How to Awaken Your Psychic Abilities

Empaths are naturally psychic due to the ability to tune into their own intuition and the energy surrounding them. What gets in the way of receiving clear communications are the absorption of other people’s energy and taking them on as your own. Once you learn how to protect and rejuvenate your energy, you can easily develop a connection to spirit.

Being psychic is not about doing, it is about allowing spiritual information to come to and through you. I became a Reiki Master and Certified Angel Card Reader years ago. Strange as this sounds, the recent improvement in my psychic skills did not come from formal practice or training. Today, I find the more I do my personal development work of letting go and remaining open to the moment, the stronger my connection becomes. This is what makes me a better psychic and it will make you one too.

My Psychic Journey

I often talk about my professional counselor journey and shy away from my psychic development but spirit has been confronting me to come forward now more than ever.

I had my first psychic experience at the age of five, after my Dad’s death. Since, I was  young, I did not understand what was happening and felt scared of this power to connect. My fear shut it down rather quickly.

I kept my abilities under wraps for ten years until my brother in law’s death. Being an adolescent, I was more open to spirit communication and allowed him into my life and dreams. He helped me heal and reconnect to my spiritual abilities again.

The same year, I had a crisis of faith because I felt angry with God. I left the Roman Catholic Church because of this. This breaking away allowed me to re-connect with God on a deeper level, outside the walls of a church. I found God was in everything and everyone who flowed Divine energy. At first, I felt safer connecting with the angels rather than human or animal spirits. The past couple of years, I found a re-connection to Jesus and Mother Mary by receiving their messages through meditation and Reiki sessions.

2018- A year of expansion 

I have had three experiences in the last few months with human spirits and a couple with Mother Mary which I will share.

Apparition of Mom on April 17th– My husband captured this picture of my deceased Mom sitting in my car. She appears younger than when she died. This is common with spirit appearances. Please note: there is no one physically sitting in my car and nothing is on my seat.

Mother Mary on May 6th– The night prior, I had trouble sleeping and prayed to God. About twenty minutes later, my Mother Mary alter fell off the shelf by itself. I felt startled but figured it was an answer to my prayer, picked up the picture, the other objects and fell asleep. In the morning, I turned on my salt lamp like I do every day and nothing happened. The salt lamp did not fall and was not hit because it was safe under the shelf yet the bulb inside the lamp burnt out. This is an example of how spirit uses energy to manifest.

The dream on May 21st- For an entire week, my Mom was in my dreams. Nothing special happened, but she was there as if we were living life. I enjoyed being with her as if her physical death never happened.

On the 21st, in between Mom dreams, I had another dream. I was in a support group talking about my first psychic experience after my Dad’s death. As I spoke, a shadow of a man wrapped his arms around me and I froze. I remembered this is the reaction I had in an initial dream after my Dad died. I relaxed in this dream and a mist appeared, it was my Dad’s face. I was directed by spirit to share this dream on social media, which I did. Those Mom dreams prior helped me relax enough to “see” and since my Mom’s apparition appeared in my car, this ability is strengthening.

Apparition of Dad on June 12th –On a recent vacation, I was drawn to make an unscheduled stop at the National Shrine Basilica of Our Lady of Fatima. While I was there, I read about the children who saw Mary’s apparition. This reminded me of seeing my Mom’s apparition on April 17th. I then heard, “there will be more apparitions.” I didn’t expect it to be the next day! 

While my husband and I ate lunch at a diner, a man walked in who looked like my Dad. I stared at him because his face looked like mine and some of our relatives. It has been almost four decades since I had seen him. After feeling shocked, I went to look for this man throughout the restaurant and could not find him.

When we left, I asked my Dad for a sign from heaven and asked, “Was it really you?” I got three signs. Within a couple of minutes of leaving the restaurant, we saw a truck which read Mosquito Joe. His name is Joe. On the side of the truck it said, “Haven’t seen you outside in a while.” I felt a warm sensation and made a joke, “That is true it has been 39 years!”

Thanks for being a part of this journey with me. If you would like an angel card or mediumship reading in person or by phone email me to set up your appointment.  I am also available for counseling/coaching sessions to support and guide your spiritual, psychological, mental and emotional work through Lisa Hutchison LMHC.

Take advantage of my FREE gift 8 Simple Things That Release Chaos From Your Life Now! at http//:www.lisahutchison.net

 

Advertisements

3 Ways to Clear Emotional Burdens for Good

 

For most of my life, I felt burdened by responsibility. Being an empath, I was born sensitive to other people’s feelings and moods. When I saw someone struggling, I felt their struggle and dived in to help. In addition to this, I was taught as a child I could make my stepfather happy by changing my behavior.

