I work in insurance by day and hunt ghosts by night. People think it must be scary — but investigating the paranormal isn't always what you see on TV.

Courtesy of MacKenzie Koncher

• MacKenzie Koncher is a 35-year-old paranormal investigator in Denver, Colorado.
• She does private and public investigations, where she teaches some people how to use equipment and helps others get closure.
• Koncher says the job isn't scary; it's about connection and communication. 

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with MacKenzie Koncher, a 35-year-old paranormal investigator in Denver, Colorado. It has been edited for length and clarity.

I've always been open to the paranormal. Ever since I was young, I had experiences that made me feel like there was more to the world than what we can see — like the time I saw a ghost in the curtains of my bedroom when I was young. 

I kept my heart and mind open to paranormal experiences

In 2011, I actually auditioned to be part of a paranormal-focused television show. Though the show never got picked up, I learned a lot about how to work with a team on the paranormal and what equipment to use. That was really when my fascination with ghost-hunting started in earnest.

In 2018, I teamed up with a fellow paranormal investigator, Julia Allie, to start our own company. We met years before, when we were working on a different paranormal investigation together. We decided to call it "XX Paranormal Communications," and the Xs are meant to symbolize the female chromosome. Together, we investigate the paranormal.

People often call us when they feel a weird presence in their home

Sometimes, they can't even explain exactly what feels off — just that something does. Other times, they have specific examples of strange occurrences, like lights turning on and off at weird times. 

I try to be very explicit about the fact that I can't be sure anything paranormal will turn up, but I do show up to every investigation with an open mind. I make sure that I note where the air conditioning vents are or anything else that could create noise that could seem unexplained to the house's occupant. Sometimes, I think I interact with spirits, and other times, I wonder if it's someone existing in a parallel timeline or even an extra-terrestrial of some sort. There are so many possibilities.

Courtesy of MacKenzie Koncher

At XX Paranormal Communications, we do investigations within the state of Colorado (though we would be open to traveling if the right opportunity came up). We actually don't charge people for investigations within their homes, although sometimes patrons tip us after we finish investigating. We look at it as a private service we're providing, especially when it comes to residential investigations, which can be more sensitive in nature. 

Sometimes, people want their houses investigated after a family member passed away there, and it can be a really touchy situation. We typically schedule at least four hours to give the spirits time to warm up to us and to give us enough time to investigate thoroughly.

We hold public investigations at businesses and museums

We charge for public investigations, where we invite the public to join us during an investigation through tickets available for purchase. We have an upcoming investigation at the Four Mile Historic Park, and the tickets cost $65. 

Sometimes we reach out to them or sometimes they reach out to us in an effort to generate sales and interest. It works out well for both parties. We educate people on how to use the equipment, which is really fun.

I like for people to be able to use the dowsing rods, which are an age-old method said to help people find underground water or sense paranormal activity. The guests are holding the rods, so when they move, they know that no one else is touching them. 

We have people sign waivers to protect the business and protect us

Usually, the biggest thing we're worried about is someone tripping and falling while investigating in the dark.

The location really matters for how many tickets are open. When we did the Colorado Railroad Museum, the grounds were big enough that we could handle 25 people in a few separate groups but for something like the one coming up at Four Mile Historic Park, we've limited ticket sales to just twelve.

The reason for that is because some of the spaces we're investigating are smaller and indoors, and we don't want our group to be too noisy and scare away any potential paranormal activity. You never want a room to feel too crowded during an investigation. I tell people it's just like how it is with people: Spirits don't want to feel overwhelmed in their space, just like we don't.

I think we provide a really important service to people

We can bring them closure after a grief-inducing event, or validation that what they're experiencing is also happening to someone else. Sometimes people get emotional when a spirit makes contact but mostly, there's validation from the experience of hearing from a loved one they've lost.

People don't want to feel like they're crazy. They'll come up to us when we do events in public, like at museums, and tell us that they think their childhood house was haunted but they never told anyone about it because no one seemed open to the possibility.

Courtesy of MacKenzie Koncher

I bring all kinds of equipment with me when I'm investigating. I bring a spirit box, which is an AM/FM radio transmitter that I believe can allow spirits to communicate. Another co-investigator brings a flashlight, and we ask the spirits to communicate through turning the light on or off to indicate a yes or no answer.

We also bring dowsing rods, which are  a great way to feel the energy of a room. You can ask the spirit to move the rods (like crossing them to indicate "yes" and straightening them to indicate "no"), and that's a great tool.

My biggest tool is my intuition

I have to go into a space and feel whether the energy is light or heavy. I need to trust what I feel when I'm looking into something and stay curious about my surroundings.

It may seem strange to some people, but I love doing this (though I do have a full-time job in the insurance industry). People think it must be scary to hunt ghosts, but the truth is, the spirits I believe I'm communicating with are very similar to us. It's not always what you see on TV — something demonic or evil or scary. A lot of times, you're just sitting in the dark, talking to yourself and hoping for a response. 

It's not scary. It's about the desire for connection.

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