of consciousness studies, spiritualism, and the intersection of science and spirituality.
