How a health scare helped Kate find her passion

Now, more than a decade later, she runs a successful business in the psychic industry, and will be providing her services in Batemans Bay this weekend.

Mrs Denning, known as Kate Denning The Tea Lady, will run a "tea-leaf reading and crystal-ball gazing workshop" at the Smart Market in the Bridge Plaza near Woolworths.

"I've always been spiritual, but I didn't think I could do it as a living," Mrs Denning said in an interview with the Bay Post.

"(My health issues) were a turning point - when I came home I'd been in hospital for six weeks and they basically sent me home to die.

"I was down to 43 kilograms, I'd had a heart attack and a perforated bowel, and there was nothing more they could do.

"I'd bought a meditation CD two years beforehand, so I thought I'd try to get better myself. I started meditating every day, and eventually I just knew in my gut that I would be OK."

Mrs Denning's recovery has been nothing short of remarkable. As well as the aforementioned heart attack and perforated bowel, she suffered two strokes and had a stoma bag for six weeks.

She was then diagnosed with Crohns Disease, and told the Bay Post her medication almost killed her in 2012.

She started her business in 2011, was off a disability pension in 2013, and now regularly travels up and down the east coast of Australia running her "successful business".

"I started back in 2011 with my first paid readings," she said.

"I've got a bit of a name for myself in the industry now, so I'll get people ringing me up asking for my services.

"I also worked on an American radio channel for a while - I did readings on it which helped get my name out there.

"I've got people now who will follow me around Australia and overseas."

Mrs Denning said she understands her line of work can be controversial, but also said she enjoyed the "challenge" of doing reads for sceptics.

"Everyone's got their own opinion, and you have to allow for that," she said.

"I prefer to read for people I don't know, I find it a lot easier and there's so much more that comes out.

"I've heard of others being harassed, but I've been really lucky."

Mrs Denning will be back in Batemans Bay in September and January, and encouraged people to give psychic services a go.

"Before the phone and internet were available, people went with their gut instincts," she said.

"You would pick up on a bad feeling about something or someone, and then you'd find out later something would happen.

"We've all got the ability in us, but people won't call it 'psychic' or 'spiritual'."