This tuning into others’ moods created an unhealthy sense of responsibility in me. As I grew up, I was depleted of energy and became ill because I gave too much. I began to set boundaries refusing to do for others what they could do for themselves. Despite withdrawing physical support, I continued to carry an emotional support.

Even though, I was mindful of what I invested my physical time in, I caught myself putting energy into thinking about others too much. I worried, prayed and tried to come up with a solution for them. I knew I was caring too much when this emotional burden expressed itself as digestive disorders, sleep problems and a tension in my shoulders and upper back.

Here is how I cleared this emotional responsibility and you can too:

1. Be aware and acknowledge– Recognize this responsibility is not mine to carry. I began to see some of the frustration I felt was the other party who was upset when I didn’t do their work for them or give them the emotional attention they wanted. Once I became aware of this, I chose to let it go.

2. Accept others who lack integrity for who they are. Integrity means a lot to me. It is about keeping your word, following through and doing what you say. This energy builds trust in relationships. The healthy empath has integrity and can see through the facade to the true character of a person.

I am not saying people who lack integrity can’t change. When you see a pattern which represents a lack of integrity, pay attention and change your behavior. This lack of integrity energy is more intense in the world now because there are a lot of people not doing their spiritual work. This is not a judgment but rather a fact. I have made a personal decision to no longer take on their energy at an emotional level because the cost is too high for me.

3. Don’t contribute and allow for space– You have to learn how to let go of control and trust the process. Remember, this is not your problem to fix. Every person is capable of finding his or her own solution. You can offer counseling, guidance and then set your boundaries.

Do less physically and emotionally in relationships no matter how uncomfortable it is for you. Often this is easier said than done. Keep practicing. This can mean not stepping in to remind a capable adult to follow through. A missed call or late appointment can happen to anyone. The first time, I assume something went wrong which was out of the person’s control. After the 2nd and 3rd time, it is a pattern and a part of the person’s character. To continue to remind and rescue others, robs them of learning how to have integrity and drains you of precious energy.

To wrap it all up

Do an honest assessment. Are you a part of the problem or the solution? Enabling and doing for others what they can do for themselves stops your and their spiritual growth. Sometimes there is no solution if the other person refuses to change. You can find peace for yourself. In the end, you are only responsible for yourself and your own energy.

Here is another blog about caring too much which can help you:

What helpers like you need to know about burnout

Lisa Hutchison LMHC is a licensed psychotherapist and writing coach for empaths and artists. She works with professionals who often get drained from their helping efforts, giving them the tools to recharge and replenish their energy. Get her FREE gift 8 Simple Things You Can Do That Release Chaos Now! at http://www.lisahutchison.net 

Secrets- The good, the bad and the ugly

When I was a teenager, I discovered a secret was kept from me. I found out and thought I could no longer trust those closest to me. The secret was revealed, talked about and processed. I forgot all about it until a recent dream and professional experience.

Empaths- the human lie detector

Due to your sensitivity, you are able to pick up on subtle to non-existent cues and know when someone is lying. Empaths are sometimes referred to as the human lie detector for this reason. Often you know something isn’t right, yet you don’t know what it is for sure.  For this reason, it is essential to trust your instincts and learn how to assert yourself.

You do not need to become a sleuth. If the Divine wants you to know something, it will be revealed to you. When you receive hidden information, sit with it and ask for Divine guidance about your next step. The biggest mistake I see my empath clients make is reacting and later regretting it.

Why do people keep secrets?

The reason people have for keeping secrets varies from the good, the bad, to the ugly. As a psychotherapist, I abide by confidentiality. Some would say I and those in my profession keep secrets. In a way, we do. There are many instances clients have shared information with me they would never share with their families or even friends. There are exceptions to this secret keeping in therapy, such as if a person is going to harm themselves or others and in cases of abuse or neglect.

Some people keep a secret because they believe it is protecting others. They rationalize that others could not handle the information because they are too fragile. This is ironic because it is often the secret keeper who cannot handle the other person knowing.

Others believe they are helping by not sharing certain information with you. They think you don’t need to know and would not benefit from knowing. This control of the message takes the decision out of your hands and keeps it with the secret keeper. Then there are those that withhold because they are afraid of another’s reaction. Some people are more deceptive and enjoying holding power of others. They know this is information you could use yet purposely keep it hidden.

