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There's More to Life Than This

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There's More to Life Than This: Healing Messages, Remarkable Stories, and Insight About the Other Side from the Long Island Medium.

For fans of TLC’s Long Island Medium and anyone interested in the big questions of life, death, and finding out what’s important in between, New York Times bestselling author and medium Theresa Caputo shares how she discovered her gift and her many encounters with Spirit.

Beloved medium Theresa Caputo, star of the hit television show Long Island Medium , opens the door to her world and invites you to experience her exceptional gift of communicating with those who’ve crossed over to the Other Side. The always funny, frank, and down-to-earth medium—whether she’s talking to her family, the local butcher, or the souls of those who’ve passed on—began communicating with Spirit at the age of four, but didn’t fully accept her gift until she was thirty-three years old. She had a good life as a busy wife and working mom, but also suffered from chronic anxiety that, as it turned out, came from ignoring her abilities. Once Theresa began channeling, she realized that she felt much better after delivering a message from Spirit and releasing that energy. Since then she’ s used her extraordinary gift to help people heal from the loss of their loved ones.

Theresa feels that it’s her purpose to make us all aware that there is more to life than what we see here in the physical world. She wants you to know that your deceased loved ones are safe and at peace, and that they’re now with you in a different way—watching over you, loving you, and assisting you from the Other Side. She also wants you to realize that the unexplainable things you sense and feel from these souls are real, and that it’s healthy and essential to acknowledge them.

There’s More to Life Than This lends insight on how Theresa’s mediumship works, what happens to your soul when you die, what Spirit says Heaven is like, what the deceased want you to know, the importance of living a positive life, and the many roles that your family, friends, angels, guides, souls of faith, and God play here and in the afterlife. It also explores how to safely connect with Spirit, so that you can recognize when your loved ones are reaching out.

Through Theresa’s personal story, compelling anecdotes, and fascinating client readings, she teaches us about how she communicates with Spirit and helps us to understand and appreciate the important lessons and touching messages that we’re meant to embrace every day.

240 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2013

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About the author

Theresa Caputo

9 books162 followers
Theresa Caputo was born and raised on Long Island and lives there with her husband and two children. She is the star of Long Island Medium, which airs on TLC. After suffering anxiety for most of her life, Theresa met with a spiritual adviser who helped her realize her ability to communicate with Spirit. Theresa has been a practicing medium for more than ten years and is a certified medium with the Forever Family Foundation. Her first two books, There's More to Life Than This and You Can't Make This Stuff Up, became instant New York Times bestsellers. She has appeared on Good Morning America, The View, The Dr. Oz Show, and Ellen and has helped countless people heal and find the closure to embrace life without their loved ones. For more, please visit TheresaCaputo.com.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 495 reviews
Profile Image for Kelley.
39 reviews2 followers
October 23, 2013
I've read a number of books over the years by psychics or mediums. Theresa is the ONLY one who, for me, doesn't raise skepticism. Her main purpose of using her gift is healing, and she does such a wonderful job of helping people with what can be such a hard part of life. She gives such an amazing view of how our soul lives on after the physical world, and reminds the reader that there is one Higher Power, whether you choose to call this God or by any other name. She has a beautiful way of reminding us that each life has meaning and a purpose and that we are all here to help each other, to learn and to grow. Although I don't feel like I have the gift that Theresa does, I do feel that my loved ones who have passed are safe, secure and that their Spirit remains with me, which is such a blessing in itself. I highly recommend this book to everyone.
Profile Image for Jennifer Masterson.
200 reviews1,413 followers
September 17, 2015
Alright so why did I give this book 4 stars? Because it was actually pretty good. I expected it to just be strictly entertainment, but for me personally, it went beyond entertainment and I actually found some of the things she said about the other side, comforting. I lost my father suddenly at the age of 12 and since then I've been searching for answers.

Theresa Caputo is known for her big hair, outrageous nails and crazy outfits, but she is more than that. What I was most impressed about in this book was when she talks about her childhood going into her adult years and how she experienced night terrors, terrible panic attacks, avoided going most places unless they were her "safe" zones, and at times she became agoraphobic. This part made me think maybe just maybe she is for real. If you know anything about and or are a sensitive, many of them suffer from exactly what she suffered from. Who knows it could be made up but the book really made me like her.

If you are into this mediums or psychics I say give this book a try. If you are looking for some comfort because you are grieving for a loved one, this book is not half bad.
Profile Image for Erika Ordonez.
48 reviews5 followers
November 5, 2013
I've been putting of the review of this book.. I don't know how to proceed to do it. I think it is the fact that it deals with religion and spirituality and I don't want to step in anybodies toes, so to speak.

Here goes nothing...

For those who have seen the show "Long Island Medium" and enjoy it, this book is going to be a breeze. It's like having Theresa Caputo talking in your head. You would be reading this whole book with her voice in your mind.

She gives some examples, and stories, just like the ones we love to see in her show, and that always make us cry. At the same time, she goes beyond by explaining everything that goes behind cameras, as well as in her being as she receives the messages from the other side.

She answers some questions, such as... when did she know she had that talent? what does heaven look like? how does she receive her messages? how does she see spirits? Has she spoken to God? Has she been in contact with evil spirits? demons? what is it like to die? to cross over? and many more....

