A person may experience after-death communication (ADC) if they unintentionally sense a departed person. ADCs are essentially subjective by nature and are thus amenable to explanation as a psychological reaction to a fundamental emotional need. Even though this phenomenon is common among persons who have experienced bereavement, there are several ADCs that defy this theory and might even back the survival concept.
An ADC can be perceived via the senses of sight, hearing, smell, or touch, but some people also report feeling the presence of the departed or having dreams in which they perceive contacts or communications. Following on from my last article whereby I discussed a woman who had an SDE with both her parents, *Melinda also disclosed that two weeks after her mother’s passing, she felt her mother’s presence at the end of her bed and received a message from her mother clairaudiently. ADCs often convey messages to loved ones that reassure individuals that they are okay; resolves any past issues; affirms their love and/or encourages individuals to continue and enjoy their life.
ADCs are widely experienced, yet there is little research on them, and the public and media usually dismiss them. As stated by a study by Evenden et al., people with an ADC generally lack the context necessary to appreciate, integrate, and completely benefit from this experience and are fearful of being labeled as credulous or pathological if they share their experience. *Melinda affirmed this when discussing her ADC as she revealed that she had never spoken to anyone about her experience as she was unsure as to who would understand what she had experienced as well as having concerns that she may be ridiculed.
One hypothesis holds that people who have been profoundly affected by the loss of a family member or friend may imagine having these experiences, even unconsciously, because their pain would be so intense that they wouldn’t be able to handle life without the loved one by their side, even for brief periods of time. However, there are ADC types that are more resistant to interpretation in such terms and are therefore more demonstrative of the survival theory. These interactions include those in which previously unknown information is perceived (like the unexpected death of the perceived deceased person); those witnessed simultaneously by multiple people; and those that occur when the experiencer is not in a state of mourning (like the perception of unknown deceased persons), making a psychodynamic explanation improbable.
For example, in my clinic, I have seen numerous individuals that fit the above criteria. One client whom we will name *Amanda was not bereaved at the time of her experience and received unknown information. *Amanda stated that, “I woke up in the middle of the night and I thought I had a nightmare, or a very vivid dream, as this woman, an old friend who I had not seen in years had told me that she had died, we had a long conversation and from what I can remember the space looked white and my friend was dressed in white as well. I then went back to sleep and forgot about what had occurred the following day, however, a few days later another friend phoned to tell me that this woman had passed away several days ago. I then realised that this dream or experience was in fact my old friend coming to see me after she had passed and confirmed that she had died.”
Another case that relates to multiple witnesses involves a client who we will name *Georgia. *Georgia reported, “about two days after our father’s death, my sister and I were sitting in my living room discussing something, nothing of significance, when we both had a vision of Dad, appear before us, we were both startled as we concurred with each other what we were seeing, but also happy that he had come to visit us as we knew then that he was okay”.
These cases and other investigations appear to confirm that ADCs frequently occur unexpectedly and that their likelihood is independent of any underlying issue or psychological need. Individuals experiencing ADCs should be given the opportunity, most likely in therapy or with close confidants, to reflect and make meaning of their ADC(s) considering their own beliefs and their previous relationship with the deceased. This would be an enormous benefit to the individuals as ADCs are frequently seen as very significant events with often positive long-lasting effects that may also assist with the grieving process.
*Names have been changed to maintain confidentiality.
Reference: Evenden, R. E., Cooper, C. E., & Mitchell, G. (2013). A counselling approach to mediumship: Adaptive outcomes of grief following an exceptional experience. Journal of Exceptional Experiences and Psychology, 2(1), 14-23.
Melanie Oborne, Our Expert
Melanie Oborne is a psychologist and researcher who has a passion for bringing together clinical practices, scientific research, and spiritual paradigms to enhance individual well-being. Since 2018, Melanie has assisted clients to integrate their transpersonal and/or paranormal experiences. Melanie currently conducts qualitative research with the Shared Crossing Project based in Santa Barbara, California.
- Melanie Oborne, Our Expert
- Melanie Oborne, Our Expert
- Melanie Oborne, Our Expert
- Melanie Oborne, Our Expert
