The Psychic Next Door: Ordinary People with Extraordinary Powers

by Karen Zimmerman

  A medium has a direct line to the afterlife. Mediums open themselves to discarnate energy. Some mediums communicate with spirits while fully conscious.

  Others are trance mediums — someone who goes into a trance state to relay messages from the other side. This is typically the type of mediumship shown in films and on television.

  Sensitives also communicate with the dead and work with active and residual energy . Those who see, hear, touch, taste, or smell spirits are sensitive. The level of perception of sensitives varies, and some are able to communicate in “real time,” much as a medium does, conveying messages from the dead. Sensitives include those who are empathic (able to perceive and communicate the emotions of the dead or just an overall atmospheric feeling). Most ghost hunters are sensitive to some degree.

  Some famous contemporary psychics include: John Edward, Lisa Williams, James Van Praagh, Sylvia Browne and Mary Ann Winkowski.

  Recommended reading: Small Mediums at Large: The True Tale of a Family of Psychics, by Terry Iacuzzo, J.P. Putnam’s Sons, 2004; When Ghosts Speak by Mary Ann Winkowski, Grand Central Publishing, 2007; Lily Dale: The Town that Talks to the Dead by Christine Wicker; Life Among the Dead, by Lisa Williams, Simon Spotlight Entertainment, 2008.

  Chapter 7

  Deborah Carr Senger

  I met Deborah Carr Senger through my friend and fellow author, Janice Oberding. Deborah describes herself as a historic and spiritual medium. She is a writer and researcher, and owns and operates a tour company with business partner Chris Hotz. They conduct a historic haunted walking tour in Bloomington, Illinois;, gangster tours, and performances as Lincoln and the Lady, where she dresses as Mary Todd Lincoln. She also hosts live paranormal investigations.

  She is the author of Mysteries and Haunts of Central Illinois Part I: McLean County, The Land of Lincoln, Route 66 and Beyond.

  Deborah Carr Senger follows her intuition. “I can be a healer, a reader, a psychic detective, a teacher, a student,” she says. “I am drawn to wherever I need to be, and allow the messages and energy to use me as their tools.”

  As a historical researcher and writer, she channels to the source and is led to the stories. As a historical actor, she provides the format to open others to connect with the past. As a paranormal investigator, she says it is not so much the spirit in the house, she said, but the spirit of the energy of the investigation. “As long as I listen to my inner voice, all my abilities are on point in all the settings of my life.”

  As far back as she can remember, Deborah knew or understood situations and loved being around people. She felt very drawn to some people, and stayed away from others. She describes herself as a “Zen Christian,” and says she has always felt loved and filled with the light of God. “I believe I am the vessel and the energy of God’s love, and the blessings flow through me to others.” Her abilities, she says, come from God the creator and Mother Earth to ground her.

  Her mother had her own abilities, and noticed how the young girl was drawn by, and fascinated with, people. She allowed her the freedom to seek and explore. “As young as two or three, I was pulling a wagon and telling my parents I was collecting souls.”

  Deborah remembers the childhood tea party set swirling around her bedroom as she shared tea with her make-believe friends. She said she knew their names, and as she grew up, and learned about family and friends who had passed, she realized that it was not make-believe — her tea party friends were actually relatives and friends who had passed on.

  Her parents knew she had a very active imagination, but actually didn’t define her as a medium until she herself was willing to surrender to that definition.

  “I am now of the mind that there is no such thing as make-believe or imagination, but God communicating and providing us with what we need, including communication with the dead,” she says.

  As a growing child in Florida, she experienced continued visits from her spirit friends, observed a fleet of UFOs (one of her brothers confirms this event), and remembers first communicating with alternate life forms. “As a small child, this was just a regular part of my childhood. I did not know it was anything different or unusual,” Deborah says.

  When her family moved to Japan when she was in eighth grade, she became more aware that her observations were out of the ordinary. “Intrigued, I studied and discovered the mystical worlds further and also checked out my first Sylvia Browne book. I remarked to my mother that I was a lot like her and she agreed.”

