Words That Heal The World
- carolan903
- Sep 10
- 13 min read
"Love the trees until their leaves fall off, then encourage them to try again next year." Chad Shugg
Feature by Dana Micheli
Brandi Strieter M. Ed. is an Intuitive Guide, Energy Healer, and certified Mind, Body, Spirit Practitioner. She has mentored under Transformational Thought Leader Sunny Dawn Johnston since 2016 and is proud to be a Community Ambassador to ELEV8, Sunny Dawn Johnston’s international membership community, which is dedicated to personal growth and empowerment. She also serves as Sunny’s Personal Photographer, Social Media Specialist, and Consultant for the newly released Multi-Dimensional Oracle Cards.
“I did your heart meditation the other night,” I said to Brandi Strieter. We had just hopped on Zoom to discuss her incredible journey from atheist to spiritual teacher after nearly dying from a systemic illness.
Prior to the interview, I had watched a heart-opening meditation Brandi recorded back in 2023. As soon it began, I knew I was in for a powerful experience. I was also astounded by the profound physical change in Brandi in such a short time. She didn’t just look healthier now than she had when leading the meditation; she was had clearly undergone a rebirth.
“Oh, yeah?” she asked. “How did you like it?”
“It was great,” I said; then, after describing my experience, I added, almost as an afterthought, “But something kind of weird happened…” I proceeded to tell her how, in my mind’s eye, I had seen a friend in spirit. Thinking I was being a “bad” meditator (aka imagining things), I had pushed him from my mind.
“Is his name Brian?” she asked.
“Uhhh, yes!”
“Well, he’s here.”
If you were to watch the recording of the interview, you would see me literally levitating off my chair, my mouth hanging open in shock. I couldn’t imagine that Brian had actually been present in my meditation—and, apparently, my Zoom meeting with Brandi.
“He’s helping you from the other side.” She paused. “Did he drink Jack and Cokes? Because he’s having one now.”
More shock. I didn’t remember him drinking Jack and Cokes, and neither had I…until recently, when I inexplicably ordered one and found I liked it.
If, like me, you’ve gotten a bazillion mediumship readings, you know that the Spirit world never fails to surprise us. Brian had passed away in 2018, and I hadn’t spoken to him for years before that. We had simply gone our separate ways, and to hear that we were still connected, that he was actively helping me, blew my mind.
In two minutes, Brandi had shifted and expanded my perception of reality. And that was just the beginning.
In 2016, Brandi’s life capsized when she became extremely ill after having stem cell surgery for a broken foot. Her symptoms were as varied as they were mysterious—from brain fog and excruciating pain in her eyes to the loss of her hair and the hearing in one ear. There was also fatigue so debilitating it was difficult to get out of bed.
She went from doctor to doctor, seeking help, only to be left with more answers than questions. When a specialist in whom she had placed a great deal of trust accused her of attention-seeking and sent her for a full psychological evaluation, Brandi lost all hope. Convinced she was going to die, she stopped fighting and, finally, let go of control.
She had no idea she was on the precipice of a spiritual awakening. She did not even know what a spiritual awakening was.
“On the physical level, which was my current level of awareness, I had given up,” she told me. “But at the same time, on an energetic level, I was surrendering, which allowed me to ignite and activate a remembering that was waiting for me. That started the process of me coming home to myself.”
That process would not happen overnight; in fact, it would take years of hard work, physically and mentally, one baby step at a time. She was soon led to a naturopath who provided her, finally, with a diagnosis (Lyme disease and several co-infections) and a path to healing.
She also began carving out time for self-care—something she had never done before—that included a nightly bath. It was there that she began meditating on a regular basis, eventually adding gemstones and candles to the ritual. There, for the first time, she met and began communicating with Spirit, angels, and other multidimensional beings, and her Higher Self.
“Not being able to hear or see well had turned down the noise of my external world,” she said, referring to her symptoms, “and allowed me to tune into the gentle whispers of my soul. That’s when I really became curious, when I began to question everything.”
And she was getting answers—as to why certain challenging events had happened in her life and how Spirit had protected her. She also started learning about how energy works and how life works on this physical plane.
“In the beginning, it was only happening in the bath, because I didn't have my channel all the way open. Each day, I had a certain time, in a certain space, to go in. It was kind of like this energetic bubble, with the water being an incubator of energy. I was learning to discern my energy from the energy of others and, eventually, how to maintain my energy no matter what was going on around me. It was in the bath that I began learning self-love.”
