I must say that the entertainment industry seems to be taking a step back from paranormal reality TV. I don’t really want to spend a significant amount of time on this blog bashing it, because ghost hunting shows aren’t really trying to show truth. They are trying to sell something. They are trying to present a product and hope that you will watch. In short, it’s entertainment. Or “paratainment” as it’s often called ever-so-lovingly. Until a few years ago, I was heavy into debunking the mainstream television shows, trying to dissuade people from watching because it was fake, etc. However, it only recently dawned on me that these shows aren’t really interested in presenting “truth” so to speak. They want to entertain. You watch television to be entertained. When you’re sitting on your couch at 10pm on a weekday getting ready to watch a TV show, you’re not really interested in something terribly meaty. Well, most people aren’t. If you are, shoot me a message because I want to chat with you! Anyway, making that realization about ghost hunting shows has made me sort of…enjoy these shows again. I’m not watching these shows for tips and tricks. I’m watching them to be entertained. Maybe the only tip I’ll take away is information on a location, but that’s about it.

When APS hosts public ghost hunts, or I’m on panels at conventions, I’m often met with some surprise at how different investigating is from television shows. It’s a lot longer, a lot more boring, and it takes patience. When you watch a TV show, you’re watching the best 30-45 minutes of a 4-8 hour investigation (or even longer). If we were able to get that much activity in that short amount of time, we might as well pack up and go home after an hour!

Equipment set up can take anywhere between 15 minutes to an hour or more…all depending on how much equipment you have and how much help there is. Then, you must have a plan in place on where you’ll go, what you’ll do, how you’ll get there, contingency plans, and more. Ghost hunting is so much more than just going to a haunted place and looking for ghosts. Maybe it is for some, but I need to have a plan in place.

If you feel inspired to go on a ghost hunt after watching a TV show, that’s fantastic! Just know that when you go on your first ghost hunt, expect the process to be a bit more tedious and the experience to run longer than an average TV show. Also, again, these shows are edited for entertainment. You will likely not have an experience every 5 minutes. They may happen every 30 minutes, every hour, every 3 hours, or none at all. Yeah, the last one might be a bit disappointing. If that happens, it doesn’t always mean a place isn’t haunted. The ghosts might not have been up to talking. When this happens, I try to relish in the fact that I had access to an amazing site for a certain amount of time and got to spend time with some really great people.

This week’s blog is short and sweet. I’ll be going on a ghost hunt in Colonial Williamsburg tomorrow night, which I’m super excited about. Happy hunting and stay safe out there!

The post The Difference Between Real Life Ghost Hunting & Ghost Hunting on TV appeared first on Association of Paranormal Study.

Governor Daniel Gould Fowle

The first Governor to inhabit the Executive Mansion was NC Governor Daniel G Fowle.  Sadly, Fowle died in office in 1891, soon after the construction had completed and he had moved into his new home.  He was buried in the famous Oakwood Cemetery, though many believe his spirit never left the Mansion.

The Daniel G Fowle bedroom is on the second floor of the building and was Fowle’s personal bedroom.  As a widower with four children, one of whom was quite young, he found that he often had his children climbing in his bed at night to sleep.  As a large man, he found the bed that was in the room to be not quite adequate in size, so he had a new, oversized bed constructed to accommodate him and his child.  Sadly, shortly after the new bed was installed, Fowle passed away.

However, the bed remained in the home for future Governors to use.  Almost a century later in 1969, Governor Bob Scott moved into the mansion.  He chose to use the Daniel G Fowle room as his bedroom when he moved in.  However, Fowle’s bed remained in that room.  Scott was a far taller man than Fowle and found the bed too short and uncomfortable, so he had it replaced.  Within a short time of moving the bed from the room, Scott and his wife were in bed one night around 10 pm when they began hearing a knocking from the wall behind the headboard of their new bed.  They didn’t think much of it, assuming it was simply the old building.  This changed when they began to hear the knocking, always starting at the same time, always behind the headboard.  The Governor asked maintenance to check on the pipes behind the wall and was shocked to find there were none that ran through that area.  They still were not overly concerned, though it was definitely becoming an annoyance.

Governor Bob Scott

Their attitude towards this changed with one visit.  Former Governor Fowle’s daughter, now an elderly woman, paid the new governor a visit, as was her tradition.  During the call, she insisted he answer one question; was her father’s bed still in his room?

After that encounter, the Scott’s believed that this was the spirit of Governor Fowle communicating his displeasure of moving his bed, each night around 10 pm.  Despite this, Fowle refused to replace the original bed, so the knocking continued every single evening until he left office.  Upon his departure, Fowle’s bed was replaced to the Executive Bedroom, and the knocking immediately ceased.  That is, until 1993 when Governor Jim Hunt claimed the knocking had returned, despite never changing anything in the room at all.  He was quoted in the News and Observer in 1993 saying “I’ve heard him.  I’m trying to establish contact with this ghost.  I haven’t done that yet”.  Two decades later Governor McCrory is also on record saying he believes the ghost of Fowle is still here.  He told Walter Magazine that “he’s a good ghost, I talk to him every night… I know he hears me, I don’t get spooked.  Other people do”.

We’d love to ask Governor Cooper if he has heard the ghost of Daniel Fowle since assuming office.

The post Sweet Dreams: The Haunted Bed of North Carolina’s Executive Mansion appeared first on Association of Paranormal Study.

