Parents and their Children’s Meaning-Making and Understanding of After-Death Communication: An Intuitive Inquiry

Abstract

This qualitative study of after-death communication (ADC) explored the experience with parents and their children through the application of the Intuitive Inquiry method and a thematic content analysis. After-death communication in this dissertation should be understood to mean apparent after-death contact. The procedure consisted of 3 parts: (a) Parent interview; (b) Child interview (optional); and (c) Child creative expression component (optional). Participants were 8 mothers age 30-50 who were interviewed; 4 male and 2 female children age 4-12 submitted creative expressive art images; and 3 of those children (2 female; 1 male) volunteered to be interviewed. Children were an optional component in this research that required parent and child consent. Parent participants were located in Michigan (2 participants), California, Indiana, Tennessee, Arizona, Massachusetts, and Texas. Parent participants claimed to have a child age 12 or under who experienced after-death communications. Findings revealed six overarching themes identified for parents: (a) Purpose/Meaning/Understanding; (b) Education and Support; (c) Lineage; (d) Relationship Expression and Connection; (e) Disclosure/Vulnerability; and (f) Occurrences/Contacts. The six main themes for children were: (a) Creative Expression; (b) Purpose/Meaning/Understanding; (c) Movement/Energy; (d) Occurrences/Contacts; (e) Relationship Expression and Connection; and (f) Disclosure/Vulnerability. These findings contribute to a growing body of knowledge in Transpersonal Psychology. Implications of this research include the need for further education and community support for parents with children experiencing after-death communications. Training and educating teachers, health care providers, parents, religious figures, and spiritual guides may assist in a more global understanding and acceptance of after-death communications.

Presenter Bio

Kimberly Jeska, Ph.D., holds a doctoral degree in Transpersonal Psychology from the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology (ITP) (currently Sofia University). She also earned B.A. degrees in Psychology and Criminal Justice, and M.A. degrees in Psychology and Public Administration. Her once sought out undercover FBI agent career quickly turned into the development of her psychic, mediumship, healing, and encounter abilities, leading her right back to a world that she had always known as a child, yet often felt afraid, anxious, misunderstood, and lacked understanding. All of these experiences have brought greater meaning, purpose, love, healing, and compassion into Kimberly’s life.

Kimberly’s no-bones, raw truth, and up front honest style about her passion and what she believes to be her mission in this life quickly unveiled with her research of after-death communication where she explored the experience with parents and their children. This has now led Dr. Jeska to continuing her work in private practice as an Intuitive Counselor and ongoing Transpersonal Psychology Researcher. She continues her affiliation with Sofia University and is currently pioneering the development of an Exceptional Human Experiences Center.