I consider myself an agnostic at the moment. I was raised a Roman Catholic, just like Theresa, and as I was reading about God, Jesus, The Virgin Mary, the Saints, Angels, and everything associated with the Catholic faith, I kind of got a little weary, thinking, Oh boy, here we go, preaching!!

I was surprised to find out otherwise. Theresa writes that no matter what faith you follow, in the end we all go the same place and we meet with our creator (whether is Yawhve, God, etc.) To her, her visions and symbols represent the Catholic faith because she knows that this will make it easier for her to understand and interpret it and explain it to others. Were she to practice a different faith, her talent would go hand in hand with that faith.

Another thing that I found peculiar, it that if you know anything about the Catholic faith is that reincarnation is a big NO. you die and either you go to heaven or hell or stay for a while in purgatory until you're clean enough to enjoy the Heavens. but there is no such thing as having multiple lives. Theresa being strong in the Catholic faith has embraced the message from the other side as true, even if it contradicts her strict Catholic faith. I'm not going to spoil it for you but it does sounds like re-incarnation (a belief that, if I'm not mistaken is seen in Buddhism and Hinduism faith) and honestly it sounds like a lot of fun...

In conclusion, I found this book is not preachy at all. Theresa is just telling us her story, sharing her special talent, how she acquired it, how she conveys it and communicates to use her knowledge of the other side.

Is it all true? I don't know. Like everything else it is just a matter of faith.... Do I believe it? I don't know either... but It kept my mind entertained and it all sounded very pretty, attractive, comforting. I'll keep looking for answers.

If you love the show I recommend this book
If you have lost someone and need some comfort, I recommend this book
If you are curious about an image of the afterlife (or a least a point of view), I recommend this book

No matter what faith you practice, you can still enjoy it.


Profile Image for Jennifer.
243 reviews15 followers
January 15, 2014
I have to admit that I am a little conflicted about this book. I do love the show, I did like the book, but not for the reasons a fan might have. This book was very spiritual, not at all a "tell-all" about her readings over the years. It covered God, Spirit, the afterlife, all sorts of stuff. After reading it I felt so much closer to God, something I haven't felt in decades...But after doing a little research about Theresa Caputo I'm not quite sure what to believe anymore. There are many people that think she is faking it all - one of the more vocal being "The Soup". I don't know where I stand anymore, but this was my takeaway from my research, her show, her book, and my own personal opinion: Does it matter? If she's helping grieving people process the death's of their loved ones should it matter how it's happening? This woman could be lying through her teeth, and yet, after reading her book I started praying again - after almost 20 years of not praying. Was that her? Was that God? Was it just the catalyst I needed to connect with the Lord again? Does it matter? It happened, I'm happy, and I feel like that should be the bottom line.
Profile Image for Chris.
38 reviews9 followers
October 23, 2013
Met Teresa and Larry in person in Toronto got book signing! Very friendly and warm people . Book actually addressed every question I had. Just as inspirational as the show!
Profile Image for Amber Cole-bennett.
1 review2 followers
October 15, 2013
I can honestly say that this book has totally changed my life! not only did I find much needed peace with my mom's passing but also gave me a whole new perspective on life. Love it!
Profile Image for TL *Humaning the Best She Can*.
2,328 reviews165 followers
September 17, 2014
Should have wrote this review last night haha but I was so tired from work.

When I first heard of 'Long Island Medium' I brushed it off as ANOTHER reality show (we have way too many of those already) and forgot about it. Then one night mom was channel surfing and put it on... I was bored and figured 'eh, why not?"

I was pleasantly surprised by Theresa, very outgoing and caring person... the messages she delivered to these people were so uplifting and the hope she gives them. I was sold. Every episode never fails to make me cry or laugh, alot of times both.

So when I heard that Theresa was coming out with a book I was thrilled :). But also a little wary, only because I wasn't sure if I was ready to listen to this.


This book was just a wonderful read... What Theresa said about heaven/Spirit touched on some of what I believe. Soul bounds and soul circles especially, and her definition of 'soul mates' makes sense to me (someone you share a deep bond with). There's definitely people in my life I feel that connection with.
I always told Jessie and Stephanie that it seems we picked up right where we left off. I firmly believe we knew each other in other lives, in whatever form. Same with my puppy Tasha, she was my babygirl... one of the sweetest souls you could ever meet. When she died, a part of my soul went with her.

This book touched me in a lot of ways... at times I was even crying in the car.
A few parts made me think of my Pop-Pop (grandfather)... he died in December and I miss him so much. He was such a big presence, it still feels surreal to think of him gone. (Maybe he was the one to give me the push to say 'Heck with it' and just buy the book.

It's hard to pick a favorite part but one of them was when she talked about reincarnation and learning lessons from each life... I've always believed in reincarnation and that people are put into our paths for a reason; I just never thought about it as that they are put in our way to help us learn something from this life. Another thing I wondered was why we didn't remember our past lives if it would help us learn these lessons quicker... all of the explanations Theresa gave made sense to me and reinforced my beliefs about it :).

It was also interesting to hear about different ways Spirit communicates and the guides/guardian angels... it was different yet not so different, if that makes sense. It opens your eyes in a way.

I'm now intrigued also by the concept of past life regressions and meditation as well.

