Julie Beischel - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Julie Beischel
Threshold: Journal of Interdisciplinary Consciousness Studies (TJICS), 2021
This study obtained novel data regarding mediums' accuracy when reporting different types of info... more This study obtained novel data regarding mediums' accuracy when reporting different types of information and the relationship of accuracy to mediums' learning styles and sensory modality preferences (LS/SMPs). The medium participants in this study were 12 Windbridge Certified Research Mediums (WCRMs) who were previously screened and certified using published criteria; 11 females, 1 male; average age: 58.9 ± 2.4 years. The mediums' accuracy scores when asked, under blinded conditions, specific questions about a deceased person (physical description, personality, hobbies, and cause of death) were compared. The means (± SE) of 21 accuracy scores for each of the four question types varied (physical description: 53.9% ± 5.2%; personality: 67.0% ± 7.1%; hobbies: 49.4% ± 5.5%; and cause of death: 41.3% ± 6.5%) but no differences requiring further statistical analysis existed. Accuracy scores were also compared to participant responses to the following LS/SMP questionnaires: the Index of Learning Styles© (ILS), the Barsch Learning Style Inventory (BLSI), and the Learning Channel Preference (LCP). Correlation analyses indicated no significant correlations between accuracy and LS/SMPs although moderate correlations between the different question types existed. Though this sample size was not large, it may be appropriate to conclude that none of the four types of information requested is more or less difficult to report during a mediumship reading than any other. This finding is consistent with mediums' descriptions of their experiences as passive perceptions and of the deceased as autonomous entities. Further, individual characteristics categorized as LS/SMPs may not impact mediumistic abilities. In addition, the multi-modal nature of mediumship would suggest that individual sensory preferences are irrelevant to accuracy. Future research may wish to explore the relationship of LS/SMPs to the anomalous acquisition of information not regularly experienced as autonomous.
Threshold: Journal of Interdisciplinary Consciousness Studies, 2017
Mediums are individuals who report experiencing regular communication with the deceased; the phen... more Mediums are individuals who report experiencing regular communication with the deceased; the phenomenon of mediumship has been reported in cultures all over the world since time immemorial. The current study examined similarities and differences in the reported experiences of secular American mediums (those not associated with any formal religious organization) during mediumship readings involving communication with the deceased and during psychic readings for/about the living. Participant responses to two counter-balanced, open-ended online survey items were quantitatively analyzed using Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC) text analysis software and qualitatively analyzed using a content analysis methodology. Participants included 113 self-identified mediums and 14 Windbridge Certified Research Mediums; over 90% were white females; their average age was 54.2 ± 9.6 years; 97% reported being able to distinguish between mediumistic and psychic experiences; and 122 provided complete survey responses. Statistically significant differences between descriptions of mediumistic and psychic experiences were seen regarding the proportion of words included in the LIWC categories of: social processes (11.76% ± 5.8% vs. 9.93% ± 5.64%, p=0.004); perceptual processes (6.63% ± 4.31% vs. 4.81% ± 3.81%, p<0.001); ingestion (0.23% ± 0.57% vs. 0.05% ± 0.20%, p<0.001); past-focused time orientation (3.09% ± 3.23% vs. 2.06% ± 3.19%, p=0.001); religion (0.90% ± 0.11% vs. 0.34% ± 0.09%, p<0.001); and insight (5.06% ± 2.97% vs. 6.48% ± 4.30%, p=0.002). The proportion of words describing positive and negative emotions, present-focused and future-focused time orientation, health, and money were not different. Qualitative content analysis found three overarching, summative themes regarding mediumistic communication: preparation, communication triangulated, and experience of the communication. Four overarching, summative themes emerged from the text regarding psychic readings for the living: establishing the connection, experiencing the connection, content of the reading, and psychic information flowing from various sources. Perhaps most interesting is the finding that experiences of psychic connections during readings for the living included “non-specific discarnates” as a source of information; this strongly calls into question theoretical frameworks that posit separating mediums’ experiences into categories that do and do not involve communication with the deceased as well as the continued use of terminology reflecting such a separation.
