The Exorcist Within: Where Mental Health Meets Horror Media

Train to Busan: Sacrifice, Community, and the Horror of Becoming Someone You Can’t Protect Jamie and Bobby take on Train to Busan , one of the most emotionally devastating zombie films ever made — not because of gore, but because of what it says about caregiving, responsibility, and the terror of losing control of your own body. In classic Exorcist Within fashion, they move past the surface-level...

Join your exorcist host as she gets ready for the day and counts down her favorite horror movies of 2026 (SO FAR)

In this episode, Jamie and Julie (two provisionally licensed therapists) dive into Backrooms (2026) and all the psychological terrain hiding beneath its liminal wallpaper. This conversation moves through memory, trauma, shadow parts, and the strange comfort of horror as a mirror. We explore how the Backrooms operate as a metaphor for the places we mentally exile our pain. Together, we unpack how n...

MAJOR TRIGGER WARNINGS FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT AND SUICIDE!!!!! This episode digs into the messy, uncomfortable, deeply human terrain beneath Midsommar — not the surface‑level “feminist revenge fantasy,” but the quieter, more complicated story about victimhood, gender conditioning, and the ways we’re taught to perform power or passivity. I’m pulling apart the cultural narratives we inherit about consen...

This episode plunges into The Evil Dead as Jamie and Bobby dissect its filmmaking legacy, its mythic lore, and the raw human fears it exposes. Blending personal stories with cultural insight, the conversation reveals how horror—at its most chaotic and unhinged—becomes a mirror for resilience and the strange comfort found in confronting the dark. Themes Indie Origins & Nostalgia The hosts revis...

In this episode, we break down Joe Hill’s King Sorrow through the lens of trauma, power, and the ways people try to survive what stalks them. Instead of treating horror as spectacle, we look at how the story exposes real emotional patterns: sorrow that becomes a force of its own, systems that trap people in cycles they didn’t choose, and the small acts of compassion that keep characters from losin...

Welcome CA to the podcast and welcome back to Neil! Our roundtable unpacks Joe HIll's novel the way The Exorcist Within always does: as a psychological excavation, a cultural mirror, and a spiritual autopsy of the choices that shape us. This is part one of a two-part deep dive! We're just getting started!

In this episode, Jamie and Ryan (and Ed and Loraine) crack open The Conjuring 2 — not just as a horror film, but as a mirror for belief, partnership, and the strange ways our lives rhyme with the stories we love. We talk about the Warrens on screen versus the Warrens in real life, the almost‑meeting with Patrick Wilson that still lives rent‑free in our minds, and how growing up Catholic leaves a p...

In this episode of The Exorcist Within , Jamie opens the door to the haunted hallway where horror, hard rock, and mental health intersect. Through stories of mosh pits, childhood trauma, religious pressure, and the strange comfort of the grotesque, she traces how “dark” art became a lifeline. This is an episode for the ones who were told they were too intense , too emotional , too dramatic , or to...

In this insightful discussion with Bobby, we explore the rich symbolism, cultural significance, and spiritual themes of the Korean horror film Exuma. Our hosts delve into Korean shamanism, cultural history, and the film's intricate details, offering a deep understanding of its depth and meaning. Join us as we delve into the complex themes, cultural elements, and behind-the-scenes insights of the f...

The podcast episode features a discussion on trauma, triggers, and the overuse of these terms in society. Jamie shares personal experiences and provides insights into the complexity of trauma and stressor-related disorders. The episode also includes updates on the podcast. Takeaways The episode examines trauma, or lack thereof in the film Undertone. Trauma and triggers are often overused terms in...

This episode covers the movie 'The Stanford Prison Experiment' and the role of a mitigation specialist in the criminal justice system. It delves into the ethical considerations of human experiments, the scale of incarceration, and the impact of legal proceedings on individuals. The discussion also addresses the approach to social justice issues and the importance of humanizing people in the court...

📘 Episode Summary In this episode of The Exorcist Within, Jamie sits down with Umba to excavate the genre‑bending soul of The Cable Guy - a film that’s equal parts comedy, horror, prophecy, and 90s cultural time capsule. What starts as a nostalgic revisit quickly becomes a deeper exploration of loneliness, boundaries, and the way humor evolves as society changes. Together, Jamie and Umba trace ho...

