In the years following college I started feeling lost, disoriented and alone again.  I was drawn back to an old high school boyfriend.  This was a blessing and a curse, and a lesson of a lifetime.  In the beginning he was as sweet and charming as he had been when we first met in high school.  We pursued a long-distant relationship that lasted a few years before I moved to New York and we started living together, eventually getting married and having my son. During this time, I was able to tune out my gifts. Looking back, that was not the best idea.  By tuning out (ignoring) my gifts I tuned out every warning that the relationship I was in was toxic and I needed to leave.  I ignored red flags, stop signs and alarms bells for years.

Knowing that I needed to get out sooner rather than later the Universe stepped in and slowly opened my eyes so that I could clearly see my situation for what it was: toxic and dangerous.  As I opened my eyes more and more, I stopped questioning my intuition and started instinctively following the guidance I was presented with.  In following my intuition, I was guided to one of my first in-person teachers, Pat Longo.  I was originally guided to Pat for a healing, which was absolutely amazing and transformative.  It was during our first meeting that she explained that I wasn’t strange, weird or a misfit. In fact, she plainly looked me in the face and said, “You know you are psychic, right?” That was my light blub moment. That question/statement made sense.  She went on to explain that almost every strange thing I’d ever experienced in my life was due to my guides trying to communicate with me. At the end of my healing session she invited me to her intuitive development class. I promptly said yes.

I remember going to my very first class at Pat’s house.  The room was packed.  Everyone in the room was at varying stages of psychic development and learning.  Several people already knew each other, while others, like me, knew absolutely nobody except Pat.  I remember thinking that I was going to learn to use my gifts and everything would just fall into place. It’s important to note that I did have an inkling, a feeling, that I might be psychic.  I even invested in online classes and books prior to meeting with Pat in hopes of developing these gifts. The key difference between the books and online classes is being accountable for the work. Doing the work is the key to being successful at developing any art or skill you intend to use in life. It’s the key to growth.  In my books and online classes I was provide with a lesson and some guidelines about what I was supposed to do, and maybe an anecdotal story. That is not exactly how it goes with regard to in person classes. The very first class with Pat was like being pushed off the high dive after just learning how to swim. It was both terrifying and exhilarating at the same time.

At the beginning of class we participated in a mediation (this is done during every class) to ground us and bring in the light so that we’re completely focused and safe in the present moment.  Then Pat spoke about the energetic shift that was taking place in the world due to the full moon and the eclipse that had just taken place.  After this, she put us to work!  She explained that one of her friends was missing an important piece of jewelry and needed help locating it.  She then gave us a few minutes (and some paper) to tap into what our guides were communicating to us regarding this item.  Where was it?  After about five minutes or so, Pat started going around the room asking each of us for the information that was communicated to us.  I was a doe in the headlights.  Was she kidding?  I just got here.  Am I really ready to give her information like this?  These thoughts, and probably more, filtered through my brain.  When it was my turn to share the messages I’d received, I did so with some hesitation.  This was pretty much how a lot of Pat’s monthly classes went.  And it turns out, it was just the type of class I needed.  I needed to quiet my mind, tap into spirit to receive and share the messages with others.

I attended monthly classes with Pat for a little over two years.  Throughout this time my skills and confidence, as a medium and intuitive grew stronger.  I stop questioning the messages I received and started delivering messages to others with ease.  Also, during this time, something interesting happened, another gift appeared.  The gift of healing hands.