Intentionally Disturbing: Lisa Mercer – Seeing The Dead

Host: iHeartPodcasts
Episode Title: Lisa Mercier: Seeing The Dead
Release Date: April 24, 2025

Introduction to the Guest

Dr. Leslie, a forensic and clinical psychologist with a reputation for depth and darkness in conversations, welcomes Lisa Mercer to the show. Lisa identifies as both a medium and a psychologist, professing the unique ability to communicate with the deceased. Initially skeptical, Dr. Leslie shares how witnessing Lisa’s abilities firsthand transformed his disbelief into belief.

Dr. Leslie [03:02]: "I’m your guide through the twisted labyrinth of the human psyche, armed with dark humor and biting wit."

Lisa Mercer [03:20]: "I am a medium. I'm a psychic medium. I see and talk to and feel dead people for a living."

Lisa’s Abilities and Early Experiences

Lisa recounts her first memory of interacting with a spirit at the age of four. Raised in a deeply religious household, she initially suppressed her abilities to align with her family's Christian beliefs, fearing condemnation and misunderstanding.

Lisa Mercer [06:15]: "My first memory of seeing a dead person and knowing that I had an ability... I pretended. Acted like it wasn't inside of me."

Her family was known in their neighborhood as having a "haunted house," a testament to the constant presence of spirits in her upbringing. Moving multiple times did not diminish her encounters but rather highlighted that spirits are ubiquitous and not confined to one location.

Lisa Mercer [13:15]: "Our house growing up was known as the haunted house in the neighborhood. Most people that visited could feel the presence in the house."

Overcoming Skepticism and Embracing Her Gift

In her twenties, while working as a victim advocate and later as a civilian investigator for a police department, Lisa's abilities intensified, with dead spirits appearing frequently in her workspace. This overwhelming influx forced her to accept her gift, which she had long suppressed, and led her to seek formal training in mediumship.

Lisa Mercer [07:27]: "I just had to learn. This is why I had to get trained for this."

Despite early fears and the anxiety caused by suppressing her abilities, Lisa developed strong energetic boundaries to protect herself from negative entities. Her training involved rigorous classes and practical sessions under the guidance of a mentor, allowing her to professionalize her abilities.

Lisa Mercer [10:06]: "I have phenomenal discernment. So I can feel negative dark energy. And then I can also feel light energy."

Training and Professional Development

Lisa details her journey through formal training in mediumship, which provided her with the tools to manage her abilities effectively. She emphasizes the importance of not forcing sessions and allowing the spirit’s messages to flow naturally, ensuring that clients receive authentic and unmanipulated guidance.

Lisa Mercer [16:03]: "I did all these, you know, trainings and classes and practice. So she would host psychic fairs and put our skills to the test."

Her commitment to maintaining professionalism is evident in her approach to sessions, where she focuses on the messages from the spirit world rather than offering personal advice.

Handling Trauma and Providing Closure

Lisa works extensively with clients who have experienced significant trauma, including first responders like police officers and firefighters. She utilizes her mediumship to offer closure by communicating with deceased loved ones, helping clients process their grief in unique ways that traditional therapy might not address.

Lisa Mercer [27:02]: "They have nothing to say. I don't fake it. I don't try to force it on anybody."

In one poignant example, she describes assisting a client who endured horrific sexual abuse, facilitating a conversation that allowed the client to acknowledge both the pain and the positive aspects of their experiences, fostering healing and acceptance.

Lisa Mercer [32:11]: "She had endured horrific sexual abuse by her parents... She would be chained to things, locked in door cabinets or small spaces, locked in the basement."

Personal Life and Challenges

Balancing her professional life with personal relationships poses significant challenges for Lisa. She highlights the difficulty in dating due to the stigmatization of her abilities and the emotional weight she carries from her work. Lisa remains single, prioritizing authenticity and emotional safety over compromising her truth for the sake of relationships.

Lisa Mercer [44:06]: "It's hard to date because... it takes really a confident male to say, hey, this chick I'm seeing talks to dead people."

Despite these challenges, Lisa maintains a positive outlook, trusting that the universe will align her with the right partner when the time is right. Her commitment to authenticity extends to her interactions, as she strives to be transparent and genuine in all aspects of her life.

Ethical Boundaries and Self-Care

Understanding the heavy emotional toll of her work, Lisa has developed mechanisms to compartmentalize and manage the trauma she encounters. She emphasizes the importance of self-awareness and self-care, ensuring that she remains a stable and reliable source of support for her clients.

Lisa Mercer [42:34]: "It just stays in my energetic body. It stores so that when I meet someone else who has a loved one who died... I know what it is."

Concluding Insights

Dr. Leslie and Lisa Mercer conclude the conversation by reflecting on the profound impact her abilities have on both her personal and professional lives. Lisa encourages listeners to embrace their own intuitions and seek healing in diverse ways, emphasizing that understanding and accepting one's gifts can lead to profound personal growth and fulfillment.

Lisa Mercer [54:31]: "And even if you have to go into the heavy, icky feeling the truth of the dysfunction of my family. Good. You're gonna face it, and then you never... As soon as you shine the smallest bit of light through something that's dark, you can no longer say that it's all dark."

Notable Quotes

• Dr. Leslie [03:57]: "That's fucking crazy."
• Lisa Mercer [04:46]: "Listen to afterlives on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts from."
• Lisa Mercer [39:19]: "You dig what I do. You have a need. Unfortunately, you have no sense of humor. That's why you can't ever enjoy this show, and that's why you're a loser."

Conclusion

In this episode of Intentionally Disturbing, Dr. Leslie and Lisa Mercer delve deep into the realms of mediumship, trauma healing, and personal authenticity. Lisa's journey from a scared child to a professional medium offers listeners a compelling narrative of self-acceptance and the therapeutic potential of embracing unconventional gifts. Her candid discussions provide valuable insights into handling personal and client trauma, setting ethical boundaries, and maintaining personal well-being amidst the challenges of connecting with the dead.