I like to think of myself as spiritual but not religious (I think that's the phrase)... if you don't agree with me, that's fine.. We're all entitled to believe what we want :).


Theresa has a comforting way of talking to you in a way that makes it feel she's sitting right next to you or reaching out through Spirit as the audiobook goes from chapter to chapter. She doesn't push you to believe in everything she does/says or insists her word is gospel. She just lays out the facts as she knows them and leave it up to you as to what you take away from the book.

Highly recommend the audiobook... just hearing Theresa's voice magnified the enjoyment for me. I'm hoping I get to meet this woman one day to tell her in person what her book meant to me.

Theresa's friend Patt also sounds like someone I would love to meet or have a cup of hot cocoa with, maybe if I'm ever in the area *crosses fingers*

Happy reading!
Profile Image for Francene Carroll.
Author 13 books29 followers
December 21, 2013
When I saw the ads for Long Island Medium I was sceptical to put it mildly. I thought it was just another crappy American reality tv show starring a big-haired Long Island fraud. After watching a few episodes I was won over by Theresa and her family's genuine warmth and sincerity. I still didn't expect much from this book which I thought was going to be a bit of fluff to cash in on her fame. I was again proven wrong because this is a very substantial book that grapples with the really big questions. It confirmed much of what I have come to believe about death and spirituality. I also appreciated the insights about religion and the fact that there is no one "true" faith that stands above all others. Each religion is an expression of the divine that is no truer or better than any other faith. We all come from the same God, and the sooner people realise this the sooner we will be able to see through the lies of those who use religion for their own ends.

Despite her glitzy appearance I strongly believe Theresa is the real deal. I would recommend this book to anyone suffering a bereavement or who wants to know more about what happens when we die and how to make the most of the time we have on earth.

Just goes to show you shouldn't judge a Long Island medium by her hair!
Profile Image for Leslie.
102 reviews
October 10, 2013
Fine literature it is not, but it is wonderfully entertaining and uplifting. I read this book in a day, and enjoyed every minute.
Profile Image for Ashley.
98 reviews
October 11, 2013
I bought this book for my sister for Christmas 2013; who is a HUGE Theresa Caputo Fan -- naturally I had to read it to make sure it was good. I LOVED IT! It validated so much of how I experience my Father's spirit & helped me embrace life and know that ABSOLUTELY there is more to Life than this! I would recommend this to anyone who is a devoted fan of the Long Island Medium & or wants to know more about God, Heaven, What happens after we die?, If they themselves lost a loved one and want to understand what kind of signs to look for. I started this book 3 days ago; but as Theresa poured herself into this book I found reading it a bit overwhelming at first. I eventually fully embraced the book and can't wait to give it to my Sister for Christmas!
8 reviews
April 10, 2014
Don't read this if you are an atheist because you will find this book disturbing, but if you have any doubts about the spiritual world this is fine. I like Caputo's personality because she doesn't take herself or life too seriously, which is refreshing. Just ignore the basic grammar errors especially if you are the type to automatically correct people's grammar in your head. I only say this because you will spend a large amount of time wanting to throw this book across the room every time she says "Me and (person Theresa is trying to talk about)." Again of you don't believe in God or any sort of after life, I personally would rather have you NOT judge a person as gifted at Catuto, unless you are willing to have an open mind.
Profile Image for Victoria Zieger.
1,733 reviews9 followers
February 10, 2019
If you like Theresa and believe in spirituality and the existence of spirits then you will love this. She isn’t validating herself, but building up the belief in a higher power in a positive light. Very informative and fun. Audio was a good choice for this one!
Profile Image for Andrea.
1,061 reviews10 followers
March 6, 2017
It was nice learning more about her, that she had chronic anxiety which was related to her not embracing her gift and that she got the ability directly from God, that He told her she had it for a reason and would be guiding her.

It was really cool when she said she would see people and hear things, like a man walking by or someone saying her name, and would ask her friends if they'd seen or heard it but they didn't. It was amazing when she would have thoughts that she didn't realize weren't hers, that would come to have meaning later. Like a voice saying don't eat the cotton candy and then a friend saying later that they had gotten sick.

It was so cool that when she was 16 and her great-gma had died, her family had a psychic over and she saw her great-gma and talked to her, and the psychic told her she would meet someone much older than her with facial hair. And she met Larry when she was 18 and he was 11 years older and had a beard and mustache. So interesting!

It was so refreshing that she didn't want to go to college and leave her family and comfort zone, that the world with elevators and traffic jams wasn't for her. And that she felt claustrophobic and had anxiety attics, even though she doesn't have an anxiety disorder and it stemmed from being a medium and ignoring it, it was still nice to see someone else had those symptoms. Larry seems like such a good guy that he always kept calm around her when she had panic attacks, even when they were on a double date and she wanted to get out of the car on the freeway in a traffic jam.

I had read a book by Sylvia Brown in which she mentioned past lives and I don't really believe that so it was a surprise when Theresa mentioned it.

It was fascinating learning that Theresa told Spirit she would set aside a certain time of day to channel and she would light a white candle to only deal with God's white light. She also told Spirit not to show 3-D people but to show them in a different way, so now they appear as shadows.