Clinically and personally, I know for a fact the reason a person keeps a secret is never personal. It is a reflection of the person keeping the secret.

The damage secrets bring:

Secrets cause division – When a secret is kept it divides people into two camps; those who know and those who do not. Even the best secret keepers can leak out information non- verbally, which a sensitive person can pick up on.

Secrets destroy trust – You cannot have a healthy relationship without trust. An energy of suspicion, hangs in the air after a secret is unearthed. It leaves people with the thought; If you kept this a secret, what else are you keeping from me?

To Wrap It All Up

There is a saying you are only as sick as your secrets. If you are keeping information from someone, why? In this age of over sharing, there are parts of life that everybody does not need to know about you. In this case, it is more a matter of privacy. The question to ask is does this information hurt others or myself or does it help others and myself heal?

Lisa Hutchison LMHC- Licensed Psychotherapist and Writing Coach for Empaths & Artists. Keeping secrets are one of the many ways your energy gets depleted. Lisa works with professionals who often get drained from their helping efforts, recharge and rejuvenate their energy. Get her FREE gift 8 Simple Things that Release Chaos Now!  http://www.lisahutchison.net 

How Trauma Gets in the Way of Relationship Success

 

Under stress, the human mind is vulnerable to unresolved trauma. When you or someone you know feels reminded of a traumatic event, you either freeze (become detached), fight (verbally or physically) or take flight (avoid and leave). Often you don’t know what happened inside of your own mind or someone else’s; what you see is a change in behavior which causes your relationship to suffer.

What is a trigger? 

A trigger is something that someone says or does that reminds your subconscious mind of a past trauma. Some people experience flashbacks or a reliving of the event after being triggered. These flashbacks happen a lot for people who have post traumatic stress.

Trauma Reactions

You can experience a trauma reaction from war, sexual assault, death, or any type of abusive relationship in which you felt your life was or is in danger.  Being a witness to other’s experiencing trauma can be traumatizing for some people. Empaths may be more susceptible to trauma reactions because of their sensitivity.

An example

Veterans who hear fireworks may feel as if they are back in the war. In that moment and time, their mind is occupied with a trauma image. As a result, they appear tense, angry, anxious or detached from the present moment.

When you do not heal past trauma it continues to be an energy that gets expressed. It often comes out in one of these three ways in relationships. 

3 Trauma Behaviors that Cause Relationship Difficulty 

Chaos-  Your relationships are unstable and chaotic. This energy is acted out and seen as dramatic arguments in relationships. For others who repress chaos within, the energy causes illness and chronic pain. Since your mind is overstimulated, you find it hard to focus and are easily distracted, similar to people who experience attention deficit disorders. You may turn to substances or have addictions.

Avoidance–  You feel fearful, overwhelmed or frozen. Another reason why you avoid is due to feeling numb. When you cut yourself off from feeling, you disconnect from the painful traumatic emotions but also the happy, pleasurable emotions of life. Since you find no joy in life, you stop maintaining connections. If you are in a relationship, you appear detached and don’t know why you can’t connect with others even when you are together. You may turn to substances and have addictions.

Over-reactive to life – You feel angry. You and others notice you have a short fuse and react impulsively. You feel jumpy and on edge because your brain believes it is under a threat, in psychology this is known as hypervigilance. This super reactivity is good in times of crisis, it is not useful in everyday life. Your outbursts can lead to arrests and legal difficulties. You may turn to substances and have addictions.

To Wrap It All Up

If you are experiencing these trauma behaviors you and your relationships do not need to suffer, seek out a qualified therapist who works with trauma. The good news is, trauma can be healed and you can have successful relationships.

Remember everyone is coming from their own perception and experiences. When someone is overly reactive, avoiding you or stuck in their own drama, it is not personal. It may be a sign of past unresolved trauma they have not healed yet.

Some people stay in these reactions their entire lives while others seek therapy. My advice to you is lovingly detach from them and heal your own wounds. With time and space, you will know how to respond to these types of relationships.

Lisa Hutchison LMHC is a licensed psychotherapist and writing coach for empaths and artists. Unresolved trauma is one of the many ways your energy becomes depleted overtime. Lisa specializes in working for professionals who often get drained from their helping efforts, refill and rejuvenate their energies, Visit www.lisahutchison.net and get  FREE – 8 Simple Things That Release Chaos from Your Life Now! 

