Mental Health is Horrifying
Episodes
The Blair Witch Project — Are we in a period of collective psychosis?
24 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
I was there! I was a teenager, there to experience the genius marketing surrounding The Blair Witch Project. It signalled a new era for horror, while ...
Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen — The curse of hetero expectation
09 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen, Netflix’s newest horror series, begs the question — do you really want to marry this guy, or do you just fe...
Interview With The Vampire — This relationship is draining me!
12 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Lestat and Louis have one of the most complicated, twisted relationships in literature and film. And it brings up the topic of energy vampires – wha...
In Search of Darkness 1995-1999 — The psychology of 90s nostalgia
12 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
90s nostalgia is everywhere right now, and it's not a random coincidence.In this episode, I explore the documentary In Search of Darkness 1995-19...
Catherine O’Hara — The healing capacity of transference
01 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In this special tribute to Canadian icon and spooky legend Catherine O'Hara, I talk about all that she gave us, and the healing capacity of a psy...
Knives Out — How grief scrambles family dynamics
15 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
It's winter and all I want to do is solve cozy mysteries! In this episode, I explore Knives Out (2019) and its portrayal of the impact of grief o...
Black Swan — Perfectionism is a horrifying performance
11 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The holiday season always makes me think of ballet and how it is both a horrifying and beautiful dance. In this episode, I explore Black Swan (2010) a...
Frankenstein — Narcissism is the real monster
20 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I explore Frankenstein (2025) and its portrayal of narcissism. Mental Health is Horrifying is hosted by Candis Green, Registered Psy...
I need your help, ghouls!
10 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
I am so honoured to have been nominated for 5 Canadian Podcast Awards — and I need your help!Outstanding Health & Fitness SeriesOutstanding Tele...
Scary Movie — Laughing through the horrors
23 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this special Halloween episode, I explore Scary Movie (2000), the connection between laughter and trauma, and its regulatory function as we navigat...
Sleepy Hollow — Somatic therapy with the Headless Horseman
09 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this special Halloween episode, I explore Sleepy Hollow (1999) and its portrayal of the importance of working somatically to process emotions. Men...
Mother! — Mother Nature’s Mental Health w/ Chloe Hurst
04 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
On today’s episode, I have the absolute joy of talking to my friend Chloe Hurst aka The Goth Garden about psychological horror Mother! (2017) and it...
Your Favorite Scary Movie — Interview w/ Ashley Cullins on how Scream changed us
21 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this horrifying book review episode, I talk to Ashley Cullins — the woman who literally wrote the book on the Scream franchise, Your Favorite Sca...
Midsommar — I’m afraid of women’s circles
07 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I explore Midsommar (2019) and its portrayal intersubjectivity, group dynamics, and why I’m afraid of women’s circles. Mental He...
I Know What You Did Last Summer — Emerging adulthood is a killer
17 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I explore I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997) and its portrayal of the horrors of emerging adulthood.Mental Health is Horrifying i...
Immaculate Conception — Handing our humanity over to tech billionaires... what could go wrong?
04 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
On this horrifying book review episode, I’m talking about Immaculate Conception by Ling Ling Huang and its exploration of what happens when we hand ...
Phantom of the Paradise — The mental anguish of the creative soul w/ Angelica Cresci
19 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I chat with Angelica Cresci — occultist, content creator, writer, and astrologer — about Phantom of the Paradise (1974) and its p...
Treehouse of Horror VI: Attack of the 50-Foot Eyesores — The Overstimulation Crisis
05 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I explore the overstimulation crisis that we currently find ourselves in as portrayed through The Simpsons Treehouse of Horror VI: At...
The Craft — How to become yourself w/ Kait Fowlie
13 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I chat with tarot reader, astrologer, and teacher Kait Fowlie about The Craft (1996) and its portrayal of the paths we take to become...
Terrifier — The horrors of imposter syndrome
01 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I make a brave confession and explore how Terrifier (2016) reflects the psychological phenomenon of imposter syndrome.Mental Health i...
The Strangers — Engagement Nightmare Story w/ Shannon Knight, LMHC, LPC
10 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I chat with Psychotherapist Shannon Knight from the podcast The Tarot Diagnosis about The Strangers (2008) and how the movie portrays...
Midnight Mass — Existential extravaganza!
20 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode on Midnight Mass (2021), I explore the portrayal of the crisis of faith that accompanies a world-class existential crisis. Mental Hea...
The Witch — Satanic scapegoating
27 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode on The Witch (2015), I explore the psychological concept of scapegoating and how it can drive a woman straight to the devil. Hail Sata...
Companion — What f@*%ed up attachment style is this?
11 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode on Companion (2025), I theorize about what new f@*%ed up attachment style could evolve out of our attempts to attach to AI companion b...
The Shining — Loneliness will kill ya
21 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This episode explores The Shining (1980) and its depiction of the adverse psychological impacts of isolation and lack of community. Spoiler alert: it&...