  One early spirit visitation was Andy, a friend of her brother Mike’s, while they were living in Japan. Andy lived in upstate New York. He had terminal cancer. “When I was a kid,” Deborah, says, “spirits usually came to me at the beginning or end of a dream state. Andy came to me with a message for Mike – he was okay, and wanted Mike to know that.”

  Deborah’s family then moved to Hawaii for her last three years of high school. That time of her life, she recalls, was a combination of combined typical teenage pranks with a Ouija board, experiences with magic and spells, and the growing realization that she was aware of events before they happened. She began noticing and giving voice to her abilities and observations about other people’s energy. “This was still a very private world of investigation, wonder, and appreciation of all things around me including nature and people.”

  Learning to Use Her Abilities

  Even though she knew she had these abilities, Deborah didn’t take her skills seriously until she went through a possibly life-threatening health situation,.

  “About sixteen years ago I was diagnosed with a large ovarian cyst,” she says. “The doctors believed it was quite serious, and an oncologist was brought in for the surgery. Once I was home recovering, the doctor called to let me know that within a few days the tests would confirm a possibly grim diagnosis. I had a sudden ‘ah-ha!’ moment about my life and what I had not achieved. With the idea of a limited time on earth, I really began to evaluate my own life’s purpose,” Deborah tells me.

  Fortunately, the news was good. But the feelings that “aha” moment created remained, and Deborah decided to quit her job in the travel industry and develop her mediumship. She tells me that as soon as she made this commitment, she began to meet those who could help her along her journey.

  “Once I made this commitment to my own development as a medium, many wonderful mentors were put in my path. All of these people are still in my life and I continue to bless others and be blessed by their presence in my life. Every April, I reach out to each of these mentors and thank them for finding me.”

  Once she found her path, traveling it was not always easy.

  “I had always used my abilities with others as a fun reading around the kitchen table or fire,” she says. “So once I decided to ‘come out of the closet,’ several close friendships were challenged. Some churches condemn soothsayers and fortune tellers. Many believe that if it is not of God it is indeed of evil. Several friendships were closed down and one particular friend projected, ‘I know I am going to lose you to this.’”

  But at the same time, the friend would tell people about Deborah’s work as a medium, which served to bring her clients rather than have the intended effect of putting them off. She tried very hard to keep the friendship under the friend’s rules and eventually it fell apart. “I truly believe in the Holy Spirit, and yet am considered ‘evil’ by opening the energy in healing and energy circles. Once again it is not for me to judge. Perhaps fear dictates opinions.”

  As she meets new people in working situations, such as ghost investigations or private readings, she is careful to maintain professional boundaries. Deborah wants to be friendship because of who she is, not because they want her to “read their mind,” she says. “As a spiritual medium, I am led to others that are led to me for spiritual enrichment. It is the balance of knowledge and friendship that develops each relationship with a new acquaintance.”

  The balance of Debbie the spiritual medium and Debbie the person can be a challenge, sh
e muses. She once sponsored a psychic cruise workshop and investigation. One of her readings led to a close relationship and she actually spent several days with this woman, providing readings for many of her friends. This woman was just one in a series of helpful people Deborah soon encountered.

  Understanding her abilities is a work in progress. She recalls contacting Janice Oberding of HauntedNevada.com to ask about a private ghost tour of Virginia City. She mentioned in an email to Janice that she was a medium and often saw dead people. “Janice is so insightful, with few words until the moment is right,” she recalls. “The first time I met her was at the cemetery outside Virginia City. As I hopped out of the van, she asked, ‘What do you see?’ It was my first truly confirmable exercise with the paranormal. Every spirit I saw was confirmed through one story or another in Virginia City that day.”

