One of the things that concerns me as a paranormal investigator/afterlife researcher is how our work might make the living feel. I often worry the relatives of the spirits  with whom we communicate might feel our research is disrespectful.
After all, I'm not sure how I'd feel if someone told me they believed my beloved grandmother haunted popular paranormal "hotspot," and people came through there every week to poke and prod at her in an attempt to communicate. My wish for everyone I love would be that they'd moved on after death into whatever the next stage of the afterlife was for them instead of sticking around and haunting a dusty old building.

For many people, the paranormal is "entertainment." It's fun and fascinating to scare yourself in a spooky location certainly. But if ghosts are what we believe them to be - the spirits of people who once lived and walked the earth, then what right do we have to use them for entertainment purposes? For this reason, I dislike the term "ghost hunters." Unless you're a bounty hunter chasing down criminals, I don't think people should hunt souls. I feel the term implies a lack of care and compassion.

It's one of the reasons SSPR remains very respectful in our research techniques. We don't believe in personally aggressive approaches to investigation. In short, we treat potential spirits the way we'd like to be treated. We don't shout, swear, or do what others refer to as "provoking," because it shows a lack of respect for the spirits, as well as for the loved ones they left behind. Instead, we engage the spirits. We attempt to establish meaningful communication.

It's how I hope someone would treat my grandmother should they encounter her somewhere - with a true desire to understand, communicate, and ultimately help resolve any issues that keep her from moving on to the next phase of her soul's path.