PSYCH LORE & INSIGHTS

About PSYCH LORE & INSIGHTS

Welcome to PSYCH LORE & INSIGHTS. I am your host, Sarah a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, and also joining us is my brother Steve an Irish blooded natural born story teller. We mix history, lore, and  true crime with psychiatry, psychology and all things related to the human psyche.   And wow, we have a great stories to share with you. I am not giving any medical advice, nor diagnosing.  This is for education and entertainment purposes only,  So, let’s go!

Publisher

Psych Lore & Insights 2026

Category

health & fitness · true crime

Language

en

Explicit

Yes

First episode

15 Jul 2026

Latest episode

25 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

17 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   25 Oct 2026

   Halloween’s Ancient Origins: Samhain, the Thinning Veil, and the Human Psyche

   Steve traces Halloween from ancient Irish Samhain traditions and communal bonfires to disguises, divination, trick-or-treating, and the legend of Stingy Jack. Sarah then explores why the season’s rituals continue to resonate psychologically. From Samhain to Halloween Travel to ancient Ireland, where the boundary between the living and the dead was believed to weaken as the year passed into winter. The episode examines sacred fires, dumb suppers, supernatural folklore, and the transformation of older customs into modern Halloween traditions. The Psychology Behind the Lore Sarah connects Halloween with grief, liminality, communal ritual, identity, and recreational fear. Together, the hosts consider how people use stories and traditions to create meaning, connection, and a sense of control amid darkness, loss, and uncertainty. A journey through how humans turn uncertainty into ritual, fear into play, masks into new identities, and death into continuing connection.

2. 

   18 Oct 2026

   The Ghosts of Flight 401: What Remains

   Sarah and Steven revisit the 1972 crash of Eastern Air Lines Flight 401 and the eerie reports that its crew later appeared aboard aircraft fitted with salvaged parts from the wreckage. Episode Summary Steven recounts the fatal descent into the Everglades, the extraordinary rescue effort, and the apparitions described in John G. Fuller’s The Ghost of Flight 401. Sarah then explores how traumatic events persist through fear conditioning, hypervigilance, flashbacks, and the brain’s limbic system. What Remains From grounding techniques and trauma treatment to epigenetics and theories of residual haunting, the episode considers whether tragedy leaves its mark only on people—or perhaps on places and objects, too. When tragedy ends, what remains, and who carries it?

3. 

   11 Oct 2026

   Psychology of a Witch Hunt: The Salem Witch Trials

   In this episode of Psych Lore & Insights, Sarah and Steve revisit the Salem witch trials through the people accused, the community that feared them, and the courts that treated spectral claims as evidence. Steve traces the accusations from the first reported fits to the trials and executions, including the stories of Tituba, Rebecca Nurse, and Giles Corey. Sarah explores how Puritan beliefs, social conflict, and moral panic may have shaped what the community thought it was seeing. The Psychology Behind the Story The conversation also explains epileptic seizures and psychogenic non-epileptic seizures, while making an important distinction: modern psychology can help us ask better questions about Salem, but it cannot diagnose people who lived in 1692. Salem’s most unsettling lesson is not that people believed in witches. It is how quickly fear became certainty—and certainty became punishment.

4. 

   4 Oct 2026

   Fae, Fairies & Folklore of the Mind

   Sarah and Steve explore Irish, Scottish, and English fairy lore—from banshees and changelings to selkies, fairy rings, and the feared rules of the Fae. They examine how folklore reflects grief, trauma, unexplained differences, cultural beliefs, and the evolution of mental-health understanding, while connecting ancient stories to modern psychiatry in Ireland and the United States.

5. 

