We recently had the chance to connect with Shari Dworkin-Smith and have shared our conversation below.
Shari, we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: Have you stood up for someone when it cost you something?
Standing up for what we believe in can be challenging, especially in the fractured times we’re living in. I am not shy about sharing my beliefs or being a voice for those who are being marginalized and disempowered. I am sure my willingness to speak out has cost me clients and friends and honestly, I’m ok with that because I firmly believe the people who are meant to work with me or be in my life will find me. I trust the Universe is guiding them and me for the highest good for all of us.
It’s different with my nieces* though. When I made the decision to end my life-long friendship with their mother, I knew I would lose them forever. They were young and I could never explain to them why I left. She is their mother, and a great one but, regardless of how I tried to talk with her or attempted to work things out, she would rage, and I was always the villain in the story.
I was tired of apologizing and placating. I was exhausted from trying to keep the peace and, when I walked away, it was months before she even noticed I was gone. I separated myself from an energy vampire who had cost me friends, business, money, time, and so much more. I walked away from a woman who continued to take advantage of my heart, my family, my abilities and my position. She loved benefiting from the perks of my business and bristled any time I refused to bend the rules for her. She claimed rights by proximity and judged me harshly and loudly whenever I didn’t act the way she thought I should.
It was not easy. She was my soul-sister and partner in crime for most of my life. The memories were thick and deep. Her mother was my second mom, and a trusted confidante, especially in adolescence when my relationship with my own mother was at its worst. In a time of re-grouping, her brother and his two young sons lived with us for almost a year until ultimately, as her mother predicted, we had to kick them out.
Still, I adored them all, especially my girls. There was no way to walk away from all of this without losing them. It broke my heart and not a day goes by that I don’t think of them and wish things could be different.
*not my biological nieces
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am a psychic medium, grief educator, and hypnotherapist with a passion for helping people connect, heal, and grow. Whether you’re looking for evidence of life after death, insight into your life’s path, or support in managing your empathic sensitivities, you’re in the right place.
I’m also a goofball. I’m warm and funny and even though much of this work is based in sadness or challenges, I truly believe we can heal through laughter as well.
I believe that spiritual connections should be clear, verifiable, and meaningful. It should also be comfortable. One of my goals has always been to help people understand this is just a conversation. A different way to communicate, yes, but still just a conversation, with me, our loved ones and our guides. There’s nothing to be afraid of.
As an evidence-based psychic medium, my goal is to provide undeniable proof that your loved ones are still with you. Mediumship and grief work often go hand in hand and, while many of my clients do come to me looking for those signs and evidence, others are seeking support in understanding their grief journey. I am able to combine both intuitive insight and practical grief education to create a safe space for healing.
Unfortunately, losing a loved one is something we will all experience and, while the weight of grief can be overwhelming, healing is possible. As a Certified Grief Educator trained by renowned grief expert, David Kessler, I help clients process their emotions, navigate the complexities of loss, and find ways to honor and stay connected with their loved ones.
I also use my psychic abilities and life coaching expertise to help you navigate life’s challenges. Whether you’re struggling with grief, feeling lost in your career, or searching for a deeper sense of purpose, I can offer insights and practical tools to help you move forward with optimism and confidence.
As a certified NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) practitioner, I also help clients reshape limiting beliefs and connect with their true potential. I guide people through hypnotherapy, meditation, past-life regressions, healing old wounds and overcoming obstacles that may be holding them back.
Regardless of how we work together, every session is individual — because each person’s journey is unique. Helping others in this way, working with Spirit, our guides and loved ones and helping people on this side of the veil brings me so much joy.
It is truly an honor to do this work.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: What part of you has served its purpose and must now be released?
This is about competition and comparison. I am a younger sibling and growing up, I was always the one in trouble. She knew from a young age exactly who and what she wanted to be, while I had no idea. Shortly before my oldest son was born I signed up to be an Independent Beauty Consultant with Mary Kay Cosmetics. I loved the products and hated my former job, so this was a great opportunity to become a work-at-home mom with my new baby, and I was excited.
Like a lot of direct-selling companies, Mary Kay offered a proven path to success, if I was willing to do the work. I had never thought of myself as a prize-driven person, but MK was so generous, and I was having so much fun, it seemed easy for me to earn prize after prize. Each time I earned something, the next step was waiting for me to tackle it. I kept working and earning and eventually I became an Independent Sales Director, driving a Pink Cadillac!
I had reached the top 2% of the company but I still didn’t feel like I was enough. Don’t get me wrong, I loved being a MK Sales Director. I loved speaking at events, walking across stages and I loved feeling successful. But I couldn’t stop comparing myself to the women around me. This one’s hair was styled better than mine, another one just looked more put together. Still others had reached goals that eluded me, there was always something and, rather than leaning in to fully celebrate all my team had accomplished, I was always seeking something more, until I started working in the light.
The more I embraced this work, the less I needed to compete and compare. It wasn’t instant but as this part of my life continued to expand, the happier I became. I earned the use of twelve free cars with Mary Kay, and countless other prizes and gifts. I’m grateful for all of it but, that energy was not in alignment with where I was going and the new life I was building for myself, serving spirit.
At first, I would catch myself still setting goals in my mediumship business or comparing myself to others at events but eventually all of that fell away and I’m so grateful for that release.
There are many ways to identify success and comparing ourselves to others is definitely not one of them. I loved my time as a leader in Mary Kay and now I’m loving my time as a leader in the metaphysical community as well. One is not better than the other, just different. One path served me well for who I was then, and one path is serving me well for who I am now and who I hope to become.