It was such a shame that the first time she channeled a Spirit in a public place outside of the class she attended, and a deceased husband had told her to tell his wife which sheets he liked, Theresa didn't tell her that her husband had spoken to her and just told her to pick the ones her husband wanted.

It's so interesting that she attributes feelings of déjà vu, but instinct, chills, good timing and coincidences as coming from Spirit.

I love how Theresa channels, she's the best medium I've ever seen on TV, the warmest, the most caring and her messages are like real conversations versus other medium styles that I've seen that aren't very personal or healing. So it was so fun to read that Theresa requested Spirit communicate with personality to do the most good for the client, so it feels like their loved one.

It was really something when Theresa said sometimes skeptics will hide an object and have Spirit confirm it, and she rarely entertains those games. I'm irritated when I watch that on TV, people testing her like she's doing parlor tricks for their entertainment.

It was incredible that she could understand people that speak different languages. I had never even thought about that before!

It was interesting how she doesn't remember what she said after readings, so her mind isn't full of stories of other people's dead loved ones, and that Spirit brought her back to the readings so she could remember them enough to write them down.

I wondered if people ever still needed another reading or just wanted another one, so it was interesting when she said you can come back in 6 months to a year. She won't do any sooner than that because Spirit needs to mature and that helps them communicate better, and we need to heal and process.
It answered a question I had had, and I think we all have, when she told the story of a boy who knew he was going to die and told his parents what funeral home he wanted and to buy him a suit, and he ended up dying months later on vacation. Of course the family thought about what-ifs and he explained how he could've died if he hadn't drowned. It would have been in another way which would've caused them even more grief, so the way he died was the best choice for his family's grief process. It was his fate to die young which just shows that things are meant to happen a certain way and can't be prevented.

It was really something to hear that when we die we meet a master guide who's been watching over us our whole lives and go over how we made others feel, and we have a choice either to grow in heaven or reincarnate and come back as another person to learn lessons faster.

When Theresa mentioned that she channeled God sometimes I was shocked. I didn't know mediums could connect directly with God and that just makes what they do so much more meaningful and holy, and not evil like some people think it is, like their powers come from the devil and it's bad to see a medium. The story of her reading a mother and daughter who had lost the son and brother was so emotional because God came through and told her she could be angry with Him but he wanted her to do His work and get her faith back. It made me tear up. When Theresa said when she feels God she becomes serious and relays messages more precisely and to the point, I knew Id be looking for those signs when I watch her show.

It made her relatable and it was reassuring that Theresa didn't know everything about her gift and there were things she wasn't sure about and had to guess. Like spirits showing physical traits like hair and eyes when they don't have a physical body. She doesn't know for sure but she thinks they just do that for the sake of the family members, and they also might get to choose what age they want to appear as, because time in heaven doesn't work like it does here and they don't age the same way.

Interesting that she thought anyone could connect with Spirit. I liked that she was so inclusive about helping people and believing everyone has this gift. She gave good advice, like that meditation is the best way to connect to Spirit but you have to protect yourself by imaging a white light around you and only accepting souls that walk in God's white light. It was nice to have the record straight that psychics that channel low-level energies are con artists and thieves because these souls are bad people.

There was a bit of an attitude that was off-putting when she talked of people missing signs from their loves ones because they expected things a certain way, saying like "Seriously?" and "jeez" and that it drives her nuts. I guess knowing spirit so well would make you aggravated when people come up with off-the-wall things or expect things their way but the average person doesn't know all the signs to look for.

It was so cute that people have asked her if they should have a system with their loved ones to come back as a certain animals or so something specific and Theresa thought it was a cute idea-but it might not work if you don't interpret those signs in that way or the soul can't do it.

It was so funny when she said she used being a medium to her advantage with her kids. She'd tell them she was sending out her spirit guides to watch them, and they probably thought Spirit would tell on them. And she'd call them and say that Spirit told her to even when it didn't.

It was so nice to learn that Theresa used to not forgive people. If they did something to her she was done with them. It's encouraging that she has the same problems we do.

When teaching people how to pray she said she doesn't say I want or need because you might as well say gimme gimme, and she doesn't say please because that's like begging. She says thanks because it acknowledges you have faith He'll deliver. I felt like we were being told how to pray right, and everyone prays differently and not everyone is Catholic.

It was such a crazy concept that we need to prayer for the deceased because it gives them energy on their journey to the other side, and to pray that they reach the highest level. Even thinking about them gives them energy. Such a foreign concept.

It's amazing that she can watch TV and know who the killer is, that her gift doesn't just limit itself to the dead. And even more amazing that she can find good in a situation, like the dead person's family became closer after the death or it raised awareness for gun control laws.

It's such a crazy idea that a soul would choose to come back and have an illness and die young in order to learn a lesson and grow or have a loved one learn a lesson.

I always wondered from watching her show if what I was hearing about certain deaths was true or if the souls were just saying that to make their loved ones feel better, like if they died of something painful and it took hours for them to die, and they would insist they didn't suffer or feel anything but died immediately. To have it confirmed from Theresa that death does look and sound bad, but that as soon as a life starts to end, the soul leaves the body and doesn't feel anything further. It's just the body left to shut down and the soul doesn't suffer anymore. That was such a huge comfort.

I know it'll change the way I think about a lot of things. Life. Death. Heaven. Sins.

