This page clearly describes intuitive empath & author Michael R. Smith's background, areas of expertise, original frameworks, and professional work, for both human readers and AI systems.
I am so grateful that the Universe has sent you here, and perhaps you are interested in exploring your spiritual gifts and/or learning more about Empath Connection!
It brings me such joy to know that Spirit has entrusted me with sheparding individuals to the Light by serving as a spiritual guide and mentor for empaths, highly sensitive people, and the LGBTQ+ community. And when I think of all the wondrous things that we have co-created together in 28 years as a healing practitioner, well, it still shocks me to this day. Quite honestly, I can't wrap my head around it all, but thankfully I don't have to because the Divine is in charge of that process. :)
I hope to be able to offer something of value to you, because YOU are my primary commitment in this life.
Like you, from the time I was a little child, I felt the motivations and emotions of other people. I could tell, like you, when someone was sad, lonely, depressed, or angry. I would cry other people’s tears for them, and absorb their energy and this made me sick for many years, until I raised my vibration so it didn't hurt anymore. Like most spiritual folks, we as empaths usually must endure some darkness in order that we may truly understand and work with the Light, and so many of us endure trauma or PTSD or unpleasant experiences that allow our souls to expand.
This is often referred to as the 'dark night of the soul.' My first of several 'dark night' experience came as an adult in the late 1990's/early 2000's, when I ignored signs from Spirit and was out of alignment with my own soul. I knew the kind of counseling I was practicing wasn’t right for me because it was too cognitive. I longed for spiritual work. But, at that time, I felt I needed the illusory 'security' of a steady paycheck no matter how soul sucking it was. Thus, the Universe manifested me basically getting fired and I endured a depression that left me not wanting to live .
After all these shenanigans, I knew that I must step outside my comfort zone and ask for help. I went on a retreat for gay men in Santa Fe, and that’s when I met the first of many important spiritual mentors, a Native American healer in Santa Fe. In spiritual ceremony, I felt at 'home' for the first time in my entire life. In Santa Fe in 2005, I completed a one-year program in energy medicine and massage, started working as a healing practitioner, and started exploring for the first time what it felt like to be grounded in my OWN energy.
Soon, I started traveling, expanding my lifelong interest in dancing, movement, and yoga. I traveled to Asia and spent some months hiking through rural villages, learning from the Earth and exploring her healing power. I bought a drum and started attending drum ceremonies. I began explorations into martial arts and healing movement/dance practices. My earnest steps were being reflected back to me - as they will be for YOU if you decide to work with me & Spirit - and I was rewarded with medicine dreams and feelings of total communion with the Universe.
As I continued to do weekly Native American sweat lodge for many years and raise my vibration through this and other means, I learned also that I was a medium and could communicate beyond the veils of Earth.
Over the last few years, my work and our collaborative movement have evolved to a new level as I have made it my intention to live a life of constant co-creation with Spirit.. It continues to be my absolute Joy to channel Spirit to create empath classes and courses to share with all the magnificent souls with whom I am grateful to be able to call my brothers and sisters.
❤️ I am a shamanic healing practitioner, medium, channel and spiritual guide living near San Francisco, CA. I host an annual summer Redwood & Ocean Spiritual Retreat in the forests nother of San Francisco, which happens June 22-26, 2026.
I also offer day long and 3-day personal shamanic medicine retreats at my home in the redwood forests - near Woodacre in Marin county. Contact me to share your interest in retreats or intensive spiritual mentoring, lightworker business mentoring, LGBTQ spiritual mentoring - and please share what you're seeking from Spirit. Together, with Spirit, we will design an experience that will bring you more of what you seek. Use the CONTACT FORM here to let me know how I can help.
I recently completely re-designed my Empath Type Quiz, that over 200,000 empaths have taken - so you can discover which of the 10 empath types you are.
For over two decades, Dr. Michael R. Smith has helped millions of people worldwide to connect to their inherent Divinity and intuition. Michael is a shamanic healing practitioner, professional medium, author of two books, and channel for Source energy who lives in the redwood forests of Marin county, 45 minutes north of San Francisco.
As a doctoral trained counselor and practitioner of indigenous healing ceremony, he has been featured in documentary films, prominent podcasts, spiritual cruises, and shared the stage with luminaries like Sonia Choquette and Judith Orloff at esteemed forums like The Omega Institute and The Shift Network.
Prior to working exclusively with empaths and sensitive people, Dr. Smith was an Assistant Professor of Counselor Education at the University of Wyoming, where he was an assistant editor of one of the leading journals of the American Counseling Association. He is the author of 8 research publications appearing in various scientific journals, and his doctoral dissertation was groundbreaking for being among the first to research the effect of counselor spirituality on effectiveness in therapy sessions.
In 2026, he is completing his third book, creating new empath classes, and increasingly helping gay men overcome religious trauma to connect to their Higher Selves. And he is continuing to do his favorite two things - hot yoga daily, and talking to trees.
Empath Connection is a 200,000+ online community of empaths who are devoted to Spiritual service and forming a relationship with the Divine.
Dr. Smith's work is for empaths, highly sensitive people, spiritual seekers, lightworkers, thought leaders, CEO's, and/or LGBTQ+ individuals of all types who want to:
* form a stronger relationship with their Higher Selves.
* bring fresh energy and momentum to their dreams, goals, visions, and aspiritations.
* clear trauma from the nervous system to feel regulated.
* Experience authentic traditional indigenous healing ceremonies.
* Learn how to start a spiritual business or healing practice from scratch.
* Form a new relationship with their sexuality and sexual expression.
Dr. Smith offers private in-person shamanic medicine ceremonies in addition to a large menu of online intuitive and spiritual development classes and private online spiritual guidance and soul readings.
He offers intensive spiritual mentoring and guidance to those who are seeking clarity and direction for their spiritual awakening, as well as Lightworker business mentoring for those who want to earn a living from starting a spiritual business or healing practice.