Threshold: Journal of Interdisciplinary Consciousness Studies, 2018
Afterlife beliefs are common, may affect health outcomes, and are relevant to clients’ relationsh... more Afterlife beliefs are common, may affect health outcomes, and are relevant to clients’ relationships. Unfortunately, these beliefs are generally neglected in the psychospiritual literature and in most published religion and spirituality (RS) tools and assessments. Here, an afterlife assessment guide is introduced that incorporates the recommended two-phase RS assessment approach and provides introductory guidelines for mental health professionals (MHPs) to competently assess and address afterlife beliefs and spiritual experiences in the psychotherapy setting. The SRRT consists of sets of sample questions organized around four concepts (Significance, Relationships, Resources, and Treatment). It can be used by MHPs to determine if any afterlife beliefs or experiences of significance may be impacting the client’s well-being or relationships; the MHP can then assess possible afterlife-related resources and tailor specific forms of treatment. The development of the SRRT was informed by current bereavement models, trauma-informed approaches, and ethical practice guidelines for MHPs. Ideally, the SRRT will also serve as an initial resource for MHPs to collaborate and reach consensus regarding assessing and addressing afterlife beliefs and spiritual experiences.
Journal of Near-death Studies, 2014
Over a century of mediumship research concludes that skilled mediums are able to report accurate ... more Over a century of mediumship research concludes that skilled mediums are able to report accurate and specific information about the deceased loved ones (termed discarnates) of living people (termed sitters) during anomalous information reception (AIR); that is, without any prior knowledge about the discarnates or sitters, in the absence of sensory feedback, and without using deceptive means. However, this historical body of proof-focused research does not directly address which parapsychological mechanisms are involved in AIR by mediums. The data, in and of themselves, support multiple hypotheses including the super-psi and psychic reservoir (collectively " psi ") models as well as the survival of consciousness hypothesis (or simply " survival "). However, by restricting research to proof-focused studies, investigators neglect important phenomenological mediumship processes underlying AIR and how those processes might address the survival hypothesis. This process-focused investigation of mediums' experiences may lead to a better understanding of the source of the information mediums report during AIR. This paper briefly summarizes the results from recent process-focused studies of modern-day, American mental mediums' experiences during ostensible communication with discarnates. We also suggest areas for future process-focused mediumship studies to more fully address the question at the root of mediumship research: Is there life after death? Although parapsychological research most often involves the Big Four—telepathy, clairvoyance, precognition, and psychokinesis—with only " an occasional nod toward survival and afterlife topics " (Braud, 2005, p. 40), the continued investigation of the latter issues is pivotal for our understanding of consciousness, the potential of the mind, and the nature of life in general. One of the main methods for scientifically addressing life after death involves studying mediums—individuals who report regular communication with the deceased. Skilled mediums are able to report information that is both accurate and specific about the deceased loved ones (termed discarnates) of living people (termed sitters 1) using anomalous information reception 1 Mediums performing readings with proxy sitters provide information for living people who are not present at the reading. Consequently, " sitter " would be more completely defined as a living person who requested a reading from a medium and who has a desire to receive information about one or more deceased people with whom s/he had an emotionally close relationship, irrespective of whether or not s/he is present for or hears the reading as it takes place. Conversely , a " proxy sitter " is a living person who is present for the reading but is not the person for whom the information reported during a reading is intended. A proxy sitter may or may not have knowledge about the absent sitter or the deceased persons contacted during the reading.
