Why I Became a Paranormal Investigator

The Headless Horseman or Marston Moor

It started with a Paranormal story.

I was just a child when I first heard the tale of the Headless Horseman of Marston Moor from my father, the tale of a ghostly rider said to haunt the battlefield where thousands fell during the English Civil War. Something about that story stuck with me. It wasn’t just the fear. It was something deeper… a spark of curiosity, a sense that there was more to life than what we can see. I was scared but intrigued.

As I grew older, I began to notice something strange. I could feel things, energies, emotions, memories when I touched certain objects or walked into particular places. I didn’t have a name for it back then, but now I understand it as psychometry. At first, it unsettled me. It made me feel different. Yet, over time, I realised this intuitive ability wasn’t something to fear, it was something to explore.

Intuition and My Other Life as a Hypnotherapist

I’m also a brilliant hypnotherapist and coach, and my intuition plays just as important a role in that work as it does in my paranormal investigations. During sessions, I often find myself guided, not by logic alone, but by a deeper knowing. Call it energy, call it insight, call it instinct. Whatever it is, it helps me help people. That, I believe, is exactly what I’m here on the planet to do.

In both worlds, whether I’m working with the living or trying to understand the spirits of the past... I’m searching for meaning, healing, and connection.

Why I Investigate

So why do I do this work/hobby?

I believe that something exists beyond this life. I’ve seen enough, heard enough, felt enough to know that death is not the end. Yet belief is one thing and I want to go further. I want to provide evidence, explore what’s next, and help others find hope in something bigger than themselves.

Paranormal investigating isn’t about horror or thrill for me, it’s about truth. It’s about discovering those moments when something unexplainable becomes real enough to challenge everything we think we know. I acknowledge that yes, it’s exciting. It’s the kind of excitement that comes from walking on the edge of the known and the unknown, adrenalin...

What Comes Next

My goal is simple: to keep learning, to keep investigating, and to share what I find. Whether it’s with others on investigations, with my hypnotherapy clients, or through my new book Ghosts on Tap, I want to open doors. Not just to haunted rooms, but to new ideas, possibilities, and even peace.

If there really is more beyond this life… isn’t that something worth exploring?

"If you’ve ever felt a presence, heard a whisper, or had a gut feeling you couldn’t explain then you’re not alone. Perhaps, like me, you’re here to listen to what most people ignore. If so, welcome. You’re in good company."

Dr Iain Lightfoot, Paranormal Investigator