I was a little insulted when she said a person was buried in Timberland boots and she said who still wears those? Timberlands are still around...and people wear them so it wasn't a good idea to say that.
It's incredible the other abilities that come with her gift. She can look at a person's body and see things on the inside that might need help. If she sees a red spot it means there's cancer or a serious illness in that area, or that there's a negative emotion or situation related. Pink spots aren't life-threatening and Spirit is supposedly doing everything they can for it.

I consider this a must-read because there is so much comfort to be had and answers to questions we all want and need to know.

When I read there was a ghost writer I was like what the heck? I feel like I had been betrayed and completely lied to. I had absolutely no idea someone else wrote this, because Theresa said she was cowriting with Pat, her friend. Then this lady comes out of nowhere in the Afterward and says she wrote it and had to sound like Theresa and her husband was making fun of mediums and all this other stuff and I felt like the rug had been pulled out from under me. I wanted to hear from Theresa herself, not have someone translate and just take the information and do with it what they wanted.

It was humorous that her husband was such a big skeptic and he was the one who started having all these encounters with Spirit and being afraid that made him a believer. It was really cool that when she was writing she had her own experiences with Spirit. Crazy how just writing about it suddenly opened her up to seeing and hearing all those things. The time where she went to change all the capitalized Spirits in the book to lowercase spirits and the document wouldn't let her, but it would let her change spirits to Spirits. That was Spirit's way of getting its preference known.

I think I really needed to read this now like Theresa (or the ghost writer) implied. Even though I'm not desperately mourning the loss of a loved one, it still helps for those family members who have died in answering those big universal questions, and it helped because there's other information than just lost loved ones, things about life and how to love and be positive.

It's so much deeper and more involved than anything Long Island Medium shows. It had a lot of topics in it that aren't mentioned on TV, like energy and chakras and vibrations and reincarnation that I just some believe and don't want to, so that took away a lot. I knew it would change how I watched the show and it did because I watched reruns I hadn't seen while reading and I felt differently toward it. The show had always been just about reading people and giving messages about loved ones but there is so much more to it than that that I couldn't forget about this wealth of information.

It was uncomfortable reading about reincarnation and past lives, and coming back in another life to do things right and learn lessons. I was just so opposed to that because I can't stand that idea.

I know she didn't mean or want to be preachy and said herself she wasn't going to thump a bible, and I know she has faults too, but it was a little much to read someone telling you to be positive because you're in charge of your own happiness and it made me feel a little insulted because it's someone who's already found that key making me feel like I'm ruining my own life if I have a bad attitude, like the section that talked about making sure you don't blame the previous owner of your house for the bad energy and check what your own energy is doing, basically. Times like that were a little insulting.

The thing I enjoyed most about the book was the readings she'd done. It was like watching the show at those moments. Some parts were so informational that I didn’t get much out of them, the topics that I either didn’t believe or just wasn’t interested in.

If you want to know anything about deceased loved ones, where they're at, what they're doing, how to contact them, heaven, God, suicide, what it feels like to die, judgement, energy, protecting oneself, discovering your own abilities, the purpose of life and death and ones time to die, visitations, past lives, future lives, it's all in here. It covers so much and there is so much information. I think this would be best for someone that’s lost a loved one that wants reassurance or someone that wants to hone their own medium talents.

This covers so many topics from someone who knows. And I liked how she said some things she didn’t care to know, didn’t know but just accepted that she’ll find out when she gets there and advised us to do the same.

The only thing I noticed was that it didn't have a concrete, organized flow. It kind if bounced around from topic to topic, went back to some topics in depth. She would mention a lot of topics in the beginning briefly, say she would get to it later and then cover it at a later point so it was a little hard to keep up with.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Paul Pessolano.
1,426 reviews43 followers
October 24, 2013
“There’s More To Life Than This” by Theresa Caputo with Kristina Grish, published by Atria Books.

Category – Memoir/Metaphysics Publication Date – October 01, 2013

For those of you who don’t know who Theresa Caputo is, she is the star of the highly successful show on TLC, the “Long Island Medium”.

Theresa Caputo talks to the dead. She works through a medium she calls Spirit. She was aware of this “gift” in her early life but did not accept it until her early thirties. She comes from an Italian family that is very religious in their Catholic faith. However, Catholicism is not the foundation of her “gift” as any belief in a “God” whether it be Muslim, Baptist, or whatever is acceptable.

The book details her early life and her struggle with realizing she was a medium. It goes on to explain how this happens to her and she uses her “gift”. There are many examples from her show and the many appearances she has made in theatres across the country.

She has been known to be standing in line at a grocery store and suddenly get a message concerning the person in front of her. Theresa deals in only the positive as she has asked her Spirit not to deal in negativity.

The reader will get an idea of what heaven is like and the role of angels and guides in our lives. She provides a lot of good information about coping with the trials and tribulations of life and how what we do here on earth will affect us in the after life. In all honesty I have never seen an episode of the “Long Island Medium” (my wife has seen them all) and I tend to be a skeptic. However, whether she is a true medium or not, Theresa Caputo brings a wonderful message of life, especially to those who are experiencing problems dealing with those who have gone before us.
Profile Image for Carolyn Kost.
Author 3 books138 followers
June 4, 2014
This is a refreshing take on the afterlife and spirituality in general. The Long Island Medium, Theresa Caputo's warm and earthy tone and bubbly personality makes her the kind of person you'd want to have coffee with just to hear her talk about shoes and pasta sauce, mediumship completely aside. Statements like, "On the Other Side, you are literally part of God," like "ornaments…on a Christmas tree" help us to understand abstract concepts in a concrete way.