We all have our beliefs, and there is a supernatural world out there that is as vivid as everything else around you. Making sense of the paranormal through exposure and research is the first step to uncovering these mysteries. I want to know everything, and I’m guessing you do too. Since you’re reading this blog and all.

I once had a team member describe APS as the nerd with their nose in a book. It’s why we don’t have a TV show, and it’s why I’ve written several books about the paranormal field. What drives me crazy is the spreading of misinformation. People are losing out on their hard-earned money buying “gadgets” that weren’t built to detect ghosts in the first place. People are throwing money at self-proclaimed experts and then disappointed when they don’t measure up. There are a seldom few people that I would even consider to be an expert in the field, Loyd Auerbach is one of them. Seriously, Google him and look at his credentials. Read his books. Take one of his classes. It’s worth it!

If you’re going to be a team that takes on residential cases, research is something you HAVE TO DO. How are you going to implement a solution if you don’t know what you’re dealing with? Residential casework isn’t for the recreational ghost hunter. Why? You are taking on an enormous responsibility that can make the difference between a family being able to sleep in the beds at night once again, or a family being torn apart from miscommunication, the pot being stirred, and potentially angering the presence in the home. At the end of the day, the investigator gets to go home, the client still has to live with whatever is in the home. In order to know what kind of solutions to implement, the investigator has to be able to research and comprehend the ins and outs of the situation. That includes… (*trumpet blows*) RESEARCH! Not only research, but you have to be able to present your findings in some presentational form like a paper, presentation, speech, etc.

Residential cases are not for your entertainment or amusement. The paranormal isn’t taken seriously because it’s not taken seriously. Stop being a part of the problem. If you’re a thrill seeker, don’t call yourself a researcher. If you’re a ghost hunter

In the event, you find a client who does want you to investigate and provoke for the purpose of collecting data for public viewing, that’s up to you to take on the case. Just be cautious that you’re not the monkey in the middle and you find yourself on the evening news.

Finally, if you’re a recreational ghost hunter who is looking for thrills and adrenaline rushes with a residential case, be 100% honest with your client. Give them the disclaimer that you might make things worse, but it will be great evidence for your YouTube channel. A great sacrifice right? Most clients seek a team for HELP. Respect that. If you’re not willing to do the work, research, field work, resolution work, that’s okay. Go do your thing! Just stay out of people’s homes.

Just stay out of people’s homes.

The post Are You a Recreational Ghost Hunter? Stay Out of People’s Homes appeared first on Association of Paranormal Study.

Usually, when a client tells us that they are taking medication, especially an anti-psychotic, and have been diagnosed with a condition, we back off. This is for liability reasons and we don’t want to make things worse for the client with potential validation. These days, just walking through the door can give the client validation, and that puts us at risk. There can be instability in the client, which could lead to them not taking their medication anymore and no longer following their doctor’s orders because they think their condition is paranormal. To me, spending a night in a potentially haunted location isn’t worth it if it means that a client could harm themselves due to faux validation. Also, in my experience, working with a client who refuses to believe that they’re experiences are paranormal instead of psychological is like walking in circles. Any remedy you try, whether it’s a house blessing, cleansing, deliverance, etc. it will not work. Eventually, you have to walk away. But you can prevent getting into this situation with these tips.

1. Make sure you have a form on your website that asks about psychological conditions, medications, and police visits.
2. Have one or more investigators on your team who have a background in mental health. While they won’t be able to treat the client, they can give you valuable input.
3. YOU CANNOT GIVE A DIAGNOSIS! This is the quickest route to a lawsuit. If you feel a client has psychological issues instead of paranormal, and you need to drop the case, you can still be honest. Tell them that you are not able to help them because it is beyond your expertise.
4. If you see different pill bottles of various medications in the home, ask what they are for. If the client hadn’t disclosed their medication and condition to you, it is time to leave as soon as you can.
5. If you have a client that is demanding an exorcism because they feel what they’re encountering is demonic and not related to their mental health, calmly tell them that they will have to go through a mental and physical evaluation per the Roman Catholic Church. It’s all true anyway. Plus, most investigation teams do not conduct any kind of exorcism and will usually network to local clergy or religious authority. Then that new contact ends up declining their service to the client because it’s psychological, and moving forward is too much of a liability.
6. You must be honest with the client. If they are hearing someone walking behind them, and you find out that it’s the floorboard, you have to tell them. This is standard practice for any residential case.
7. Involve the client’s family members and friends. They will usually be honest with you on the client’s conditions, and again, with honesty, they will tell you the best way to decline further work in the case. Or, they will take the reins and decline the case themselves on their loved one’s behalf.

If you are a client who is dealing with issues with your mental health, and you are having encounters that you believe are paranormal, we are so sorry you’re having to go through this. If you feel that your condition is paranormal, still have a conversation with your doctor. If you’re taking medication, know the side effects of your medication. If you still decide to involve a paranormal investigator, be honest with them.

But, what if it’s both?

If it’s both, which we have experienced before, we will still decline the investigation. In the paranormal world, we can never be 100% sure if something truly is a paranormal phenomenon or explainable. That is too much of a liability for the team as well as the client’s safety.

Agree? Disagree? Tell us in the comments!

The post All in the Mind: When It’s Not Paranormal appeared first on Association of Paranormal Study.