What happens when the paranormal meets the therapy room?

In this special episode, we sit down with paranormal therapist Dona Strohbehn for a fascinating conversation about the experiences that exist at the intersection of mental health, trauma, spirituality, grief, and the unexplained.

What happens when someone walks into therapy and says, “I saw a ghost,” “Something is following me,” or “I know there is something in my house”?

Do we immediately look at the experience through a psychological lens? Could there be another explanation? And how can a therapist listen to these experiences without dismissing the person—or automatically confirming something that may not be possible to verify?

Dona takes us inside her approach to working with people who report paranormal experiences and shares her perspective on how therapy can create a safe space for conversations about the seen and unseen.

This isn't an episode about telling you what to believe.

It's an invitation to explore what happens when we encounter something we can't easily explain—and how we can approach those experiences with curiosity, compassion, critical thinking, and an open mind.

Are ghosts real? Can paranormal experiences affect our mental health? And what happens when the unexplained walks through the therapy-room door?

Contact Information

linkedin.com/in/dona-strohbehn

theparanormaltherapist.com

amyriscounseling.com

https://open.spotify.com/show/7bJZ6BZ4kK37QYmdXlncUK?si=e71c1fa257404610

This episode of Supernatural Therapy explored the paranormal concept of “unfinished business” and why some ghost stories describe spirits as remaining connected to the living world after death. Discussion focused on common paranormal explanations, including sudden or traumatic deaths, unresolved relationships, guilt, revenge, unfulfilled promises, attachment to a person or location, and the desire for justice or closure. The episode also examined the idea that not every reported haunting is necessarily negative, with some traditions describing spirits as remaining behind to protect loved ones or deliver an important message.

From a psychological perspective, the episode explored how the concept of unfinished business can also represent unresolved grief, trauma, guilt, regret, and emotional attachment among the living. The discussion encouraged listeners to consider both paranormal and psychological interpretations while recognizing that personal experiences with ghosts can be deeply meaningful regardless of how they are ultimately explained. The episode emphasized curiosity, critical thinking, and respect for differing beliefs while exploring one of the most enduring themes in ghost lore: if a spirit remains, what could be keeping it here?

What happens when a comedian, a paranormal investigator, and one of the most famous collections of allegedly haunted objects in the world come together?

In this episode, we take a therapist’s perspective on Matt Rife and Elton Castee’s purchase of Ed and Lorraine Warren’s former home and Occult Museum—including their guardianship of the infamous Annabelle doll and hundreds of other allegedly haunted artifacts.

But instead of asking only, “Are these things actually haunted?”, we’re asking a different question:

What happens psychologically when people believe a place or object is haunted?

As a therapist, I’m interested in the relationship between fear, belief, trauma, suggestion, memory, expectation, and the human need to make sense of experiences we can't easily explain.

Does believing a house is haunted change the way we perceive ordinary sounds, shadows, dreams, or physical sensations? Can fear itself create very real physical and emotional reactions? And when someone enters a location already expecting something supernatural to happen, how much does that expectation influence what they experience?

We’ll also explore the difference between respecting someone's paranormal experience and automatically accepting a supernatural explanation for it.

Matt Rife's purchase raises an even bigger question:

What happens when a place associated with fear, death, trauma, and paranormal beliefs becomes an entertainment experience?

Is it harmless curiosity? A way of preserving paranormal history? Or could repeatedly exposing people to frightening environments reinforce anxiety and fear?

And perhaps most importantly:

If someone believes they encountered a ghost, should a therapist tell them they're wrong—or help them explore what the experience means to them?

Join us as we look at the Warren legacy, Matt Rife's unexpected entry into the paranormal world, the psychology of haunted places, and the fascinating intersection between mental health and the supernatural.

Because sometimes the most interesting question isn't whether the ghost is real.

It's why we believe the ghost is there.