In previous episodes, we’ve talked to people from diverse backgrounds, and whether I agree with their convictions or not, I believe everyone deserves to share their experiences with the world if they want to. Tonight, we’ll briefly delve into why.

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Welcome to the PEEP Podcast. I’m your host Nicolle Morock, and on this episode, we’re talking about why we need more diversity in the paranormal field. I’m getting a little philosophical and reaching back to interpersonal communication class at North Carolina State University in 1993 when I learned about frames of reference. Now, if you’ve had a communication, marketing, or even possibly a psychology class, you’ll already be familiar with the topic, but in case you haven’t, here’s the idea in its simplest form:

Everything you carry with you as a person – your experiences, beliefs, culture, heritage, history, things you’ve been taught, things you’ve figured out on your own – everything comprises your personal frame of reference. And this literally frames how you continue to experience the world. In a way, it’s your own personal and very unique reality. No two people have the exact same frame of reference, and that’s why the concept is so important.

For example, my personal frame of reference includes growing up in the deep south, being Roman Catholic, having a communication and a meteorology degree, working in jobs that range from television and radio production and concert production to optical sales at an eye doctor’s office to being an SEO writer for a national agency. Add on to that being one of four siblings, having both parents still married, being an intuitive and empath my whole life… I could go on and on about all the things that make me who I am, but I won’t. Hopefully, you get the picture – I’ve had various life experiences that likely don’t match yours, but we can find something in common if we try.

All of the things I just listed affect how I experience the world. They affect my perception on the most minute and on the grandest level. And as a professional communicator, I know that those things affect my interpretation of reality, and I also understand that because you haven’t had the same experiences, your interpretation – your reality may be wildly different.

For the last 13 years, I’ve been a member of the National Society of Paranormal Investigation and Research, and for much of that time, I’ve been the vice-president of the group. At our largest, I think we had over a dozen members who regularly investigated alleged haunted locations, and we did it almost every weekend, and sometimes twice in the same weekend. We were one of the few groups in the area that people recognized as being serious about treating investigations scientifically, while still incorporating the intuitive skills some of us possessed.

NSPIR was made up of men and women, intuitives and skeptics, artists and scientists, veterans and hippies. Our diversity is what made us such a strong team. Each of us brought something different to the table from tech skills to creative thinking, and our investigations benefited from so many frames of reference. I was really proud to be a member of NSPIR for such an important period of my life.

I say “was,” because as of last week, I’ve resigned. It wasn’t an easy decision, but it was the right time, and we’re all ending on good terms. I’ll continue to investigate when I feel called to, but it isn’t a driving force in my life anymore. The podcast, my writing, and my energy healing business are my main focuses – outside of my full-time job, of course.

I’ll never forget the experiences and adventures we had as a group. Heck! How could I? I wrote a book about the most interesting ones. And I’ll always be proud of what a diverse team we were.

And that brings me back to the topic of tonight’s short episode: Diversity!

I’ve recently been reminded that despite where I’m coming from, the kind of diversity we enjoyed on my team isn’t necessarily something others have experienced. And on a broader level, many of the conferences and conventions that celebrate the paranormal field seem a little too homogeneous.

While there’s something to be said about having a standard group of presenters that draw attendees, there’s more to be said for opportunities to learn something new from fresh perspectives.

Bring in speakers from other cultures, other religions, and different educational backgrounds. Bring in the scientists and academics.

Bring in the experiencers and explorers. Bring in the men, the women, and the non-binary. Bring in people of every ethnicity. Bring them all!

I ask guests to be on my podcast because I believe there is something to be learned from every single person alive. Whether it’s a different perspective on what UFOs might be or a religious philosophy I have yet to have had the pleasure of learning about or a new experiment for proving ESP in the lab – everyone has something worth sharing and everyone can teach us something new.

If you’re really interested in learning from others, then seek out those who are not like you. Get to know people that look different, belief differently, and express themselves in their own unique way.  

Understanding grows from open minds and open hearts, and if you really want to understand what’s happening in this paranormal world of ours, we need to open it up to everyone who is interested in living in it. The more, the merrier!

So, my challenge to you – whether you’re just getting started or you’re a seasoned investigator with decades of experience – share your story and be open to letting others share theirs. And go beyond that – listen when they do.

If you are interested in sharing your own stories on this podcast, or if you have an idea for an episode topic, please reach out through the contact form at peeppodcast.com. That's P-E-E-P Podcast.com. Remember that stands for People Experiencing Everyday Paranormal. You can be as anonymous as you like.

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