If something you can't see has ever made your skin prickle in a dark room — or a programme about demons and hauntings has left you scared to turn off the light — read this slowly. You are not in danger. And you are not powerless. You're the one in charge.

Are spirits dangerous?

In over thirty years of this work, a loving connection to spirit hasn't harmed anyone. What harms people is fear itself. As we say in the circle, fear can create monsters where there are none. Mia puts it with her usual dry humour: after three decades, you'd think one little demon would have found her by now.

But what about the demons and hauntings on TV?

Those programmes are built to frighten — sensation is what sells. They're entertainment, not spiritual teaching. We're not here to tell you frightening experiences never happen, or to put anyone else's beliefs down. The point is simpler: you don't have to live inside that fear, and you should never let a screen convince you that you're at the mercy of it.

Can a spirit take over me?

No. This is the part that changes everything once it lands:

You are always the boss. You're the captain of your own ship.

You choose who you connect with. Think of it like a menu in a restaurant — you don't have to order everything on it. Nothing works through you without your say-so, and anything that feels uncomfortable can be asked, calmly, to step back.

Why am I more scared at night?

Because when the mind can't understand something, the old animal instinct leaps straight to fear — and the dark makes that louder. It's completely normal; it doesn't mean anything is wrong with you or coming for you. Awareness is what calms it: notice the feeling, breathe, and remind yourself you are safe and in charge.

What do I actually do if I feel something I don't like?

• Remember you're the boss — you set the terms, not the fear.
• You don't have to engage with everything. Let it pass.
• Breathe, and ask anything uncomfortable to move further away.
• Turn your focus toward love, and the connections that feel safe and warm.

From fear to hope

Here's what three decades have taught Mia: the spirit worth working with comes with love, with comfort, and often with humour. If there's one thing this world is short of, it's hope — and learning to trust your own sensitivity, safely, is one of the most hopeful things you can do. You don't do it by white-knuckling through fear alone. You do it gently, with people who understand, who can say that was real — and who remind you that you were always the one holding the wheel.