  She soon was receiving weekly training from a spiritualist, Gail, who had been recommended by Tom and Lisa Butler, two paranormal researchers. Working with Gail showed Deborah how to do healing and energy circle work. Later, while on another psychic cruise, she met Leigh Grace, a psychic from New Orleans. Their friendship has grown and blossomed, and through Leigh’s guidance Deborah has learned how to improve her private readings. “It’s important to record the session and always emphasize a positive, healthy and happy attitude for me and my client. She, along with Janice and another religious mentor, most importantly, remind me to believe in my true self and the messages.”

  Readings

  As a spirit medium, Deborah’s goal is to inspire clients to feel positive in their own spiritual life.

  “My readings are very private and personal,” she says. “As a spiritual medium, I do not advertise, and believe each person is led to the experience.” She tells participants to schedule a reading at their “best time of day,” and asks them to bring a voice recorder and block off at least two hours. She also prefers that they come alone. “People are more apt to be most open and free to speak and experience without an audience. However sometimes mother/daughter and husband/wife can create an interesting reading.”

  Prior to the meeting, she suggests that each client write down some questions. “The energy of the reading is its own entity, and then at the end we uncover the questions, objects (psychometry), and such to see if the answers have already been provided. Many times the questions and more have been provided either in direct or abstract answers. Before the session I spend time inviting spirits to come and join us. I build my energy and am often breathless by the time the person arrives. I often ‘spirit write’ notes from passed loved ones.”

  A few years ago, she said, she was working at a convention with Leigh in New Orleans. As she drove into the city from Baton Rouge, she scribbled notes from her conversations with the spirits. That evening, she did a series of five minute readings and was able to check off each message that had been provided on the trip down.

  About nine years ago, Leigh led Deborah to her first “official” reading. “After providing me with a complete reading aboard a Mississippi cruise, she asked me to give her a reading. She taught me much about the techniques of providing a reading — being true to yourself and the message is the most important lesson.”

  To others with psychic abilities, Deborah shares this advice. “To thy own self be true! Psychic abilities, when properly exercised, enhance all of your abilities. Surrender yourself to the Light of Love and Creation and all doors will be opened to you. Open your heart and mind and RUN,” she laughs.” Be careful.”

  Deborah limits herself to one or two private readings a week. “During my sessions, I prefer not to be rushed. I prefer my home or theirs. I do have a couple of fun rituals such as Tao cards or my own ‘past, present, and future’ object readings, but all in all this is used to settle our energies and allow the spirits and messages to enter our sacred space,” Deborah says.

  She discovers information about her clients by simply and briefly passing her hand underneath theirs. All is revealed. Personality type, love and health situations, and even parallel lives just seem to roll right off from the energy of her hand passing under another’s. With this information, she and the client uncover what is meant to be discovered, she says.

  Deborah also has a magic mirror hat has been passed on to her by another psychic, as well as a crystal ball, but these items are used more in workshops and advanced readings. She is guided to use the tools, or not, by the spirits. When she was young, she recalls experimenting with white magic. ”I have to admit each spell produced results,” she says.

  I asked Deborah about some incidents that stand out in her mind. She says that she once saw a woman with a brown and broken aura, and the woman died within a short time. “I must admit I do look at the auras of other passengers as I board a plane or elevator.” In high school, she did some readings and three of the teens had short lifelines. They all were dead within two years.

  On a brighter note, by connecting this side and the other, many of her clients have been able to forgive from beyond the grave, find lost jewelry, follow an Alzheimer’s patient’s wish for his wife, get pregnant, return to college, and solve crimes.

  Her favorite memories of giving readings are when her son was young. They would camp with friends, and late at night she shared her thoughts around the campfire. She never used the term “readings” at this point, because she was just sharing information.

  “While in the Carolinas, I was at a ‘psychic party,’” she recalls. “Each individual was provided ample time for a proper reading. A particular young lady in her 30’s was incredibly talented, gifted, and loved yet she was not happy and could not get pregnant. Prior to the event I asked for spirits to come.” While talking to this particular young lady, the spirit of a young girl of about 16 appeared to her with her hair in pigtails, wearing pajamas, and eating marshmallows.

