Irish Spiritualist medium, scholar, and author, 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. She is also the author of several books exploring mediumship, spirituality, and the continuity of consciousness, through which she extends her work beyond private appointments, offering insight, reflection, and solace to a wider audience. 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.
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 is an adjunct professor at New York University, a faculty member of The Shift Network, a teacher at the Spiritualist National Union International, the Edgar Cayce Center, and Humanity’s Team.
Karen has a keen interest in metaphysics and consciousness 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.
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.
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. She is an adjunct faculty member at New York University School of Professional Studies, where she teaches courses on contemporary spectral and speculative fiction. She also lectures on mediumship with the Spiritualist National Union International, integrating academic scholarship with survival research.
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.