As with the study of any natural phenomenon, bringing mediumship into the regulated environment o... more As with the study of any natural phenomenon, bringing mediumship into the regulated environment of the laboratory allows for the controlled and repeated examination of anomalous information reception by mediums. It also lends statistically analyzed evidence regarding the survival of consciousness hypothesis and addresses the relationship between consciousness and brain. Ideally, laboratory-based mediumship research includes 2 equally important factors: (a) a research environment that optimizes the mediumship process for both the medium and the hypothesized discarnate and (b) research methods that maximize the experimental blinding of the medium, the rater, and the experimenter in order to eliminate all conventional explanations for the information and its accuracy and specificity. The Windbridge Institute for Applied Research in Human Potential utilizes several methods that build upon historical as well as modern mediumship investigations in order to meet these 2 research goals. The research methods discussed include: detailed research reading protocols; the pairing and formatting of readings; experimental blinding; the thorough screening of all research participants; and a specific scoring system used by raters. the analysis of information conveyed by mediums (individuals who report experiencing regular communication with the deceased) is important for several reasons: • the survival of consciousness (i.e., the continued existence, separate from the body, of an individual's consciousness, personality, identity, or self after physical death) is a vital issue to many people. the general public's deep concern with survival and mediumship is illustrated by the recent rise of these topics in popular television shows, books, and movies. • investigating the phenomenon of anomalous information reception (air) by mediums is essential in understanding the mind's perception and processing of nonlocal, nonsensory information. • an extensive understanding of the information mediums report and the process by which they report it is necessary in order for such information to be sensibly utilized by society. For example, mediums may be able to regularly and consistently find missing persons and contribute to criminal investigations if parameters such as error rates can be identified. Furthermore, because the source of the information anomalously reported by mediums has
Unresolved, complicated, prolonged, or traumatic grief can have detrimental effects on mental and... more Unresolved, complicated, prolonged, or traumatic grief can have detrimental effects on mental and/or physical health. The effects of traditional grief counseling, with its focus on the client's acceptance of separation and integration of loss, are unclear. Within the model of continuing bonds, however, grief resolution includes an ongoing relationship between the living and the deceased. Spontaneous and induced experiences of after-death communication (ADC) have been shown to be beneficial in the resolution of grief by demonstrating these continued bonds. Presently, many bereaved individuals are experiencing assisted ADCs by receiving readings from psychic mediums and though little is known about the effects of this selfprescribed treatment option, anecdotal reports and exploratory data posit a positive outcome. This article aims to inform those who work with the bereaved about the relationships between grief, spontaneous, induced, and assisted ADC experiences, and the continuing bonds paradigm. Suggestions for future research are also included.
Teaching Documents by Julie Beischel
Fact Sheet from the Windbridge Research Center summarizing the results of: Beischel, J., Boccuzz... more Fact Sheet from the Windbridge Research Center summarizing the results of:
Beischel, J., Boccuzzi, M., Biuso, M., & Rock, A. J. (2015). Anomalous information reception by research mediums under blinded conditions II: Replication and extension. EXPLORE: The Journal of Science & Healing, 11(2), 136–142. doi: 10.1016/j.explore.2015.01.001
Threshold: Journal of Interdisciplinary Consciousness Studies (TJICS), 2021
This study obtained novel data regarding mediums' accuracy when reporting different types of info... more This study obtained novel data regarding mediums' accuracy when reporting different types of information and the relationship of accuracy to mediums' learning styles and sensory modality preferences (LS/SMPs). The medium participants in this study were 12 Windbridge Certified Research Mediums (WCRMs) who were previously screened and certified using published criteria; 11 females, 1 male; average age: 58.9 ± 2.4 years. The mediums' accuracy scores when asked, under blinded conditions, specific questions about a deceased person (physical description, personality, hobbies, and cause of death) were compared. The means (± SE) of 21 accuracy scores for each of the four question types varied (physical description: 53.9% ± 5.2%; personality: 67.0% ± 7.1%; hobbies: 49.4% ± 5.5%; and cause of death: 41.3% ± 6.5%) but no differences requiring further statistical analysis existed. Accuracy scores were also compared to participant responses to the following LS/SMP questionnaires: the Index of Learning Styles© (ILS), the Barsch Learning Style Inventory (BLSI), and the Learning Channel Preference (LCP). Correlation analyses indicated no significant correlations between accuracy and LS/SMPs although moderate correlations between the different question types existed. Though this sample size was not large, it may be appropriate to conclude that none of the four types of information requested is more or less difficult to report during a mediumship reading than any other. This finding is consistent with mediums' descriptions of their experiences as passive perceptions and of the deceased as autonomous entities. Further, individual characteristics categorized as LS/SMPs may not impact mediumistic abilities. In addition, the multi-modal nature of mediumship would suggest that individual sensory preferences are irrelevant to accuracy. Future research may wish to explore the relationship of LS/SMPs to the anomalous acquisition of information not regularly experienced as autonomous.