We are all on our own path, in our own time and comparing ourselves to others is like matching oranges and Subarus. There’s no way to align them in any meaningful way so let’s not even try. Having goals is important, as long as they’re the right ones for you. Are they meaningful and will they help you grow? Or are they just another mark on a scoreboard?
For me, the better path is the one that leads to growth, personal happiness and peace.
What fear has held you back the most in your life?
In December of 1990, I was on my way to London to spend three and a half weeks studying theatre and dance during my third year in college. The flight took off from Miami and about ninety minutes later there was a loud bang and the whole thing filled with thick black smoke! Oxygen masks dropped from compartments in the ceiling and the plane went into a nosedive. Everyone was screaming and no one knew what was going on. Incredibly, the man sitting in front of me was also a pilot and he started yelling out information to try and calm people down.
“The pilots have to get the plane lower to open the air vents and get the smoke out! It’s going to be ok!” and things like that. I don’t think anyone believed him, but I do remember him shouting it over and over until finally, after what seemed like ages, he was proven correct. Having dropped to a lower altitude, the plane leveled off, the air filtration system kicked in, and the smoke was cleared out of the plane.
We landed in the Bahamas, a place definitely not equipped for landing a 747! The runway was not nearly long enough to stop such a giant plane and the pilot aimed for the very start of the pavement, hoping to keep us from ending up in the ocean at the other end. We hit the ground so hard, the wheels buckled, and we slid all the way down until the pilot turned into the grass to keep us from going into the water. It was so close we could see the waves hitting the shore right outside the window and, while we were all thrilled to be on the ground in one piece, it was one of the most harrowing experiences of my entire life.
So much so that I never flew internationally again.
I had to get on a plane back to Miami to go home a few days later. The reality was. there was no way to get another 747 down there to take us all to London so the airline needed to send multiple planes with multiple crews and it was going to take several days to get everyone out. Meanwhile, there was a smaller plane available to take anyone who wanted to go, back to Miami and knowing my time already being cut short, I chose that option. It was my twenty-first birthday, and I just wanted to go home so, I got on the plane. Two weeks later, I got on another plane back to school. I did it but it was a long time before I was comfortable flying again.
My fears have lessened through the years, and it has never stopped me from flying in America, only flying internationally. Until my desire to attend the Arthur Findlay School at Stansted Hall in England became stronger than my fear. My sweet husband offered to come with me, and we traveled first class on my first trip back across the pond. I was so nervous, but I knew I had to get on that plane. We had an amazing time in England, and I look forward to going back again soon.
I let that fear limit me for a long time, but I knew, when the time was right, the Universe would show me the way to move forward. I still don’t love to fly but I’m looking forward to our trip to Italy next year.
You can read the full story of my trips to England here: https://www.sharidworkinsmith.com/single-post/the-universe-s-timing-is-always-right
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I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. Is the public version of you the real you?
Definitely. I worked hard to discover my authentic self and have made the choice to live in that space. It’s not always easy, especially when societal or familial expectations create pressure towards conformity. Especially as a woman, we can often be pushed aside or dismissed, and it can be harder to stand up, take our space and be heard.
The me I share with the world is the me I am inside and honestly, it is a gift because I know who I am, and I am proud to own that.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: What do you understand deeply that most people don’t?
I understand how fully connected we all are. Knowing that and living it can be two different things. In my heart, I know all of us are souls who came to Earth, to have various experiences. As souls, we agreed to be here during this time, to witness these challenges and to hold space as current events unfold. Some of us came here to experience loss, abuse or illness while others came here to learn about the sadness, helplessness and courage that can accompany those things.
I remind myself every day that I chose to be here. I chose to be here to witness war, hunger, inequality, racism and division. At the same time, I chose to be here to witness strength, resilience, awakening and collaboration. I agreed to come here and be a wife, mother, daughter, sister, teacher, coach, friend and partner because this is what is needed for those in my soul family to have the experiences they need to learn and grow. Others came here to be the abuser, criminal, or antagonist. It’s easy to watch the news and judge people or see only the negatives but I’m always reminded how much love and commitment it takes to be the soul who came here to fulfill that role. How much does my soul have to love yours to agree to come to Earth and become such a negative force in your life?
My kids are in their 20’s now but when they were younger, I had a space in my brain called, “I hate this but it’s for your own good.” It was for times like going to the doctor to get shots, making them eat vegetables and, setting rules or boundaries… All the things that parents do out of love, that are hard yet necessary so our children can grow up to be good people and healthy adults.
I think it is the same for our soul’s growth. We need each other to be both those positive and negative influences in our lives so we can continue to learn and evolve. It can’t be easy to agree to such things but how else can we learn about strength, courage, helplessness, allowing or acceptance? All of us came to Earth to learn these things, to help both humans and souls evolve.
We are all connected, and, in this incarnation, we chose to have these circumstances around us. I see the strife happening in so many places on the planet and you can see humanity shifting in one direction or another. I see the good things as well. The kindness and compassion and generosity and I often wonder if it isn’t like some kind of a cosmic scavenger hunt. If all the souls in all the soul families can have all the experiences, both positive and negative, perhaps we collectively evolve enough to finally see peace on Earth.
In the meantime, those of us who are able continue to work to bring forward the light so those who are struggling can know they’re not alone and hopefully remember there’s more going on than meets the human eyes.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.sharidworkinsmith.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shari_dworkin_smith_medium/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shari-dworkin-smith-0226831b/
- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/empathshari
- Yelp: https://biz.yelp.com/biz_info/7UcQefCmD389emrDhvk58Q
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@sharidworkin-smith6869
Image Credits
Photos taken by author, Laura Gibson and Jessica Huckaby