  “As I described the teen, the client recognized her as her best friend, who had died in a car accident. After further questioning, it was revealed that my client was supposed to have been in the car and felt guilty all these years, thinking that she may have saved her friend.” The dead friend assured her she was happy, loved ‘loved! LOVED! LOVED!’ Heaven, and asked the woman to get on with her life. Soon after this session the woman became pregnant, named her daughter after her dead best friend, and is now living a fulfilling life, Deborah says.

  Mary Todd Lincoln and Historical Tours

  I have to confess a personal fascination with Mary Todd Lincoln. She was a strong and talented woman who suffered many losses in her life, and was committed to an insane asylum after accusations leveled by her own son. She also was a believer in spiritualism, and after her son Willie’s death, she held a number of séances in the White House. It is said they brought her comfort. And Abraham Lincoln’s ghost is still said to still walk the corridors of the White House.

  Deborah shares my fascination, and believes she channels Mary Todd Lincoln.

  “As a spiritual medium, “ she said, “Spirits are led to me as long as I remain open to the possibility,” she says. “Why did I move to Bloomington? Why is Lincoln so important and why do and I my business partner look so much like the Lincolns?

  “I do believe Mary Todd Lincoln has been seeking me. I do indeed channel her. She was a spiritualist and believed in séances and communication with the dead. As I research and write, she is indeed right beside me. As I put my hair up and adorn myself with her gowns, I do indeed channel her. Many of my closest friends have commented, ‘You are Mary Todd,’ when I represent her in our presentations, tours, and walks.”

  “Mary Todd Lincoln and I do have a special relationship and connection,” Deborah said. “I know she brought me to central Illinois,” she says. “I know when I dress and put on the makeup and hairdo she comes alive through me. Even my face morphs. People have often remarked how I look so different from myself when I am representing Mary Lincoln.”

  A local family recently visited Bloomington with a miniature photo of Lincoln. The stor
y goes that their great-grandfather received this from Mary after the death of Lincoln. Mary spent six weeks at the White House after Lincoln’s death going through pictures and memories. She personally wrote thank you letters to many of Lincoln’s colleagues and friends. The notes sometime included a miniature of Lincoln, Deborah tells me.

  The minute the photo was placed in her hand, she knew Mary had once held it. “I shook and cried,” she recalls. “Mary even let us know she was not at that particular setting or Lincoln’s hair would not have been that messy.”

  “Most often Mary is remembered as ‘crazy,’ and I know my purpose is to present the true Mary, to the best of my ability. She truly was a well educated, well-bred ‘creature of excitement.’ She loved Lincoln and believed in him. Her wedding band from him reads, ‘Love is Eternal.’ I know when we are playing the Lincolns, my connection to my business partner, Chris Hotz, is special and beyond the moment because of the Lincolns’ love for each other.”

  “Chris and I, as historic actors sometimes worry about our accuracy in portraying as the Lincolns. Mary kindly reminds me that my intent is pure and to bring the Lincolns alive, as we do, makes her very happy!” One of Deborah’s goals is to write a book about Mary Todd Lincoln and bring her the justice and respect she deserves.

  When she moved to Deborah immediately started work on her Bloomington, Ill. historic ghost tour, with an emphasis on Abraham Lincoln. He spent more than 20 years in and out of the area on the Eighth County Court Circuit, and was asked to consider running for the presidency there.

  As Deborah researched, wrote, and produced other ghost walks, presentations, and tours, including Route 66 Ghosts and Gangsters, and recently the Wild West Show, she came to believe that the spirits from the area, such as Bloomington’s own “Pawnee Bill” Gordon and William Lillie wanted to be heard, with her as the channel. Also, during the LIVE! Paranormal Investigations she holds, she is usually drawn to a participant and uses them to channel a spirit. Recently she chose a woman who had helped with her father in his last days. He came through during the channeling session, Deborah tells me, and brought the woman much peace.