The following interview was graciously provided by the fine folks at Project Publicity and its author, Josh Lefferson. All photos used are by Melissa Stone of Brazen House Studios.
Travis Holp is the Guncle (gay uncle) of the Spirit world. “I always tell it like it is,” the psychic medium says, “but I’m careful to deliver information with kindness, joy, and hope.”
With close to 300 thousand followers on Instagram and 500 thousand on Tik Tok, Travis is known on social media as the Warrior Unicorn – a nod to his fighting spirit toward LGBTQ and mental health awareness issues, combined with his effervescent personality. He connects with those who have passed over and delivers messages to their loved ones in the physical world. It’s a unique gift that he says he has always had the power to do.
“My first known experiences with the spirit world were when I was very young. As a kid, I was always drawn to movies and books with magical themes. My grandmother and I used to use an Ouija board, and I remember having many conversations with spirits as a child. I didn’t connect the dots until my early/mid-twenties when a Psychic validated for me that I was, in fact, a person who could connect with those in Spirit.
He explains more from his home in Washington State.
How did you grow to become a Gay Uncle who knows a lot of shit?
That was entirely by accident. I was posting these channeled messages on TikTok and Instagram, and it didn’t feel authentic to say, “Spirit has this message for you.” I am an actual uncle to two amazing boys, and I thought, “If my nephews came to me asking for advice on life and love, what would I say while still being who I am?” And I felt nudged to say, “If you don’t believe in mediums, just consider me your gay uncle who knows a lot of shit.” I feel like it helps people ease into the message if they don’t believe it or are skeptical of the work that I do. And just like that, now I have thousands of nieces and nephews all over the world.
How do you prepare for a reading, and what do you do to ensure that you are in the right state of mind to connect with spirit?
For me, it’s important that I raise my vibration before readings so I can receive messages as clearly as possible. I love meditation for this. I do an exercise called “sitting in the power.” This helps me expand my energy and blend with spirit. It calms my nervous system and helps me be the most clear channel I can be. I also love a little mini dance party. Stevie Nicks, Tina Turner, or Taylor Swift are usually my go-to artists.
What is the process like when you connect with spirit? Can you describe what you see, hear, or feel?
When I open up to spirit, I usually feel an energy building in my solar plexus (gut area), followed by getting very hot and sweaty even though I’m sitting still. When that happens, I know someone, a loved one, or a guide is ready for a chat. From there, I ease into the energy. I “see,” “hear,” and “feel,” so spirit will use those senses to give me an impression of who they are, information about them or my client, and what messages they came to share.
How do you differentiate between messages from spirits and your own thoughts or intuition?
Imprints from spirit are always very neutral, nonjudgmental, and pretty direct. My own personal thoughts can be quite the opposite, depending on the day. That is one of the biggest lessons mediums learn, tuning out ego, doubt and fear and letting love flow.
What has been the most profound or memorable reading you have ever conducted, and why did it impact you so deeply?
Every reading has had an impact on me one way or another. I am always amazed at how spirit shows up to remind their loved ones that they are still here in the physical world and that they are watching over them. Just last week, I was reading for a client, and her dad, who is in spirit, congratulated her on winning an award. At the time, she wasn’t aware of any awards he would be bringing up in her session. Almost 10 minutes after the session, this client reached out to let me know that while we were on our call, her husband called her to let her know that she had won an award! It was truly a wonderful reminder that our loved ones are a lot closer than we think.
How do you handle skepticism or disbelief from clients or the general public?
I let people be where they are. I’m a believer that where our attention goes, our energy flows. I choose to focus on sharing my work, and if someone resonates with it, that’s amazing. And if they don’t, that’s ok too. I’m not here to convince anyone of anything. I am here to be a channel for those in non-physical.
Can you share some common misconceptions about psychic mediums that you would like to clarify?
Every psychic medium works differently, and I think that’s really beautiful but also is misunderstood. We all have our own way of doing things, which I think is a good thing. We also do not predict the future. I believe everyone has free will, and while we can read the energy of where someone is on their path and how to align with the energy of what they want, ultimately, life is up to the client.
How do you protect your own energy and well-being when dealing with intense or emotional readings?
This is where healthy, energetic boundaries come into practice. In a session when I’m channeling, I’m delivering information in an evidential, non-biased way. My job is to hold space for the energy, not to be the energy. I also have a deal with spirit that I won’t remember readings after I’ve completed a day of readings. That’s in my own best interest. If something really great comes through in a reading I have to be quick to write it down or it’s gone.
What advice would you give to someone who believes they might have psychic abilities but is unsure how to develop or control them?
If it’s in the budget, find a mentor or take a class. Otherwise, simply buy a book on psychic development. For me, developing my psychic and mediumistic ability has also helped me grow as a person.
What role do ethics play in your work, and how do you ensure that you are providing helpful and respectful guidance to your clients?
My ethical standards are pretty high. No talk of predicting death, disease, partners cheating, or telling folks to get divorced. In a reading I provide as much evidential information as I can, so things like loved ones in spirits names, important dates, etc. Guidance absolutely comes through, but I find the guidance is always in the highest good of the person I’m reading for. It’s always nonjudgmental, incredibly loving, and it’s usually what the client needs to hear.
Learn more at travisholp.com.
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