   27 Sept 2026

   Lizzie Borden Lessons: Why Your Brain Craves True Crime and Crunchy Snacks

   Lizzie Borden, a house full of locked doors, family conflict, and a mystery that still refuses to close.In this spooky-season episode of Psych Lore & Insights, Sarah and Steven explore the infamous Lizzie Borden case—from the tense Borden household and inheritance disputes to the strange clues, conflicting stories, and unanswered questions surrounding the murders.They also examine why we’re drawn to horror and true crime, how the brain responds to fear, why scary stories can feel exciting in a safe setting, and how crunchy snacks may help release tension. With psychological insight, historical lore, and ethical storytelling, this episode offers a chilling look at both the case and the reasons we can’t stop listening to stories like it. Stay curious. Stay psyched.

6. 

   20 Sept 2026

   The Closer She Cries; La Llorona, Mexican Folklore, And Postpartum Psychosis

   La Llorona’s cry was supposed to keep children away from the water—but what if it’s also a story about grief, mental illness, and the terror of motherhood? In this episode, we blend Mexican folklore with psychiatric insight, using the legend of the Weeping Woman to explore postpartum psychosis, infanticide risk, and how fear-based stories shape family life and child anxiety.  You’ll hear how Aztec goddess lore, canal ghost stories, and current focus on postpartum psychosis intersect, and why cultures turn maternal suffering into haunting warnings passed down through generations. If you’ve ever grown up with La Llorona, spooky season tales, or authoritarian “because I said so” parenting, this conversation pulls those memories into the light—with clinical clarity, cultural respect, and a reminder to “not struggle in silence.” References Cross-Cultural Study of Idioms of Distress Among Spanish Nationals and Hispanic American Migrants: Susto, Nervios and Ataque De Nervios (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22270268). Durà-Vilà G, Hodes M. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology. 2012;47(10):1627-37. doi:10.1007/s00127-011-0468-3. Cross-Cultural Aspects of Anxiety Disorders (https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-014-0450-3). Hofmann SG, Hinton DE. Current Psychiatry Reports. 2014;16(6):450. doi:10.1007/s11920-014-0450-3. Understanding Service Utilization Disparities and Depression in Latinos: The Role of Fatalismo (https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-015-0196-y). Anastasia EA, Bridges AJ. Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health. 2015;17(6):1758-64. doi:10.1007/s10903-015-0196-y. Stigma of mental illness and cultural factors in Pacific Rim region: a systematic review (https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-020-02991-5). Ran MS, Hall BJ, Su TT, et al. BMC Psychiatry. 2021;21(1):8. doi:10.1186/s12888-020-02991-5. ¡Yo no Estoy Loca! A Behavioral Health Telenovela Style Entertainment Education Video: Increasing Mental Health Literacy Among Latinas (https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-021-00892-9). Gonzalez F, Benuto LT. Community Mental Health Journal. 2022;58(5):850-861. doi:10.1007/s10597-021-00892-9. The Role of Traditional Healers in Musculoskeletal Care for Hispanic and Latino/a Americans (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13180419/). Gippo I, Manocha S, Pino Paez MG, Johnson J, Patel N. JBJS Reviews. 2026;14(3):01874474-202603000-00004. doi:e25.00257. Mexican traditional medicines for women’s reproductive health (https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-29921-1). Cabada-Aguirre P, López López AM, Mendoza KCO, et al. Scientific Reports. 2023;13(1):2807. doi:10.1038/s41598-023-29921-1. Academic history, domains and distribution of the hot-cold system in Mexico (https://doi.org/10.1186/s13002-023-00624-1). García-Hernández KY, Vargas-Guadarrama LA, Vibrans H. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine. 2023;19(1):50. doi:10.1186/s13002-023-00624-1. Cultural Health Beliefs and Practices Among Hispanic Parents (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34789026). Fowler AL, Mann ME, Martinez FJ, Yeh HW, Cowden JD. Clinical Pediatrics. 2022;61(1):56-65. doi:10.1177/00099228211059666.

7. 

