The most common question I get as a Paranormal Investigator is. How do I become one and what does it take to become one. Well, actually I get asked what it takes to be a ghost hunter. My answer to them is always "Are you really ready to become one?" Once, I ask them that question, I usually get this odd look from them as if to say, "uh yeah I am ready". This look is always the same. Ok, I say to them, you are ready, so now tell me what it is you think I do. The answer I can best depict is this: I think you do what I see the ghost hunters on TV do. Ha, I knew it was coming. I explain to them that if this is the way you portray a Paranormal Investigator then you are not ready.

 I got into this field of study because. I personally find it captivating. I like to think that we are not alone, on the planet, and/or in the universe. For me it is also a curiosity, what comes after death, what do people do then, and so forth. I love the paranormal, because it makes life fascinating. I think that we being alone in the universe with absolutely no beings that can help or harm us while calling for help themselves is, honestly, an extremely dreary idea. If your mind is not open to these possibilities then you are not ready.

 Now that you know a little bit more about me and what I do. Let me explain to you that there is another aspect of being a Paranormal Investigator that you must be ready for. It is not all glitz and glamour as you see on TV. We as investigators often find ourselves in situations that involve families that have small children. We find ourselves in places where many lives were unnecessarily cut short. We find ourselves in places where people are laid to rest both in conventional ways and not so conventional ways. It is these situations and places that can really take a toll on you emotionally. You get emotionally attached and you must have the stability to be able to help with this type of event. You must also be emotionally strong, and have a very strong will. You must have these attributes while being as humble, and caring, and respectful as you possibly can. Your emotions that you feel on a daily basis are real, you feel pain, anger, happiness and sadness, you feel excitement and sometimes you feel scared. It is these emotions that you will need to take control of. There are some not so nice things in the Paranormal realm, things that can deceive you into thinking they are someone they are not, things that can attach themselves to you, things that could do more harm not only to you, but to those you are trying to help if not handled properly. It is these things that can use your emotional state against you and others. Do you have enough strong will and emotional well being to ward off some of these things. If the answer is I don't know or no, then you are not ready.

 When I assist someone whether it be by way of an investigation, or by phone or email, I get the satisfaction of knowing that at least one more person can see beyond the normality and perhaps gain a sense of peace. The word integrity and honesty come to mind here. I think, what happens, is we start something with good intensions and as time goes by we let our values go by the way side. If that is ok with you then that is just fine, however you need to think about a couple of things. One, think about the person you told that you were going to help, and did you actually help them, or did you just leave them with more questions than answers. Two; did you really put forth your best effort to find the truth about what was going on?, or did you just put on a show. How does that look to the rest of the scientific community?, we already have a hard enough time convincing those in this community that what we do is real and what we sometimes gather as evidence is real. We don't need anyone giving them the ammo to shoot our studies down. If you cannot say the same thing then in my opinion you are not ready.

There was this one investigation that myself (Team Leader for Emerald Coast Paranormal Concepts) and the rest of the team conducted at the Russ house in Marianna, FL. The investigation was going just fine, I thought I was mentally and emotionally ready. During the night something happened. I do not know for sure what it was. All I know is that about half way through the investigation this urge came over me to go back into one of the large rooms upstairs. When I got there the urge diminished a little. As soon as I would walk back out of the room this feeling of having to go back into that room became intense again. I can only describe it as having lost something. It is that feeling you get when you have lost your car keys and for some reason the keys were in this room. I tried to shake it off but was unable to. This feeling stayed with me for three more days. I had a hard time concentrating at work, I could not focus on anything other than getting back to that room. I contacted a friend of mine for some advice on this. He suggested a couple of things for me to try and they seemed to work. By the third day I was back to normal. I am not saying that I was possessed or anything like that. I just think that because of the lack of any physical evidence at the time, I let my guard down and somehow something got in to make me feel this way. Perhaps whomever this was lost something in that room and wanted me to look for it. Ever since this event I do not let my guard down what so ever. This is just something that happened to me, was I ready for it to happen?, no I was not, but I did know what to do in case it did happen. Are you ready?

 There are those out there that don't understand what may be happening to them and it is up to us to assist them in understanding. So now that you have a better understanding of what I think a Paranormal Investigator is and does, I ask you again, are you really ready. The only one that knows for sure is you. Search deep down within your own heart and soul and ask yourself can I handle emotionally what I am getting prepared to do. Can I handle it physically, can you honestly say that you are in this for the right reasons. Can you look someone in the eye and honestly tell them that you are there to help them understand what they are possibly seeing, hearing, or feeling. Are you able to help, not only those still living, but those that have passed and need help crossing over. Most of all, are you ready emotionally, to open your mind and heart to hear those who need to be heard. If the answer is yes then God speed. Then it is time to hit the Internet and start purchasing your gear. ~Tracy