Welcome

Hello. My name is Denise Ottosen. I am a paranormal field investigator and documentarian, which means that I not only investigate haunted locations and other paranormal phenomena, but I also document experiences and evidence of the paranormal, usually with video or audio and always with the written word.

From a very early age, I have been aware of those who move among us unseen, and I have spent most of my life trying to communicate with them and figure out who and/or what they are. In my early years, I didn't have any idea of what I was doing, and I operated mostly on felt sense while trying to hide from my peers that I "knew" things and could feel things that most other people didn't seem to be aware of. As an adult, I don't hide anything anymore and I have made it my life's work to seek out and document those experiences, always searching for proof to explain the unknown and always hoping to find the answers to questions about the paranormal that people have been asking in one way or another for thousands of years.

When I was younger, the idea of trying to gather formal evidence never occurred to me, but when Ghost Hunters debuted in 2004 and brought investigating the paranormal out of the dark, so to speak, I realized that I could investigate in a more formal way by using equipment to measure and record evidence! And part of that more formal way, for me, included lots of documentation, not only so that I could put my own theories together, but also to keep a written record for myself and for others who might be interested in my work someday.

Another thing that the ghost shows did for me was to show me that a team approach to investigation could be really fruitful when you brought investigators with different talents together to explore the paranormal. In 2008, two professional colleagues and I formed Pacific Northwest Paranormal Investigators in Washington State, and we investigated multiple locations using audio and video equipment as well as using our own personal skills and talents to explain hauntings. When we disbanded due to moving to different locations, I helped to co-found a group in Spokane, Washington called Inland Northwest Paranormal Investigators (which has more recently morphed into The Inland Northwest Paranormal Research Society), and I continue to work with them. My desire to document what we find has become even stronger over time which, I believe, benefits not only paranormal research but also provides a more complete picture for the clients we serve.

As a field investigator and a paranormal documentarian, I am also active in the investigation of historic buildings with the goal of discovering if any historic figures associated with those locations continue to be in residence there and if so, why. In every location, whether a home, office or historic building, the spirits always have a story to tell. The connection of that story to the history of a structure enriches not only our knowledge, but also helps the present custodians of historic locations as they strive to be good stewards of these buildings.

Throughout history, ghosts and otherworldly beings have been a part of our individual and collective experience, but it has been difficult to find concrete answers as to who and what they really are. Finding that truth and documenting it is my lifelong mission and I am hoping that this website will prove useful to other investigators who are doing the same, as well as allowing me to share some interesting evidence that I and the teams I have worked with have captured over the years.

There are many fine minds out there who might see or hear or read about a piece of evidence on this site that could help them to put a piece of this very big puzzle together. Whatever your skill level or interest, suggestions on what you would like to see here are welcome as are your own experiences and theories about the paranormal which I encourage you to share on the Groups page.

I also write essays about some of my more personal experiences, and I will be sharing some of those here. That is a different kind of documentation, a more personal exploration of my mission to investigate, understand and document the paranormal.