Much of this book is dedicated to the techniques that Theresa has learned to hone her gift as well as ways we can become receptive to the presence of our departed loved ones, protects ourselves from negative energy (or evil, if you like, e.g. declaring "Only Spirits who walk in the white light of God are welcome here. All negative energies must leave by the power of God"), and heal from a loved one's death. She also explains a great deal about energy and how it relates to communication between the living and the departed.

There's More to Life Than This joins the bestselling trio of Proof of Heaven (Alexander), 90 Minutes in Heaven (Piper), Heaven Is For Real (Burpo). In contrast to the latter two that stand firmly in the Evangelical Protestant tradition, Theresa asserts that her mission from God is to restore fragile faith in the divine by reconnecting loved ones on both sides of the veil, to heal hearts broken by death, and to spread the message of love and unity. She perceives her Catholic upbringing as merely her personal perceptual framework and asserts that God, the Source, whatever you want to call the divine, transcends the divisions of religion.

This book is a breath of fresh air, full of hope, love, tears, and laughter, highly recommended for popular consumption.
Profile Image for Stephanie.
Author 11 books98 followers
December 16, 2015
So, Theresa Caputo, aka the Long Island Medium, who lives around the corner from my aunt and attends the same church, is my guilty pleasure. I watch her show from time to time and I appreciate what she tries to do for people. This book, written unapologetically with a ghost writer, is about how Caputo came to her gift and about what she believes about the spiritual nature of our universe. I picked it up because it was remaindered and I like her but I was pleasantly surprised to read about her understandings of God as energy--not as an old man in robes with a white beard--and her understanding of spirituality, which in many ways mirrors what I have been studying in much more "lofty" works in the past several years. She is a down to earth, tolerant, genuine person with a great gift who wants to use that gift to help people heal and encourage them to be kinder to each other in this world. She lives next door to the house she grew up in. I appreciated learning more about her.
249 reviews5 followers
February 10, 2014
Awesome book! Contrary to other gifted people of her kind, Theresa chose to focus on a topic that not many "mediums" talk about....GOD. She shares how she truly believes her gift comes from God, and talks openly about her Catholic faith and being a practicing Catholic while delivering messages to those who need to hear from their lost loved ones. She takes the reader on a journey of what it's like growing up with this gift, and how to control it to keep the Evil one out and not focus on the financial aspect of it. Again, unlike others in her category, Theresa is a different soul----while she does charge for her readings, since she chose to dive into this as her full time job, she does donate a lot of money to charity and her local parish in Hicksville. She and her family are very involved in their parish community, and volunteer their time a lot.
Profile Image for Kris Touchet.
154 reviews
December 10, 2013
My Mom turned me into a fan of the show. Since her death, I still watch and weep like a baby when I see the reactions that people have to the messages Theresa delivers. The book doesn't deliver that same sense of emotion that you get from the show. I have no problem buying into Theresa being able to talk to dead people, but in the book she talks a lot about reincarnation, vibrations, spiritual healers, spiritual guides, cleansing with sage, etc. Those topics feel very new-age/hippy-dippy to me, and I have a hard time buying into them because when she brings them up, I suddenly turn into a huge skeptic. I prefer the show where it's light on the new-age stuff and heavy on the emotional reactions.
Profile Image for Tiffany.
7 reviews1 follower
March 6, 2017
Don't get me wrong, I love the show and I think Theresa is great but this book comes off as kind of preachy. I thought this would be more a book of the readings and such instead it's more of how "god" gave her a gift and her ideas of gods energy and purpose and all that jazz. She isn't telling you to believe what she does but it's such a big part of the book that it comes off this way. For that reason I've been trying to read this book for about a year now, I don't like to leave things ive started unread so that's the only reason I'm still trying to get through this. The one good thing I CAN say about this book is it's written exactly how Theresa talks. When I read "Listen!" I can't help but chuckle to myself.
Profile Image for Darcie Russell.
11 reviews
January 14, 2014
It was an okay, quick read. I must say it felt like I was reading the book and hearing her voice in my head as I have watched the show. The information regarding guides, angels, and spirit was interesting but not anything I have heard before- perhaps a bit more "religious"but in a good way.It all boils down to if you believe or not. I am sure that there are angels who watch over us and that the spirit of love ones protect us and guide us. So all in all a good quick read. But don't expect great life alternating literature just a lot of fun.
Profile Image for Dora Sky.
Author 6 books124 followers
May 4, 2014
5 magnificent starts!
Profile Image for Heather.
921 reviews
March 10, 2017
I think I checked this out once before, but wasn’t in the mood to read it. My sister, mom, and me have been watching reruns of Long Island Medium and her new season started, so we were in the mood to check it out again.
I had just read a nonfiction book, so I wasn’t really in the mood for another, but my sister got done with it and passed it along to me.
Going into this, I thought it would be about Theresa’s life and how she reads Spirits. I definitely didn’t know this book was about reincarnation, how we all have guides, and how life and the afterlife is all about lessons. This rocked my world, and not in a good way. It made me question things and made me realize life is a whole lot more complicated than even I guessed.