As her physical health improved, she added daily walks in nature during which she also meditated. Brandi stresses that there was no “noise” (i.e., podcasts or social media) allowed in the baths or on walks. Also key was showing up for both activities every single day, without fail. Eventually, the connection became a constant flow of communication with Spirit.
For several years, Brandi has been teaching others about energy and how to integrate and embody our higher selves and the Divine information we are all receiving, all the time. A long-time ambassador of Sunny Dawn Johnston’s ELEV8 community, Brandi is now a SOL Igniter and a Luminary faculty member of the spiritual university, School of Light.
To learn more about Brandi’s story and offerings, connect with her at www.brandistrieter.com, Instagram, or Facebook.
I can tell you firsthand, it will be a life-changing experience.
Teacher of the Month Donna Barker
Donna Barker DSNU
Donna is a British medium who trained at the Arthur Findlay College and now teaches mediumship there too. She teaches and demonstrates her mediumship all around the UK and overseas. She is passionate about sharing knowledge and achieves this by supporting others on their spiritual journey, helping them to unfold their natural mediumistic abilities, hand in hand with the spirit world.
Donna encourages students to find confidence in their own awareness and to build trust not only with the spirit world but also in themselves, so they are empowered to fulfill their spiritual potential and discover that limitless, unfettered aspect of their soul. She recognizes that when students work with tutors, they trust them with their most precious gift, their mediumship, and as such, she understands the importance of that and never takes it for granted.
Unfolding the naturalness of mediumship is at the center of Donna’s philosophy, whilst acknowledging that a sense of discipline and devotion is paramount to enhancing students’ development. Fostering a sense of respect for the intelligence of the spirit world, along with continually valuing their own progressive spiritual growth, ensures students fully appreciate their journey.
Spiritualist National Union (SNU) Awards:
– Diploma in Demonstrating
– Diploma in Teaching
SNU Certificates:
– Demonstration
– Public Speaking
– Teaching
– 2020 West London Exponents Prize for Outstanding Spiritual Development
Interview with Donna Barker, Medium, Mentor, Teacher
Carolan: Thank you so much for taking the time to meet with me. I really appreciate it.
Donna: My pleasure. It’s wonderful to talk to you. Truly. It’s really good to see you, too.
Carolan: Today, I’d like to get to know you as a teacher — how you work, and what you feel is important in mediumship. I’ll just ask a bunch of questions and see where it takes us. Sound good?
Donna: Perfect.
Carolan: I know you’re a teacher and do many different things. Are you also a minister?
Donna: No, a minister is a specific title within the union, and I haven’t gone down that path.
Carolan: Is that something you might want to do in the future?
Donna: Possibly. It’s a big commitment — more qualifications, a few years of dedication. It’s not on my agenda right now, but I won’t say never.
Carolan: Let’s talk about mediumship. Do you see it as a spiritual calling or as a gift?
Donna: The word “gift” can imply we’re somehow special or separate from others, and I don’t see it that way. I believe it’s an ability of the soul, like talent in music, art, sport, or business. For some, it surfaces early in life. Others, like me, discover it later. Mine didn’t emerge until my mid-thirties. It was always there, dormant, until life experience and my soul’s evolution brought it forward. It’s not that God chooses some and not others. We all come into this life with abilities we’re meant to use in service. Our soul knows our purpose, even if we don’t consciously remember it. For some, that purpose involves mediumship; for others, it’s something entirely different. I believe everyone has some sensitivity to spirit because we are all spirit ourselves. But not everyone will choose — or be called — to develop it to a professional level. Just as kicking a football in the garden differs from playing for the national team, talent, dedication, and desire all play a role. Even for those who don’t become professional mediums, the journey into mediumship offers numerous benefits, including self-discovery, authenticity, embracing life, and uncovering talents. Some start the path and discover they’re meant to be musicians, writers, or entrepreneurs — and that’s wonderful, because they’ve listened to their soul’s calling.
Carolan: And it’s not always an easy journey.
Donna: No! Who would choose this? I joke that when we agreed to this, someone must have covered up part of the contract and said, “Just sign here,” without showing us the fine print.
Carolan: Tell me about your own journey — from discovering your ability to becoming a professional medium and teacher.