   13 Sept 2026

   Robin Williams Unmasked; Exploring Lewy Body Dementia

   In this episode of Psych Lore & Insights, we journey through the extraordinary life of Robin Williams, tracing how a lonely childhood in a large, mostly empty home helped forge his explosive creativity, improvisational genius, and unforgettable characters. We explore the way inventing voices and personalities for toy soldiers became the groundwork for the rapid‑fire roles that later defined his career, and how that same imaginative intensity coexisted with depression, addiction, and profound inner pain. Drawing on the post‑mortem revelation that he was living with severe diffuse Lewy body disease, we unpack how this misunderstood brain disorder affected his mood, perception, and cognition in the years before his death, reshaping the public story from “just” suicide to neurodegenerative illness. (https://ukjournal.uk/blog/robin-williams-cause-of-death-final-days/)With psychiatric insight and deep respect, we reflect on his legacy as both comic genius and human being, offering education—not diagnosis—about creativity, suffering, and the brain.

8. 

   6 Sept 2026

   When The Music Stops: Karen Carpenter, Anorexia, And The Cost Of Perfection

   Explore the life and struggles of Karen Carpenter, her rise to fame, and her battle with anorexia nervosa, highlighting mental health awareness and the importance of understanding eating disorders.

9. 

   30 Aug 2026

   Psycho-Cult Jonestown; Coercive Control

   Sarah and Steve unpack the Jonestown massacre, tracing how Jim Jones transformed a seemingly utopian, service-oriented church into an isolated jungle commune governed by fear, manipulation, and total control. Sarah, a psychiatric nurse practitioner, explores cult psychology through the lens of Lifton’s thought reform criteria, coercive control, and psychopathy models applied to Jones, while Steve brings the human story to life with vivid historical narrative and survivor details. (https://www.facebook.com/events.gateway.yyc/posts/on-sale-now-the-psychology-of-cults-a-live-event-in-calgary-on-nov-8th-at-the-gr/1659226849536962/)Together they distinguish destructive cults from benign “cult classics” in pop culture, discuss the unique trauma cult survivors face, and offer compassionate, practical guidance for listeners who may have loved ones entangled in high-control groups

10. 

    23 Aug 2026

    Surreal Time and Unconscious Mind: Salvador Dali'

    In this episode, we explore how Salvador Dalí turned his inner world into some of the most iconic images in art history, from melting clocks in The Persistence of Memory to dreamlike landscapes drawn from his subconscious. Guided by the theories of Freud, Jung, and the spirit of Surrealism, we unpack how Dalí blurred the lines between reality, fantasy, and time itself.

11. 

    16 Aug 2026

    Psychedelic Storm: Syd Barrett, Pink Floyd and Acid Delusions

    In this episode Steve takes us on a trip to Syd Barrett’s rise as Pink Floyd’s founding creative spark, from whimsical songs like “Bike” to the mind‑bending album The Piper at the Gates of Dawn. Sarah explores how his heavy LSD use collided with underlying mental health vulnerability, turning a psychedelic supernova into a rapid, public unraveling that forced his exit from the band in 1968. Along the way, we zoom out to the wider 1960s counterculture, where LSD‑fueled experimentation reshaped rock music, art, and ideas about consciousness, while also exposing the darker psychological costs of pushing the mind too far, too fast.

12. 

    12 Aug 2026

    The Echoes of Elisa Lamb in the Cecil Hotel; a Discussion of Bipolar Disorder

    Join Sarah, a psychiatric nurse practitioner and Steve, known for "story-time with Steve" as they follow 21‑year‑old Canadian student Elisa Lam into downtown Los Angeles and the notoriously seedy Cecil Hotel, a building long steeped in violence, suicides, and urban legend. (https://www.facebook.com/groups/dtlaphotography/posts/1550958303358155/)Diagnosed with bipolar disorder and depression, Elisa was traveling alone, managing a complex medication regimen, and documenting her growing anxiety online before she abruptly disappeared in early 2013. We unpack her unsettling elevator video, her eventual discovery in a rooftop water tank, and how manic episodes, psychosis, and treatment challenges can blur the line between vulnerability and danger. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoBBrkpR5L8)Along the way, we explore why the Cecil’s history made this case explode into global fascination, and what Elisa’s story can teach us about mental illness, stigma, and the ethics of turning real human suffering into internet mystery.