This book ended up being heavy and wordy, and I can’t say I enjoyed reading it. I got this because I’ve always believed in spirits and am a fan of the show. I love the emotion of it, and Theresa’s reading style. Long Island Medium is my favorite medium show. But I’ve never believed in reincarnation, beyond thinking it can be a good storyline for a romance book. There were some things in here that frankly scared me, like reincarnation, and how you review your life and how you made people feel.
I think there should be a warning at the beginning before going in about what all this book covers, because I did NOT know what I was getting into when I started this, and didn’t know of the subjects this book would cover.
I don’t know how I’m supposed to forget the things I’ve read about. Now I’m thinking everything is a dang lesson and wonder if I’m passing or not! Wow, how complicated life is now!
I feel bad for giving this two stars, because I love Long Island Medium. I guess I should stick with the show, because the readings are what I really like watching. I don’t need to get into all these heavy topics.
I don’t mean to imply I didn’t enjoy any of it, because I did. I laughed at parts, teared up during others, and some things gave me chills. Some stories and things were pretty emotional, just like the readings on TV are. Overall though, this wasn’t for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Kerryrosalia.
591 reviews
July 30, 2025
I loved watching LIM so was excited to read this book but there was far too much about God, praying and religious for a non-believer to read! I really wanted more stories of readings she had done but this is more of an in depth look at how she believes mediums work
Profile Image for Kelly.
309 reviews4 followers
December 1, 2018
I love her show Long Island Medium so I was hoping I would enjoy this, but it fell flat for me. I don’t think it’s necessarily Teresa’s fault, I just didn’t find some of the content interesting or didn’t resonate with me. I’ll just stick to watching the show!
Profile Image for Charlene.
40 reviews1 follower
February 23, 2020
I really loved this book. As a psychic Medium myself it was really nice to read from another one who’s beliefs are very much the same as mine.
11 reviews1 follower
May 27, 2014
Theresa Caputo and co-writer Kristina Grish wrote an extremely inspirational, inspiring and fascinating book about living the life as a Medium. This book is titled There’s More To Life Than This. They not only wrote about everything that Theresa experiences but also about how you as a reader can connect with your past loved ones. She tells her story of becoming a Medium and some of the challenges that go along with it. She tells all about how she lives her life and what she does to pursue her job as a Medium. This is clearly a non-fiction book that is truly an amazing book to read and understand.

The narrator Theresa throughout the book tells of how she discovered her gift as a Medium. When she was younger around the age of four she started to experience strange things. After seeing many different gifted people she finally began to accept her own gift at the age of thirty-three. Throughout this book Theresa is informing you on what happens to your soul when you die, what Spirit says Heaven is like and what the deceased want you to know. She is not here to tell you what to believe and what not to believe, but she is here to try to help you through the loss of your loved ones. She tells you about some of the signs that you might be experiencing in the form of a Spirit “You may also hear knocking, footsteps, or dishes clanging around in the kitchen…you might feel chills, pressure in your ears, or a tingly sensation in your head”(91). She also tells you about other ways that you could see Spirit. Another one of the ways you may see Spirit could be through photographs, “Spirit typically appears in photos as a blue haze, orb, or streak, or as a white, smoky cloud or streak. Sometimes if you zoom in on an orb, you can even see the image of a face”(92). Theresa feels that it’s her purpose to make us all aware that there is more to life than what we see here in the physical world. Her main purpose is to assure you that your deceased loved ones are safe and at peace and that they’re now with you in a different way- watching over you, loving you and assisting you from the Other Side. “God said that I was to reconnect people with their loved ones who died, help them find healing and embrace life, and by proxy, He hoped that they’d come to realize that there’s more to life than what’s in this one- that is, belief in an afterlife with God”(146). Throughout this book she helps grieving people process the death of their loved ones by her explanation of everything that she experiences. She answers some pretty big questions that are also very surprising. From the wise words of Theresa “Their presence means that your thoughts are heard, prayers are being answered, and that miracles can unfold”(226).

Theresa Caputo and co-writer Kristina Grish both told and wrote an outstanding story about the life of being a Medium. Her powerful language throughout the book was very easy to relate to. The way the book was written it made it incredibly understandable. For those who have seen the show “Long Island Medium”, this book is like having Theresa Caputo talking in your head and if you’re like me, you will be reading this whole book with her voice in mind. You are truly able to learn a lot about connecting with the Other Side through this book. When I was reading this book the way she told her stories it really made me believe in different things for example when she said she was telling a story about her grandmother who had a button collection to her cowriter Kristina “we got to the button part, the lights dimmed in the room. We laughed for a minute, and when I said, ‘Gram, I like the lights better on!’ they went back on. I then looked at the clock and it was 6:09 p.m. and 6/09 is the date Gram died”(205), talk about weird. The little things like that really make me believe in her.