Donna: When my abilities surfaced in my mid-thirties, I had no understanding of the spirit world. I wasn’t raised with strong religious beliefs — just the basic Church of England prayers and hymns at school. It was a shock. I had so many questions: “Why me? Why now?” My children were small, so it was hard to attend circles or groups. We didn’t have Zoom — only MSN chat rooms where messages disappeared up the screen. I read every book I could find, attended a few workshops, but had no real structure. I developed slowly, mostly on my own, until my children were older. After my divorce, I finally had the space to focus. I began one-on-one online lessons with a patient medium. In those early days, I’d get just a single image or word and no deeper information — yet she kept encouraging me. I spent a lot of time “sitting in the power” and eventually attended Arthur Findlay College for a week. That was a revelation — the teaching standard, the like-minded community — it inspired me to keep going. I opened a small studio for one-to-one sittings and started a centre in West Oxfordshire. It wasn’t grand — I hired a village hall and hosted evenings of mediumship, inviting local mediums. We charged a small fee, covered expenses, and donated the rest to charity. The goal was to introduce people to Spirit outside a church setting, removing the barriers some have about religion. Our first three evenings grew from 30 to 75 attendees, and we never looked back. I ran those evenings for ten years, raising thousands for charity and introducing countless people to the spirit world.
Carolan: That’s a huge commitment.
Donna: I loved it. Over time, I developed enough to demonstrate myself — occasionally, so people didn’t tire of seeing me every month. I also led workshops, ran circles, and hosted a weekly public “Sitting in the Power” session, open to anyone. People came not to become mediums, but to experience the spirit’s energy. That sense of community — tea and conversation afterward — was priceless. We had powerful moments: a woman receiving a message from her father on the day of his funeral; another waiting 18 years for contact from her daughter. Moments like that stay with you.
Carolan: Your work began with service, really.
Donna: Yes. Service to the spirit world and to the community has always been at the heart of it.
Carolan: Let’s talk about teaching.
Donna: Teaching has been part of my life in many forms — even in my IT career, where I trained new team members, wrote manuals, and created exam papers. I’ve always shared knowledge freely. In my early days as a medium, I couldn’t attend classes, so I learned from books and, admittedly, a few ghost-hunting TV shows — not the best education, but it fueled my curiosity. Because I know how hard it is to start without guidance, I love breaking things down logically for students. Some gifted people can do extraordinary things but can’t explain how they do it. I enjoy making the process clear so others can build their own skills. When I founded the Corenza Spiritual Network (“Corenza” meaning love), I established local circles so that people wouldn’t have to travel far. Sharing what I learned became part of my own growth. Tutors at Arthur Findlay College encouraged me to teach, and I later earned certification in speaking, demonstrating, and teaching through the Spiritualist National Union. Eventually, I was invited to join the college as a tutor — a huge honour. For me, teaching is about helping people discover their abilities, building their confidence, and showing them they can do far more than they believe. I tell my students: I often have more faith in you than you have in yourself.
Carolan: I’ve been in one of your classes, and I felt that confidence from you — without you even saying it.
Donna: Thank you. I see my students as equals. I may be further along the path, but the path is level — we’re all walking it together.
Carolan: You also have Firm Foundations, your monthly course.
Donna: Yes, it’s an online group for people with some training who want to maintain and deepen their mediumship. It’s easy to leave a workshop inspired, then let practice slip. This group keeps people connected, allows them to share struggles, and offers paired practice each month. I also started Fresh Starts for beginners — focusing on energy work, the soul’s journey, and building a solid foundation. Many students have never clearly understood the difference between psychic and mediumship work, so I ensure they understand this distinction before moving forward. I’m still traveling for workshops — Germany in September and Canada in April — and continuing to teach at the college. I love this season of life.
Carolan: In Canada, you’ll be working with the Spiritualist Society of Burlington?
Donna: Yes — workshops, divine services, sittings, and demonstrations. I hope to visit the London Spiritualist Church in Ontario as well. A dear friend of mine, Heather, served there before she passed, and it would mean a lot to see where she worked.
Carolan: You also offer individual mentorships.