13. 

    10 Aug 2026

    King George III; Madness of a Monarch

    He ruled an empire. Then his mind ruled him. This episode explores the tumultuous reign of King George III, examining how his struggles with porphyria and, or, bipolar disorder shaped his leadership during a pivotal time in British history. As he faced the pressures of the American Revolutionary War and political unrest at home, his mental and physical health profoundly influenced his decisions and relationships. Through a examination of his medical conditions and the historical context, the episode invites reflection on the complexities of leadership under personal duress and the evolving perceptions of mental health.

14. 

    5 Aug 2026

    Mob Mentality: Bugsy Siegel's Psychological Playbook

    Join Sarah, a psychiatric nurse practitioner and Steve, known for "storytime with Steve" as they discuss Bugsy Siegel’s psychological playbook that wasn’t just about personal grandiosity; it was about mastering mob mentality. In this episode, we break down how his belief in his own exceptional vision, combined with the pull of group pressure and herd behavior inside the syndicate, turned Las Vegas into the perfect stage for both bold innovation and catastrophic decisions.

15. 

    29 Jul 2026

    Whispers from the Winchester: Explore the Mind Behind the Mystery House

    Haunted Architecture of a Restless Mind In this episode, we step inside the Winchester Mystery House, the sprawling California mansion that Sarah Winchester reportedly built for 38 years, filling it with staircases to nowhere, doors that open into walls, and rooms designed to confuse both visitors and, some say, vengeful spirits. We explore how grief, guilt, and superstition shaped her life after inheriting the rifle fortune and losing her child and husband, asking whether her relentless construction reflects haunted lore, eccentric creativity, or patterns that echo modern understandings of obsessive compulsive disorder. Along the way, we connect the mansion’s architectural oddities to contemporary discussions of OCD, intrusive thoughts, and compulsive rituals, using Sarah’s legend as a way to separate sensational myth from the lived reality of anxiety and obsession.

16. 

    22 Jul 2026

    The Monster of New Orleans; Mad Madame LaLaurie

    Madame Delphine LaLaurie: Medical Atrocities And Haunted New Orleans Madame Marie Delphine LaLaurie was a celebrated Creole socialite in 1830s New Orleans whose refined salons concealed one of the most sadistic slave torture regimes in American history. Behind The Mansion’s Elegant Facade In her Royal Street mansion, enslaved people were chained, starved, mutilated, and reportedly subjected to crude “medical experiments” in a locked attic chamber exposed only after a kitchen fire on April 10, 1834. Witnesses described emaciated bodies fixed to walls, improvised surgical restraints, and wounds that suggested systematic, clinical cruelty rather than impulsive violence Haunted Lore And Medical Echoes After the mob destroyed the house and LaLaurie fled, the mansion’s reputation fused with New Orleans. Today, guides and visitors report oppressive atmospheres, strange sounds, and “restless spirits,” making LaLaurie Mansion a cornerstone of the city’s haunted lore and a symbol of how extreme human cruelty can haunt a place for generations.

17. 

    15 Jul 2026

    The Silent Twins; Folie a Deux

    Two sisters, June and Jennifer Gibbons, refused to speak to anyone but each other, creating a private world of shared language, mirrored identity, and increasingly dangerous fantasies. Known as The Silent Twins, their bond drifted from intense dependence into crime, arson, and a disturbing pact that ended with one twin’s sudden death and the other’s release from Broadmoor Psychiatric Hospital. This episode uses their story to explore distress and crime born from isolation, the erosion of individual identity inside a twin dyad, and folie à deux—a shared delusional system that makes it hard to tell where one mind ends and the other begins.

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Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

4 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

5 ratings

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