Threshold: Journal of Interdisciplinary Consciousness Studies, 2017
Mediums are individuals who report experiencing regular communication with the deceased; the phen... more Mediums are individuals who report experiencing regular communication with the deceased; the phenomenon of mediumship has been reported in cultures all over the world since time immemorial. The current study examined similarities and differences in the reported experiences of secular American mediums (those not associated with any formal religious organization) during mediumship readings involving communication with the deceased and during psychic readings for/about the living. Participant responses to two counter-balanced, open-ended online survey items were quantitatively analyzed using Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC) text analysis software and qualitatively analyzed using a content analysis methodology. Participants included 113 self-identified mediums and 14 Windbridge Certified Research Mediums; over 90% were white females; their average age was 54.2 ± 9.6 years; 97% reported being able to distinguish between mediumistic and psychic experiences; and 122 provided complete survey responses. Statistically significant differences between descriptions of mediumistic and psychic experiences were seen regarding the proportion of words included in the LIWC categories of: social processes (11.76% ± 5.8% vs. 9.93% ± 5.64%, p=0.004); perceptual processes (6.63% ± 4.31% vs. 4.81% ± 3.81%, p<0.001); ingestion (0.23% ± 0.57% vs. 0.05% ± 0.20%, p<0.001); past-focused time orientation (3.09% ± 3.23% vs. 2.06% ± 3.19%, p=0.001); religion (0.90% ± 0.11% vs. 0.34% ± 0.09%, p<0.001); and insight (5.06% ± 2.97% vs. 6.48% ± 4.30%, p=0.002). The proportion of words describing positive and negative emotions, present-focused and future-focused time orientation, health, and money were not different. Qualitative content analysis found three overarching, summative themes regarding mediumistic communication: preparation, communication triangulated, and experience of the communication. Four overarching, summative themes emerged from the text regarding psychic readings for the living: establishing the connection, experiencing the connection, content of the reading, and psychic information flowing from various sources. Perhaps most interesting is the finding that experiences of psychic connections during readings for the living included “non-specific discarnates” as a source of information; this strongly calls into question theoretical frameworks that posit separating mediums’ experiences into categories that do and do not involve communication with the deceased as well as the continued use of terminology reflecting such a separation.
Threshold: Journal of Interdisciplinary Consciousness Studies, 2018
Afterlife beliefs are common, may affect health outcomes, and are relevant to clients’ relationsh... more Afterlife beliefs are common, may affect health outcomes, and are relevant to clients’ relationships. Unfortunately, these beliefs are generally neglected in the psychospiritual literature and in most published religion and spirituality (RS) tools and assessments. Here, an afterlife assessment guide is introduced that incorporates the recommended two-phase RS assessment approach and provides introductory guidelines for mental health professionals (MHPs) to competently assess and address afterlife beliefs and spiritual experiences in the psychotherapy setting. The SRRT consists of sets of sample questions organized around four concepts (Significance, Relationships, Resources, and Treatment). It can be used by MHPs to determine if any afterlife beliefs or experiences of significance may be impacting the client’s well-being or relationships; the MHP can then assess possible afterlife-related resources and tailor specific forms of treatment. The development of the SRRT was informed by current bereavement models, trauma-informed approaches, and ethical practice guidelines for MHPs. Ideally, the SRRT will also serve as an initial resource for MHPs to collaborate and reach consensus regarding assessing and addressing afterlife beliefs and spiritual experiences.
