WARWICK

Eight years ago David Rossi found himself hospitalized with a serious unidentified medical condition. A week later, after doctors continued to find no conclusive results from their tests, a friend told him about the Canadian psychic sensation Douglas Cottrell.

"He has played a major role in bringing me back to 100 percent health, and without him I don't think I could have done that," Rossi said.

After experiencing this "intuitive medicine" through multiple readings over the years, Rossi has been working laboriously to bring the psychic to Rhode Island for his first healing event in the United States.

David Rossi has never met Douglas Cottrell.

In Cottrell's work, there is "no such thing as time and space," Rossi said.

The clairvoyant has held what are called Deep Trance Meditation (DTM) sessions for over 9,000 clients in over 22 countries, though many of these believers have only spoken with Cottrell over the telephone.

This ability has brought much attention to Cottrell in Canada, and Rossi hopes that the psychic's appearance on Saturday, April 30 at the Hampton Inn & Suites on Post Road will spark interest in the U.S.

In DTM sessions like the one he will perform on Saturday, Cottrell relaxes his body so much so that his heart rate is slowed and his blood pressure is lowered, as if he were in a sleeping state.

"DTM is a profound sense of meditation, and the intuitive mind wakes up or becomes present," Cottrell said. "It's like you're talking to a man who's sleeping."

Once in a trance, Cottrell's wife, Karen, mother of their four children, acts as the conductor for the session. She directs the questions of those in attendance ranging from marital problems to world news, but extending to the medical prophesy that amazes supporters like Rossi.

"What x-rays failed to show and MRIs failed to show, he found," Rossi said of Cottrell's assistance in his situation. Cottrell is then able to suggest the individualized treatment that treats the individual rather than the illness.

This has not been a gift that Cottrell has advertised his entire life, though. He was happy with his wife of 35 years who was his high school sweetheart, and Cottrell had developed a successful career at the nation's largest daily newspaper, The Toronto Star. It was not until the birth of their first child, Cheri-Anne that the psychic tapped into his intuitive abilities.

Cheri-Anne was diagnosed as severely physically and mentally retarded and spent four years institutionalized. After seeking help from another intuitive, Ross Peterson, Cheri-Anne returned to health, according to Cottrell's official website.

Like Cottrell, Rossi used to be a skeptic. He had never before looked to a psychic. "I never sought them out before because I never thought there was someone who could do it," he said.

Cottrell's self-proclaimed motto is that "Faith is built on belief and belief is built on evidence." He hopes that the evidence he provides to supporters like Rossi time and time again will give them the ability to have faith in him so he can continue helping people.

Rossi put together the Warwick session to help Cottrell spread his gifts, and the Cranston resident is starting to feel the anticipation of his long-awaited meeting of the man who he believes saved his life.

"I'm just beginning to feel excited because I've been working so hard since February," Rossi said, "but now there are about 60 people signed up for the lecture and 20 more for private readings."

Cottrell prefers working with large groups. "The more people that are there, the more power or energy that's in the room."

Rossi is pleased at the size of the turnout thus far and hopes that it will encourage Cottrell to return to the U.S. again.

When asked if he plans on returning, Cottrell expressed enthusiasm at the idea. "Absolutely. We're already having conversations about doing future workshops. I just love America."

Rossi and Cottrell hope that those in attendance on Saturday will combine with the small group of supporters that the seer already has to form a large following in the U.S.

"This is the beginning of my calling," he said, implying that this is not the last we will hear of Douglas Cottrell.

There is a $75 registration fee for Cottrell's Hampton Inn & Suites lecture and workshop. For more information, call 463-3213.