So, you think your house is haunted but don't want to tell anyone...

“You are going to think I’m crazy, but I swear that I hear someone walking around upstairs when no one is even home,” an apprehensive individual tells me over the phone as I conduct a client interview for a possible paranormal investigation. You hear many interesting things in the field of paranormal investigation, the most common of encounters begins with the phrase, “You’re going to think I’m crazy, but….” To most, even the possibility that they may have had a paranormal encounter is more than they can fathom. This encounter often comes after months or years of activity occurring around the individual, that was quickly explained away as something else until something happened that they just could not figure out.

Why is there a stigma behind the haunt? Why do individuals who experience paranormal activity react in embarrassment or even shame? When I receive an email, Facebook message, or phone call I am often the last resort to go to for assistance as the individual is at their wits end. Many times when I have gone to investigations, clients have asked that we hide what is occurring.

The acknowledgement of paranormal activity is outside the norm for most. The unexplained is not a widely accepted topic. I would suspect that a great deal of paranormal activity goes unnoted and unstudied due to the rapid willingness that we, as humans, have to find any explanation for an event outside of that it may have been paranormal in origin. If individuals would openly be aware of what is occurring in their daily surroundings I imagine that many would become aware of happenings outside of our traditional realm of reality.

I have always spoken to the individuals that contact me for assistance with a great deal of understanding and have worked through investigations to help them find an explanation for what is going on-whether it be a natural or paranormal occurrence. Sometimes the reports are easily explainable and peace of mind obtained. Other times there is evidence of paranormal activity and it is my job to help the individual through what is happening, try to identify why it is happening and to identify a resolution or understanding of how to deal with the paranormal activity moving forward.

When discussing possible paranormal activity with individuals it always comes back to the “I sound crazy…,” or “you must think that I’m crazy,” statement. It is unfortunate that this is how an individual feels when they reach out for help explaining an unexplained activity. In reality, if you have had that niggling of a feeling that something odd is going on in your home and thought, “oh, maybe it’s a ghost,” with a nervous laugh, there is a chance that what you are experiencing is just that! It is o.k. to reach out to someone to discuss your experience and your concerns! You are experiencing something that you cannot explain, and you need help identifying what you are experiencing. A paranormal investigative team can help you explain what you are experiencing and move forward at peace in your home or business.

Understanding the traditional paranormal investigation process is important to help one feel comfortable with making that leap to ask for help. A huge part of paranormal investigation is finding a logical explanation for unexplained activity and actually proving that it is explainable, not caused by a paranormal influence. I explain this to individuals. I go through the investigation process to help them be comfortable with moving forward. I validate their experience and concerns and explain that we can assist them with identifying an explanation for what they are experiencing.

As an investigation moves forward, I walk them through everything as it is happening and explain to the individual what is occurring throughout the investigation. We discuss what the weird equipment and gadgets are, and what investigators expect them to do. Clients are present during the investigation so that they are better able to understand whatever conclusion is met. As an investigation concludes, I explain the evidence review process to the individual.

A report is provided to individuals during an investigation reveal and I work with the investigative team representatives to explain what was discovered through the recorded evidence and through investigator experiences. All the while, I relate this information back to the individuals’ reports, validating their experiences and concerns. Many individuals find enormous relief after someone else shares their experience and their concerns are validated.

Whether the situation that you are experiencing is paranormal, or actually just a problem with a hinge on a door, being comfortable and secure in your home is important. A paranormal investigative team can help you achieve this when things in your home seem to go awry. Help is just a phone call or email away and the goal is to explain what you are experiencing and to help you trust your experiences. Trust your instincts and don’t hesitate to reach out for help.