Trigger Warning: This episode includes discussion of sexual abuse and other traumatic experiences. In this conversation, Jamie and Jonah (therapist, Jamie's mentor) sit down with Robert Falconer—therapist, author, and one of the world’s most respected practitioners working with unattached burdens… or in more familiar terms, real‑world spirit possession . Robert brings decades of study, clinical ex...

This episode serves as the quiet inhale before the plunge into a long‑form conversation with Robert Falconer. Before stepping into the presence of one of the most influential voices in therapy today, Jamie sits down with Jonah for a raw, unscripted moment of grounding, connection, and parts work in real time. Listeners are invited into the backstage ritual: two clinicians, two friends, two nervous...

There's no specific movie covered in this episode, but this one is for those who are curious about others' experiences, especially if you struggle to understand why someone may or may not like horror. In this episode, Jamie is joined by Amy Singh, whose lifelong “I hate horror” stance turns out to be far more complicated — and far more interesting — than she ever expected. What begins as a convers...

In this episode of The Exorcist Within , Jamie and Ryan dive into The Plague (2026), the first horror release of the year — and one that lands with surprising emotional weight. Set in 2003, the film taps into a painfully familiar era of adolescence, complete with the lingo, music, and social hierarchies that shaped early‑2000s teen culture (and probably still do, but what do us old fogies know). J...

🩸 Episode Summary Jamie kicks off this episode of The Exorcist Within with a candid reflection on a full year of podcasting—what’s worked, what’s surprised her, and where she wants the show to go next. From there, she dives headfirst into the horror genre’s standout year, highlighting some of the 41 horror films she watched from 2025. This episode is packed with sharp film analysis, bold opinions...

In this episode of The Exorcism Within, three mental health counselors gather to weave together their shared histories, spiritual practices, and love of horror. After reconnecting and honoring their late mentor, Dr. Z, they open sacred space with a tarot ritual before diving into their first book club pick: My Best Friend’s Exorcism. Their conversation blends clinical insight with intuition as the...

In this episode of The Exorcist Within, Fréwaka remains the anchor for a wide-ranging conversation with Emily Carding (https://www.emilycarding.com). Emily guides us into the complex relationship between humanity and the Sidhe, showing how truthfulness, promises, and honesty shape our encounters with faeries. Emily emphasizes the importance of trusting our own spiritual instincts, reminding us tha...

🎙️ Episode Summary What can we say… This one brings up all the feels. Trigger warnings from everything from sexual assault, animal violence, to suicide. But there is light in the window at the end of this episode (literally and emotionally). From horror to healing, Frewaka opens the door to family, trauma, identity, and the power of community. Jamie and Neil unpack the emotional weight of generati...

Please note: this is going to be a MULTI part series on systemic trauma anchored by the 2025 film Fréwaka. 🧠 Episode Summary In this heartfelt conversation, Jamie and Neil dive deep into their personal journeys, which will lead into an even deeper dive into healing and the power of the storytelling in Fréwaka in the NEXT episode. From childhood challenges and family dynamics to the impact of gene...

🎙️ Episode Summary: Ghosts, Grief & The Others In this Halloween edition of The Exorcists Within , Julie and Jamie crack open the haunted corridors of The Others —a film that lingers in the psyche long after the credits roll. Through the lens of horror, they explore how religious trauma shapes parenting, how isolation distorts perception, and how denial can fracture relationships. This isn’t j...

This episode includes strong content warnings for sexual violence, self-harm, and psychological distress. 🧠 Summary In this episode of The Exorcist Within, Jamie unpacks Lars von Trier’s controversial 2009 film Antichrist—a cinematic descent into grief, eroticism, and psychological fragmentation. Through a trauma-informed lens, the conversation explores how the film weaponizes sexuality, grief, a...

This episode doesn’t shy away from discomfort—it embraces it. So listeners beware - important information is in this episode but it also may cause discomfort if grief, loss, or death is raw for you. In this profoundly personal and emotionally resonant episode, Laurie and Jamie delve into the complex terrain of death, grief, and the human experience. Through the lens of The Surrender (2025) , they...