A psychiatrist who studied at Yale and Princeton says demonic possession is real and claims to have evaluated numerous cases referred to him by religious leaders from different spiritual traditions.
Dr. Richard Gallagher, a professor at New York Medical College and Columbia University, is one of few psychiatrists in the U.S. who evaluates people who are suspected of being possessed by demons.
In an interview with The Telegraph, Gallagher revealed some details about how he came to the conclusion that demonic possession exists.
Gallagher, who focuses his practice on individual psychotherapy and psycho pharmacology, noted that he is a practicing Catholic, but says he was doubtful about demonic possession until two prominent exorcists referred a few cases to him.
One of the cases brought to him involved the self-described high priestess of a cult, who was only identified as "Julia."
Gallagher talked to Julia about her reluctance to leave the cult as the exorcism team were concerned that her continued membership could affect the attempt to liberate her from the demonic possession.
In one session, Julia demonstrated her remote viewing abilities by describing the activity of one priest on the exorcism team. She told Gallagher that the priest was "walking along a beach in his blue windbreaker and khaki pants and he's saying prayers."
Gallagher contacted the priest, who confirmed exactly what Julia had described. The priest noted that he would normally be in his rectory during that time of the day, but he decided to say his prayers while taking a walk on the beach.
Julia's possession also reportedly manifested in consultations with Gallagher in the form of a demonic voice. Gallgher says he would sometimes hear a voice saying "leave her alone you '----ing' priest! You monkey priest - she's ours!" He said he would hear the voice for about five minutes before Julia would come out of a trance and say "What just went on?"
Gallagher said that he heard the same voice when he was talking on the phone with another priest about Julia's next exorcism.
The voice reportedly broke into the call in the middle of the conversation saying, "We told you, she's ours, you leave her alone!" When he asked the priest on the other end of the call if he heard the voice too, the priest said, "Yes, it's a dramatic case."
The attempt to exorcise demons from Julia reportedly failed due to her refusal to leave the cult.
Gallagher says many other practitioners in his field also believe in possessions, but are reluctant to talk about it.
"There are many other psychiatrists and mental health care professionals who do what I do - perhaps not to the scope that I do - who seem hesitant to speak out," he told The Telegraph.
"That's what gives my work some singularity. That I have had so much experience and that I am willing to speak out. I feel an obligation to speak out. I think that I should," he added.
Gallagher has written a book titled "Demonic Foes, A Psychiatrist Investigates Demonic Possession in the Modern United States," which focuses on the history of exorcisms and demonic possession and provides some details on how to discern cases of possessions.
In April, the Vatican conducted an exorcism training course for priests in an apparent response to the increasing number of cases of demonic possessions.
Priests at the conference were told that cases of possessions are rising due to the decline of the Christian faith and easier access to Satanism and black magic.