Donna: I do. One-to-one mentoring was invaluable for me early on. It provided me with a safe space to ask questions and receive personalised feedback. I offer the same — tailored to the student’s needs, with recordings so they can review later. My aim is to empower people so they can serve the spirit world in real life. We need mediums everywhere — not clustered together, but spread out so the spirit world has a voice in many places. Without us, they’re just “people who once lived” with no voice.
Carolan: What’s the most important thing you want your students to know?
Donna: Just one? Alright, here’s the biggest: You are not a drop in the ocean. You are the entire ocean in a drop. (Rumi). We are powerful beyond measure, yet we often play small or hide. Your soul came here to share its talents. If you hide, you can’t serve the spirit world or help others. Let your light be seen.
Donna's Upcoming Class via Zoom, hosted by the Spiritualist Society of Burlington.
Join us for an ONLINE workshop with UK Medium Donna Barker, taking place on Saturday. Sep. 27, 10 am - 2 pm eastern time (3 pm-7 pm UK time). To register, please go to: https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=2814348255422931&set=gm.1625535531469718&idorvanity=497773267579289
Transcendent Publishing - Resources for Writers Shanda Trofe
Whether you have a manuscript ready for publication or have just begun writing it, you will be in great hands with Shanda Trofe, the bestselling author, book coach, and visionary behind Transcendent Publishing. For over a decade, Shanda has dedicated herself to empowering authors, coaches, thought leaders, and innovators to not only share their message but also to leverage it into a sustainable empire. Shanda firmly believes that the true wealth of an author transcends mere book sales—it resides in the ecosystem of products and services that blossom from their core message, with the book serving as the cornerstone.
Medium of the Month Dana Micheli
Dana is a compassionate psychic medium devoted to helping individuals connect with their loved ones in spirit. With her unique gifts, Dana offers insights that nurture and guide, ensuring that the messages are meaningful and relevant to those she serves.
In addition to her mediumship, Dana brings a heartfelt intuition to her roles as a book coach, ghostwriter, and editor. She is passionate about collaborating with authors, helping them transform their visions into polished, publisher-ready manuscripts. Together, they brainstorm ideas to highlight the most vibrant and unique elements of each story, making every project a truly special creation.
Dana’s experience spans various genres, including memoirs, business and legal topics, science fiction/fantasy, romance, and crime. However, she finds her greatest joy in working along the spiritual spectrum, assisting mediums, healers, and change-makers in sharing their transformative messages of hope and inspiration with the world.
If you’re interested in a private sitting with Dana, please visit https://carolandickinson.org. For a consultation about your writing project, reach out to Dana at editor.writeword@gmail.com.
Happenings and Classes
Andy Byng
New Progressive Starting January 2026
The Progressive Group — a comprehensive year-long mentorship that supports every aspect of your unfoldment: technical, personal, and spiritual.
Upcoming Classes and Spirit Talk
John Johnson
Individual and Group Mentorships
Donna Barker
A variety of monthly and special classes and workshops
Services, Mediumship, Development Circles, and Events
Sunny Dawn Johnston and the School of Light
For nearly 25 years, Sunny has guided people through deep personal transformation – helping them heal, develop their intuition, and step into their purpose. But as her mission grew, she knew this work was meant to be bigger than just her. The School of Light was born from that knowing – a space where transformation isn’t just taught, it’s lived, shared, and expanded together. There are a variety of spiritual, intuitive, and personal development classes.
Julie Sullivan, Development Groups and the Spiritual Journey Book Club
Julie believes mediums need a safe space to develop, where they can find support, encouragement, freedom to express without judgment, and a sense of community. This led her to establish and facilitate several groups for the development of psychic and mediumship skills. In 2022, Julie established the Spiritual Journey Book Club, with several spiritual-based book authors joining to lead a discussion on their books. In addition, she created a Facebook Messenger group chat called “What’s Going On?!?” where members can share relevant events in the mediumistic community, personal updates, or helpful information.
Downright Fabulous People Development Group
New Events coming soon. We will be having a Student Demonstration of Mediumship in October. To get on our mailing list for upcoming events, please send an email to carolan903@gmail.com
Downright Fabulous People Development Circle Events
Upcoming Events: To subscribe to the newsletter, please visit https://www.carolandickinson.org/blog
Downright Fabulous People Development Circle
If you are a developing medium and would like to join us, please email carolan903@gmail.com. If you would like to be on our mailing list for upcoming events, please email carolan903@gmail.com. Our first event of the season begins in October.
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