Lesley Ann Hyde knows it sounds crazy. She sees the look people give her when she tells them she hears voices. That she receives warnings. That she dreams about events before they take place. That she communicates with spirits. Ever since she was a child, she’s had experiences with the unknown.

“I was six years old when I had my first memory,” Hyde explains. “I had a spirit that was like a guardian angel who spoke to me. They give me warnings. They give me messages for people. I’ve been told a wreck is going to take place.”

Hyde has what many refer to as a “sixth sense.” She possesses empathic and psychic abilities that allow her to experience other people’s feelings and to communicate with entities that most of us can’t see or hear.

“A couple years ago, a spirit guide—I say an angel because it’s always looking out for the good— told me to tell my employees there was going to be a wreck and they needed to stay off the main road. Seriously, that Friday morning I got a phone call from my employee’s son that his mother, who worked for me at the time, was in a terrible accident on Hwy 278. It just shocked me. Every time it happens, it validates what I experience.”

A 27-year-veteran State Farm insurance agent by day, Hyde started conducting paranormal investigations as a hobby. She loves history and historic venues. After years of doing tours and investigations with other groups, Hyde founded the Southern Ghost Girls to lead her own events. The group merges tours of fascinating places around the southeast with paranormal investigations to allow others to encounter what she and her team experience.

“Nearly all of our events are fundraisers. We often work with cities and municipalities to raise money for historic venues. Our target audience is women,” Hyde shares. “A lot of ladies like to join us for a fun girls’ night out.”

Hyde says the events her team stages are professional, scientific and completely authentic. The presenters research the place and time period, dressing in historical clothing for all events. They employ the paranormal investigation equipment used on shows like “Ghost Hunters” and invite guests to try out the tools. She says they have encounters at every event.

“That’s the wild thing about it. We always find things. The reason I believe we find evidence with our equipment is because we dress in period clothing, we ask for communication with respect, we even talk in the way people conversed in that time. We get a lot of communication from child spirits. I think it’s because we have a softer, more relatable approach. We’re not trying to be aggressive like some in the field can be. I think we stand out because we want to do things in a more accurate and more historical way.”

Hyde says she has witnessed other groups who make up activity, but the Southern Ghost Girls are committed to authenticity.

“We tell our guests up front, this is not a theatrical production. We don’t make things up. We can’t make the instruments light up or jump out. People are literally standing there in awe and can’t believe what they’re witnessing.”

Hyde is quick to explain that the Southern Ghost Girls’ experiences are not rooted in witchcraft or evil spirits.

“We’re all Christian ladies of faith and professional women. We have an ophthalmologist, an attorney, a journalist, an engineer, I’m a business owner. We are just normal women who also have an interest in history and want to explore the paranormal. Everyone on the team has had those experiences before. We’ve been very successful. The tours are safe, family-friendly events. A lot of people may want to try a paranormal investigation, but they don’t know how. We’re down to earth people providing a welcoming environment to try something new.”

Hyde says her abilities have grown stronger as she’s gotten older. She has experienced recurring dreams that revealed details of crimes and even provided information to police detectives. She hopes that she can continue to hone her skills so she can use them to help people stay safe and to bring closure to victims’ families.

“To me, it’s like someone born with the ability to be a great guitar player. They have to practice to get really good at it. This is a gift I’ve been given, but it’s a continual process to open my mind and heart to the messages and learn how to trust what I experience. I really want to use my abilities to help people. I truly believe that’s one of my purposes in life.”

Southern Ghost Girls is collaborating with the City of Birmingham to present monthly dinners at Arlington Antebellum Home & Gardens to raise funds for the venue. Attendees can register to enjoy a murder mystery-themed dinner on the grounds, followed by a tour and paranormal investigation.

The group will host an event at Thomas Jefferson Tower on November 20. The ladies also plan events at locations all over the state year-round, including private events for birthdays, holidays, office and corporate groups at southernghostgirls@gmail.com to Book their Private Event.

Visit southernghostgirls.com or email southernghostgirls@gmail.com to learn more and to register for or plan an upcoming event.