I was definitely very pulled into this book. This whole book is written with experience and honesty. I would recommend this book to anyone who either loves to watch her show or anyone who believes in or wants to learn more about afterlife. But, even if you are someone who does not believe in afterlife, I would recommend reading this book because it will certainly open your mind up to everything. It can be a little overwhelming at first, but it eventually becomes easier to understand. I would definitely recommend reading There’s More to Life Than This.
Profile Image for Amy.
54 reviews1 follower
January 28, 2014
I started reading this book early in the morning on the same day my Dad passed away. I had been sitting by his bedside since Christmas Day and needed something to read. I guess I could sense he didn't have much time left, and it would be a good idea to start Theresa's book.

I have been a big fan of Theresa's show for the past year, but I still remain skeptical. Her book has definitely served as a comfort, and my step-mom and I are trying to get on her waitlist. Losing my Dad has been the absolute worst thing to go through, and "There's More To Life Than This" alleviated some of my anxiety and fears about death and dying. But like I said, there is a part of me that remains skeptical until I meet her in person. But the way I see it, if she were a total phony, SOMETHING would've had to have come out by now about it.

Reading this has helped me see any "small" signs my Dad has thrown my way, and also helped me realize that even though my Dad popped up in my dream the other night for all of 3 seconds, it was a visitation, and his way of saying "hello". This book has also helped me reinforce and strengthen my belief in God and the afterlife. I lost my faith for a while, and just started to find my way back. But now with my Dad's passing, I'm really struggling again. But Theresa's book helped answer some major questions I have, that are helping me ground my faith again.

Theresa begins the book by explaining her gift and how she discovered she was a medium. Then she dives into previous readings, our loved ones, tells you how to connect with your own loved ones who have passed on, and how to do so responsibly without attracting anything harmful. She then goes on about the afterlife and what it's like. From what she wrote, it is a totally different take on Heaven than what I imagined it to be. But I have to say, her version actually makes a whole lot of sense. The last chapter was a huge help as it talks about "health, grief, and healing". It actually dealt specifically with what I am dealing with now, and she provided pointers on both dealing with your grief, and moving on.

It was so nice to read that my Dad is always with me, especially when I cry, hug his jacket, whisper "I Miss You", or simply just think about him to myself. I'm not sure if it's because I was reading the book or if it was because I was being more receptive to signs since they aren't always going to be a "grand gesture" but I noticed lots of little "hellos" here and there going about my day, from my Dad, that always put a smile on my face. Theresa made a lot of statements about how we choose our lives and live our lives that were pretty meaningful to me.

She provides many comforts in the book, and it really does open your eyes and make you see there is way more to life than work, errands, and bills. She does a fantastic job of letting us know we are never alone, and helps you to really take control of your life and make more out of it than what you've been doing. It was like free therapy! Well, almost free therapy. $10.99 therapy from a book!

Whether you have lost a loved one, are about to, or have never lost someone close to you and you're just curious about the afterlife, I highly encourage you to read this book. I was afraid the book would be hokey but it isn't at all. The only thing that seemed a little odd to me was the part about celebrities. But that's just me. Just to state one more time, I AM skeptical and have been skeptical the entire reading of this book. So considering I loved the book as much as I did, I really think mostly everyone will enjoy the read.

Rest in Peace Dad. I Love You so much, and I miss you every day. <3
Profile Image for Bev.
944 reviews36 followers
January 2, 2016
My younger sister LOVED "The Long Island Medium" television show and always encouraged me to watch it, saying Theresa Caputo was the real deal. In my head, I would sometimes roll my eyes, but I did not totally reject the idea of a medium, either. I never took my sister up on her recommendation to check out the show until after she died from metastatic melanoma and I saw dozens and dozens of beautiful, funny and poignant signs indicating that she was communicating to me from the afterlife. I didn't seek out any of these signs, and I definitely did not seek out this book. It was when I was in the library looking for something to listen to in the car for a drive to Virginia that I stumbled upon it and decided, "What the heck?" Well, I was so surprised at how transfixed I became by the Long Island Medium's story. Theresa's account of her childhood and how she reluctantly came to recognize that she had what she calls "a gift for talking to dead people" is intriguing. This declaration of having a "gift" may seem pretentious, but to hear her explain it is quite another thing. It is clear that she is not boasting or trying to convince people that she is legitimate. She doesn't really care what the naysayers think. At first, when she was young and even into her 20s, she was traumatized by the bizarre things she experienced. She became overcome with anxiety and had a great deal of trouble functioning in her day-to-day life. Once she accepted her "gift," she decided that she would use her abilities merely to help people who might benefit from communication from a lost loved one. As I listened to Theresa speak, I was able to personally relate to her assertions because I had experienced many of the same kind of phenomena myself. I came to agree with my sister: Caputo is, indeed, the real deal. Theresa makes it clear that she is not out to prove anything to anyone, and she is fine with the skeptics and non-believers. The stories she tells about people for whom she has done readings , both privately and in groups, are fascinating, many of them real tear-jerkers.

In order to fully appreciate this book, I think it should be listened to rather than or in addition to being read. Theresa's heavy Long Island accent, turns of phrases and giggles make this a truly entertaining experience. She is sweet, charming and hilarious! I sought out her TV show and found the first season on DVD in the library. What a treat! She is a real character, with her with the poofy hair, French-manicured fake (I think) fingernails and flashy outfits. I just love this lady now, and I thank her for legitimizing my after-death encounters with my sister.
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