How to do the Letting Go Part of Grief

I find myself facing the transitory nature of life again. In 2016-2017, I had two friends die. Last month in February, another one joined the light. I am in a mixed state of denial, shock and intermittent sadness. You would think it gets easier to grieve when you have had a lot of practice with it such as myself, it doesn’t. Each grief experience is unique and takes you into the depths of your being. A part of yourself dies because you no longer have that shared physical experience and memory of being together.

Life is all about holding on and letting go

I have found the letting go part scary and at times I have not been very good at it. I want to recreate and sit with the memories a little bit longer. I read old texts, emails and look at photos in an effort to grab a hold of that old connection once more. Then the realization sweeps over me and the pain of the loss sets in.

I reach out but find I can’t make or control certain family members to care more. I try to force a square peg into a round hole and find myself tense up when it does not work according to my plan. I want to assure you, this is normal in the beginning stages of grief. Be patient and gentle with yourself as you adjust to a new reality. Overtime, this tensing up and holding on can translate into body pains, sleep difficulties and irritability. This is when you need to let go…

 Tips to let go

1.) Awareness– Know your own signs of holding on too tight. Are you are an obsessive thinker or doer? Learn your body signals and see where you resist letting go. A couple of days after the loss of my friend, I received a message from spirit telling me; “Relax, you don’t always have to be going someplace.”

2.) Don’t think about it, just do it – Choose to let go and take a leap of faith. Do not intellectualize the letting go. Rather than focusing on how to do it, be present with releasing. Start by surrendering to your breath. Breathe in and state, “I am calm.” Breath out and state, “I let go.” You will need to practice letting go many times as it is not a natural process for most people.

3.) Remind yourself, it is safe to let go. Often our fears make letting go worse than the reality is. Believe and trust you are safe. You may need to tell yourself, “I am safe or it is safe to let go now.”

4.) Remember how letting go can feel positive. When you have fully healed and let go, you are left with a feeling of joy, release and freedom. Think back to when you were a child and rode a bike unassisted or stood up on ice skates to move on your own.

In letting go, you trust and release the emotional pain. What remains is the love, memories and spiritual connection. Now you are open to a new way of living. If you need more help through the grieving process check out these blogs:

Coping with the unexpected death of a friend  (grief, sudden loss, friend, PTSD, complicated grief, empath)

5 Powerful Ways of Finding Freedom from Empathic Guilt (petloss, guilt, empath)

This blog is dedicated to my friend Gary who would have been 63 years old today when this blog was published on March 6th. He died from a courageous battle with esophageal cancer on February 3, 2018. Thank you Gary for shining your light upon my life.

Lisa Hutchison LMHC is a licensed psychotherapist and writing coach for empaths and artists. Unresolved grief or loss is one of the many ways your energy becomes depleted overtime. Lisa specializes in working with professionals who get drained from their helping/caring efforts, refill and recharge their energy.  Visit her website and get a FREE gift- 8 Simple Things That Release Chaos from Your Life Now! at www.lisahutchison.net  

How to Find Pain Relief Through your Mind

When you are in a state of suffering and distress, it is difficult to be peaceful, spiritual and at ease, yet this is the place you long to be in. I know because I have experience with chronic pain and illness.

I have enjoyed many months with little to no pain by working on myself emotionally, mentally, physically and spiritually. When I began to have chronic pain issues, nine years ago, I never thought I could have a day without pain. I tried several different medications but decided to live without them because I could not tolerate the side effects being a sensitive person.

You look healthy!

As a child, I hid my pain from others. I felt responsible, being an empath, for everyone’s emotional well being. I often wore a smile and focused on those around me, ignoring my own needs. From the outside, I looked healthy, yet within I carried hidden pain. The saying, “you never know what someone is going through,” is true for someone who lives with chronic pain and invisible illness.

Today

Now, I express my pain in healthy ways, in order to take care of myself.  I let others know what I am going through when I need to withdraw temporarily in order to heal myself. Pain has brought me a more spiritual life. I cry out to God, the angels and spiritual helpers, while I surrender to their love and guidance

I write as part of my healing. Recently, I had a flare up of two sites at once. At first, I thought; what did I do wrong? I realized with any chronic condition you will experience cycles of relapse and remission.

Working with the pain

Acceptance- Be where you are. Trying to escape pain does not work because it is with you and focusing on the pain intensifies it because you are teaching your brain to think about the sensation. If it is not severe, you can distract from it temporarily.

There are times the answer lies in acceptance. Accept the hopeless feeling and sit with it. As you focus on your slow, rhythmic breathing, say to yourself, “I feel stuck right now, I feel hopeless, I don’t know what to do.” People are resistant to use the word hopeless because they have a fear of getting stuck in it. You need to admit where you are, in order to surrender and move through it. It is when you resist or deny feelings, you get stuck.