Journal of Near-death Studies, 2014
Over a century of mediumship research concludes that skilled mediums are able to report accurate ... more Over a century of mediumship research concludes that skilled mediums are able to report accurate and specific information about the deceased loved ones (termed discarnates) of living people (termed sitters) during anomalous information reception (AIR); that is, without any prior knowledge about the discarnates or sitters, in the absence of sensory feedback, and without using deceptive means. However, this historical body of proof-focused research does not directly address which parapsychological mechanisms are involved in AIR by mediums. The data, in and of themselves, support multiple hypotheses including the super-psi and psychic reservoir (collectively " psi ") models as well as the survival of consciousness hypothesis (or simply " survival "). However, by restricting research to proof-focused studies, investigators neglect important phenomenological mediumship processes underlying AIR and how those processes might address the survival hypothesis. This process-focused investigation of mediums' experiences may lead to a better understanding of the source of the information mediums report during AIR. This paper briefly summarizes the results from recent process-focused studies of modern-day, American mental mediums' experiences during ostensible communication with discarnates. We also suggest areas for future process-focused mediumship studies to more fully address the question at the root of mediumship research: Is there life after death? Although parapsychological research most often involves the Big Four—telepathy, clairvoyance, precognition, and psychokinesis—with only " an occasional nod toward survival and afterlife topics " (Braud, 2005, p. 40), the continued investigation of the latter issues is pivotal for our understanding of consciousness, the potential of the mind, and the nature of life in general. One of the main methods for scientifically addressing life after death involves studying mediums—individuals who report regular communication with the deceased. Skilled mediums are able to report information that is both accurate and specific about the deceased loved ones (termed discarnates) of living people (termed sitters 1) using anomalous information reception 1 Mediums performing readings with proxy sitters provide information for living people who are not present at the reading. Consequently, " sitter " would be more completely defined as a living person who requested a reading from a medium and who has a desire to receive information about one or more deceased people with whom s/he had an emotionally close relationship, irrespective of whether or not s/he is present for or hears the reading as it takes place. Conversely , a " proxy sitter " is a living person who is present for the reading but is not the person for whom the information reported during a reading is intended. A proxy sitter may or may not have knowledge about the absent sitter or the deceased persons contacted during the reading.
As with the study of any natural phenomenon, bringing mediumship into the regulated environment o... more As with the study of any natural phenomenon, bringing mediumship into the regulated environment of the laboratory allows for the controlled and repeated examination of anomalous information reception by mediums. It also lends statistically analyzed evidence regarding the survival of consciousness hypothesis and addresses the relationship between consciousness and brain. Ideally, laboratory-based mediumship research includes 2 equally important factors: (a) a research environment that optimizes the mediumship process for both the medium and the hypothesized discarnate and (b) research methods that maximize the experimental blinding of the medium, the rater, and the experimenter in order to eliminate all conventional explanations for the information and its accuracy and specificity. The Windbridge Institute for Applied Research in Human Potential utilizes several methods that build upon historical as well as modern mediumship investigations in order to meet these 2 research goals. The research methods discussed include: detailed research reading protocols; the pairing and formatting of readings; experimental blinding; the thorough screening of all research participants; and a specific scoring system used by raters. the analysis of information conveyed by mediums (individuals who report experiencing regular communication with the deceased) is important for several reasons: • the survival of consciousness (i.e., the continued existence, separate from the body, of an individual's consciousness, personality, identity, or self after physical death) is a vital issue to many people. the general public's deep concern with survival and mediumship is illustrated by the recent rise of these topics in popular television shows, books, and movies. • investigating the phenomenon of anomalous information reception (air) by mediums is essential in understanding the mind's perception and processing of nonlocal, nonsensory information. • an extensive understanding of the information mediums report and the process by which they report it is necessary in order for such information to be sensibly utilized by society. For example, mediums may be able to regularly and consistently find missing persons and contribute to criminal investigations if parameters such as error rates can be identified. Furthermore, because the source of the information anomalously reported by mediums has
Unresolved, complicated, prolonged, or traumatic grief can have detrimental effects on mental and... more Unresolved, complicated, prolonged, or traumatic grief can have detrimental effects on mental and/or physical health. The effects of traditional grief counseling, with its focus on the client's acceptance of separation and integration of loss, are unclear. Within the model of continuing bonds, however, grief resolution includes an ongoing relationship between the living and the deceased. Spontaneous and induced experiences of after-death communication (ADC) have been shown to be beneficial in the resolution of grief by demonstrating these continued bonds. Presently, many bereaved individuals are experiencing assisted ADCs by receiving readings from psychic mediums and though little is known about the effects of this selfprescribed treatment option, anecdotal reports and exploratory data posit a positive outcome. This article aims to inform those who work with the bereaved about the relationships between grief, spontaneous, induced, and assisted ADC experiences, and the continuing bonds paradigm. Suggestions for future research are also included.
Fact Sheet from the Windbridge Research Center summarizing the results of: Beischel, J., Boccuzz... more Fact Sheet from the Windbridge Research Center summarizing the results of:
Beischel, J., Boccuzzi, M., Biuso, M., & Rock, A. J. (2015). Anomalous information reception by research mediums under blinded conditions II: Replication and extension. EXPLORE: The Journal of Science & Healing, 11(2), 136–142. doi: 10.1016/j.explore.2015.01.001