Nosferatu — Shame is a nightmare
06 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This episode explores Nosferatu (2024) and its depiction of shame as a horrible, beautiful nightmare. Mental Health is Horrifying is hosted by Candis ...
A Haunting in Venice — Cozy horror makes life less scary
13 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Life is hard! So I'm really glad that cozy horror movies like A Haunting in Venice exist to comfort us through times of hardship and winter frost...
The Substance — We're all gonna die
29 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
If there was a drug that would create a younger version of yourself, would you take it?This episode looks at The Substance (2024) and its portrayal of...
The Hitchcock Hotel + Psycho — Maternal enmeshment extravaganza!
13 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
As Norman Bates likes to say, a boy's best friend is his mother....Right?This episode takes a look at the book The Hitchcock Hotel (2024) and hor...
Trick 'r Treat — Halloween is good for your mental health
15 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this special BONUS Halloween episode, let’s explore Trick ‘r Treat (2007), and the importance of Halloween for your mental health. Mental Healt...
Halloween (1978) — The *perfect* final girl, and her anxiety boogeyman
08 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This special Halloween episode explores the absolute classic Halloween (1978) and its portrayal of Laurie Strode’s over-functioning anxiety in her p...
Longlegs — Intrusive thoughts, brought to you by Nicolas Cage
10 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I don’t know what the deal is with all of you who didn’t find Longlegs scary, because this movie straight up gave me intrusive thoughts! This epis...
Trap — Thirst is good for your mental health
10 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Let’s talk about Trap (2024) and about how teen heartthrobs, fantasy, and nostalgia are actually beneficial to our mental health by exploring self-p...
Lisa Frankenstein — Love as an (un)living altar to grief
23 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This episode talks about 2024 gothic romance horror comedy delight Lisa Frankenstien and its portrayal of the grieving process through the eyes of Lis...
Tarot — Relax, it’s only a portal into your soul
12 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
If you were staying at a spooky old mansion for the weekend and you found a condemned tarot deck in the basement that definitely looked haunted… wou...
Scream — What if this is all Sidney's trauma nightmare?
23 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever been in the middle of experiencing something so strange, or so cruel or surreal that you think to yourself – I have to be in some kind...
The Haunting — Caregiver burnout is a haunted house that you live in
26 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Does spending a weekend in a haunted house conducting paranormal investigations with a bunch of other spooky weirdos sound preferable to spending it w...
Cam — Double double ego trouble
27 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
How would you feel if one day you tried to login to your online social media accounts, only to discover that they were locked and your online persona ...
Host — Even the ghosts have lockdown anxiety
23 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Remember lockdown? I know I'm sorry — I know you don’t want to, but I think it’s worth considering for the sake of talking about Host (2020...
Krampus — It’s beginning to look a lot like seasonal depression
12 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Let’s talk about Krampus (2015) — everyone’s favourite half goat, half demon creature who has come to punish all the misbehaving children and dy...
Five Nights at Freddy’s — Dreamwork to navigate the unconscious and a murderous teddy bear
13 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Let’s talk about Five Nights at Freddy’s (2023) and its portrayal of the personal unconscious through dreams.K so the reason I went to see this mo...
Hocus Pocus — I put a spell on your nervous system
10 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On this special Halloween episode, I’m going to risk having my horror hall pass revoked by diving into a movie that is uhhh not TECHNICALLY a horror...
The Ring — Grief is a well you’ve been thrown down
27 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
So — have you heard about this tape? Let’s talk about The Ring (2002) and its portrayal of grief, nature vs nurture, and the psycho-therapeutic th...
They Live — 5 tips to manifest out of this dystopian hellscape, babe
28 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Let’s talk about They Live (1988) and its portrayal of mental health themes of oppression, manifestation vs. reality, and the attention economy and ...
Jaws — Don’t ignore your emotions or they’ll swim up and bite you in the ass!
27 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It’s summertime, ghouls! It’s hot, it’s humid, and wouldn’t you non-vampire people just love a day on the beach? Or are you afraid to go in th...
The Mist — Cloudy with a chance of monsters (+ climate anxiety and xenophobia!)
26 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Let’s talk about the apocalyptic— today’s forecast is misty with a chance of monsters — low key 2007 creature feature, The Mist.I had seen thi...
Carrie —she's not a monster, she's just religiously traumatized!
05 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Let's talk about the blood-soaked, prom queen of our dreams who — spoiler alert! — burns the whole ass gymnasium down cinematic masterpiece f...
M3GAN — an AI robot treating mental health... what could go wrong?
05 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Let's talk about 2023 AI dystopian murderous doll from the bowels of tech hell masterpiece — M3GAN. It is my belief that horror movies reflect ...
Trailer
05 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Are you someone who watches horror movies and thinks — that nasty old well that Samara climbs out of in The Ring is really a metaphor for her grief?...