Remember there is hope even when you do not feel it. Know you can keep going and you are not alone. There are answers for you even if  you haven’t found them yet.

Be gentle with yourself. When you see someone you love in a vulnerable state you give them gentle loving care, why not yourself? You are just as valuable and worthy. Soften your voice, speak kindly and hold a space for yourself. When you experience a rough day, keep your schedule light.

Employ self-care. What does self-care mean for you?  It can be a favorite cup of tea, a warm blanket, soft music and/or a scented candle.

Exercise. If your doctor recommends exercise, do it. A gentle walk can help some forms of pain. When you circulate the blood and connect with nature, it supports the healing process.

Rest. There is great power in being. A lot of healing takes place with restorative sleep, meditation and mindfulness. Pain is an exhausting experience, it drains your energy. Make time to rest.

Find a therapist. You will want a psychotherapist who is compassionate about your health but also will challenge you to think and act differently. Cognitive behavioral therapy works specifically with your thoughts and behaviors. This type of treatment helps you change your thinking about the pain sensation and has been highly effective with pain management.

In closing

We all suffer pain at some point in our lives whether it is mental, physical or spiritual. It is human nature to want to avoid pain, yet pain can teach you something valuable about yourself. It is up to you to discover that meaning and a therapist can help you with this process. The next time you feel pain, work with your body but do not forget your mind. Your mind is much more powerful than any of us know or believe.

I highly recommend this book to help you through your journey, it has helped me through mine. The 12 Stages of Healing by Donald M. Epstein D.C. In it, the author teaches breathing exercises and affirmations for each stage of healing from suffering through reclaiming your power. Buy it here on Amazon. 

Lisa Hutchison LMHC is a licensed psychotherapist and writing coach for empaths and artists. Her specialty is working with professionals who get drained from their helping efforts, recharge and renew their energy. If you would like to learn more about Lisa and her practice visit www.lisahutchison.net and pick up your FREE 10 page e-book called 8 Simple Things That Release Chaos From Your Life Now! 

5 Ways to Release Relationship Expectations and Be Happy!

Life is full of changes. It is your choice whether to resist or accept them. Holding onto the way things “should be done” or having expectations drains you of precious energy. The most difficult yet loving act can be letting go.

During the holidays, I faced change within my own family. At first, I felt hurt, disappointed, sad and angry. All of these feelings are valid, yet some of these were rooted in my childhood. After I fully sat with these feelings, I was able to release them and appreciate that the holidays can be different from what I have previously experienced.

5 Ways to Release Expectations

1. Watch for signs of change- I began to notice changes in my family about two years ago. Change rarely happens out of the blue but rather over a period of time in small increments. People begin to have different experiences from one another and grow apart. This is normal and okay. We are all discovering our own spiritual growth and path. The problems begin when you deny what you see because of a fear of change.
2. Let go of fear- When you are resisting or trying to control the experience, it doesn’t feel good. Let go and let God. Healing happens when you release because you allow spirit to enter the situation and your life. You may even be able to find some positives in change.
3. Let go of control- Allow people to be who they are and do what they want, this gives you and them freedom and peace. I am pretty good at this because I was the one in my family growing up wanting events to be different. When I was forced to do things in order to make other people happy, I felt resentful and withdrew. No one wants that kind of energy at their event.
4. Let go of expectations- See people for who they are, not what you want them to be. People will show and tell you what they want and who they are, if you listen. Be open to seeing what is and drop any illusions you have about this person and the relationship.
5. Define what you want- Change gives you an opportunity to focus on what is important to you. For the holidays and other future events, I want to send everyone an energy of appreciation and acknowledgement. An event isn’t about pleasing one person, but rather thinking of the entire group who are coming together to celebrate. There are no perfect solutions but there are ways to compromise and let go for the highest good.

No matter what your relationship, keep your eyes open to the signs of change. Allow change to flow and be open to the possibility that something different could be better than you expect. No matter what happens, you can choose love and this is how you will be happy.

Lisa Hutchison LMHC is a licensed psychotherapist and writing coach for empaths and artists. Her specialty is working with professionals who get drained from their helping efforts, recharge and renew their energy. If you would like to learn more about Lisa and her practice visit www.lisahutchison.net and pick up your FREE 10 page e-book called 8 Simple Things That Release Chaos From Your Life Now!