The Long Island Medium Has Channeled Her Spiritual Powers Into A Jewelry Line

The Long Island Medium gives a reading at Yahoo Style. Photography by Ashley Barhamand

Admittedly I don’t watch much television so had never had the good fortune of watching The Long Island Medium’s revelatory TLC show prior to her arrival in the Yahoo offices earlier this month. For those of you who don’t know (of which there seems to be very few save for yours truly), Theresa Caputo is a bit of a force to be reckoned with (in the best sort of way). The petite television sensation’s New York accent is as thick as her freewheeling personality is captivating. She arrived—blond “poufy ‘80s hair” in braids, light blue sweater, distressed jeans from White House/Black Market, and Louis Vuitton sneakers—to show the Yahoo Style team her new line of eponymous jewelry, but it wasn’t long before she had a group of us captivated in a conference room while she summoned the spirits. (The cathartic session felt like that scene in Ghost when Demi Moore gets to see Patrick Swayze before he trails off to his well-deserved spot in heaven.) Part catharsis, part therapy, even the most skeptical people in the office had been moved to tears.

So what does communing with the dead have to do with accessories? Caputo is taking her acutely aware senses and channeling them into an opportunity to create cherished mementos. “I feel like I’m on a journey along with my clients,” Caputo tells Yahoo Style. “I feel that being able to honor someone whether they are passed away or they are living is being part of healing.”

The collection features four different “Inspired by Theresa” heart-shaped pendants as well as the option to customize your own based on a personal photo or drawing. Caputo started designing these pieces after coming across notecards that contained her recently departed grandmother’s handwriting. Her penmanship was made into a prototype “Love Always, Gram” pendant. “It’s great for Mother’s Day. I mean how nice is it that I can honor my mom with something so special even though her mom has passed,” she says. “I think that’s what I love about this line.”

Before the group reading, we spoke with Caputo about her design aspirations, how she learned to channel spirit, and her ever-evolving personal style.

What are some of your favorite aspects of the line?

I love the quality of it. This one you can have engraved, the wings open up, it’s call the Protected Heart. It’s like the wings of your loved ones are protecting your heart. Or you can send drawing and they’ll make a custom necklace out of it. Where are you going to get something that is personalized and handmade and so personalized for less than $200?

Why was it important to create this collection now?

There was nothing out there that was so affordable and so personalized. It’s been two years in the making. I’ve learned so much patience and to always look outside of the box. I didn’t want to do something for the sake of doing it. Anything that I do, I want it to be an extension of me. I’m all about quality. Everything is sterling silver that is plated in 14k gold.

From left: two custom pendants and the “Spirited Heart” pendant ($49). Photography by Ashley Barhamand

How do you see it developing?

All of the customized pieces start at $140. It depends on how much you’re going to bling it out. We also have four standard pieces. Of course we’re always adding to the line. We’re working on a men’s line—possibly leather strap bracelets and also cufflinks.

There is a spiritual aspect to the jewelry, was that important to get across?

I feel that being able to honor someone whether they are passed away or they are living is being part of healing. Let’s just say that someone loses a brother. And they want them to be able to embrace holidays and life in general with happiness and sometimes we don’t know what to do.

When did you realize that you could channel spirit?

I would always ask my mom, did you see something or see that shadow? And my mom was like, ‘Oh it’ s probably just someone saying hello from heaven.’ When I started to share with my friends when I was a teenager, they were like, “Are you crazy? There’s no one standing over there.” So I started to block it.

That must have been challenging.

That’s what where the anxiety came in. And I can also feel how someone dies. So for example if someone died from the throat, my throat will feel like it’s closing. I can tell if I have a spirit headache or a headache because I didn’t have enough coffee. I know the difference of what I feel.

I didn’t learn how to be a medium, what I learned was how to understand what spirit was trying to communicate. I learned along the way not to question it. Whatever I sense and feel, I’ll say it. My clients know it’s going to change their life in a positive way.

The Long Island Medium gives a reading at Yahoo Style. Photography by Ashley Barhamand

My only reference is Whoopi Goldberg in Ghost, when do the spirits come?

When my mind is at rest, that’s usually where spirit comes in. Whether I’m in the shower or sleeping, but that’s for any of us. That’s why for instance, children and young animals are very sensitive to spirit. They notice things.  As adults we make excuses like, “I’m tired, I’m seeing spots, it’s the lighting.” We can make excuses.

That’s why I always tease my father in law. He would say, “When I die, when I die…” Dad, Give it to me now! Don’t you want to see me enjoy it now? Why are you waiting until your dead? So he did. He bought me a full-length mink coat! [Laughs] So it worked!

How would you describe your personal style?

I don’t know what that would be, because I’m all over the place. There are some days that I’m real conservative. Like here, I’m wearing ripped, blinged out jeans today (from White House Black Market). I’ll be wearing a Target dress one day and a Theory dress the next. With designers, you buy your staple pieces—the pieces that never go out of style and you just change it up with jewelry.  I like things that never go out of style…like braids! I just turned my ’80s poufy hairstyle into something so trendy.

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