Scary Stories for the Soul
Episodes
IT’S THE 100TH EPISODE!
05 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Let’s celebrate 100 episodes with an Espooky collaboration! Cristina, one of the hosts of Espooky Tales, joins us for a discussion about folklore, b...
Episode 99: SPECIAL RE-RELEASE OF EPISODE 1 - The Ouija Board
22 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
In preparation for 100 episodes, enjoy this special re-release of Episode 1 where we discuss the origin story of the Ouija board. The episode also fea...
Episode 98: The Cecil Hotel
08 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Sometimes horrible things happen in the most mundane of places. The Cecil Hotel is an example of just this. By all intents and purposes, the Cecil sho...
Episode 97: My Soul, for the Music - The Robert Johnson Story
22 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Would you give anything to reach your goals? Achieve your musical dreams? Have your desires of fame and talent granted?Would you give up your soul, f...
Episode 96: The Codex Gigas A.K.A The Devil’s Bible
08 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The Codex Gigas is a religious manuscript written by a 13th century monk that has been so famously dubbed “The Devil’s Bible.” Why? Because it c...
Episode 95: The Devil’s Footprint
29 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
The Frauenkirche is a Gothic Catholic Church located in Munich, Bavaria, in southeastern Germany. Although architecturally it is quite beautiful, the ...
Episode 94: Ye’ Olde Spooky Christmas
25 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Merry Christmas!This year, for our Christmas episode, let’s talk about some not so well known Christmas and Yule folklore and figured- the ones that...
SPECIAL RE-RELEASE Episode 93: Sleep Paralysis (with additional original horror story)
14 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
“Sleep paralysis” is defined as episodes of paralysis that occur while someone is awake, or in the middle of falling asleep. Little is known about...
Episode 92: Las Caras de Belmez/ The Faces of Belmez
09 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever heard of Pareidolia? It is a psychological phenomena that occurs in humans where we think we see faces in different objects. We are desp...
Happy Halloween! Episode 91: The Four Door Experiment
31 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Every exorcism and possession case is unique in its own right, but one thing that can always be agreed on is that the possessed individual always suff...
HALLOWEEN SPECIAL Episode 90: The Possession of "Roland Doe," the boy who inspired “The Exorcist”
26 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Sitting in the Bel-Nor neighborhood of St.Louis, Missouri is a house with a dark history. Its brick exterior and white shutters makes it just as avera...
HALLOWEEN SPECIAL Episode 89: The Televised Exorcism of Teenage “Gina”
20 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
At this point, we have all witnessed exorcisms taking place. Fictional ones, of course, but nonetheless, horror fans, and those poor souls that we hav...
HALLOWEEN SPECIAL EPISODE 88: The Exorcism of Maricica Irina Cornici
13 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The thought of a minister or a reverend or a nun becoming possessed feels wrong on so many levels, but demons get brownie points for possessing and in...
HALLOWEEN SPECIAL Episode 87: The Possession of Annaliese Michel
05 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
There is a line in Arthur Miller’s 1953 play The Crucible, that reads, “What victory would the Devil have to win a soul already bad? It is the bes...
Halloween 2025 Teaser Trailer!
05 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Halloween is here! Well, for the chronically obsessed it’s BEEN here, but now it’s officially official. Listen to this exclusive trailer to learn ...
Episode 86: La Lleyenda de La Llorona (Spanish language version)
22 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Listen to The Legend of La Llorona, narrated in Spanish by published poet, Sandra Cortes
SPECIAL RE-RELEASE Episode 86: The Legend of La Llorona
15 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
To celebrate the start of National Hispanic Heritage Month, we are releasing a remastered version of Episode 3: La Llorona! The legend of La Llorona i...
Episode 85: The Hungry Ghost Festival
06 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Hungry Ghost Day is the one day of the year where all of the ghosts and spirits that have been dwelling in the Lower Realm can leave the Underworld an...
SPECIAL RE-RELEASE Episode 84: Cape Romain Lighthouse & Original Horror Story “The Ghosts of Crater Lighthouse
24 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The United States boasts an abnormal amount of haunted lighthouses, none of which hold a candle to Cape Romain Lighthouse on Lighthouse Island, in McC...
Episode 83: The Flannan Isle Lighthouse Mystery
10 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Lighthouses are strange things. By definition and functionality, they are symbols of good, symbols of light. And yet there is something about them tha...
Episode 82: The Tanganyika Laughter Epidemic of 1962
30 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Laughter is contagious. In 1962, a small village near the border of Uganda became the prime example for just how wildly contagious laughter could be. ...
Episode 81: The Dancing Plague of 1518
16 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Dancing is one of those things that we almost have no control over. But what if you really couldn't help it? What if one day you woke up, walked out i...
Episode 80: The Loudun Possession Incident
29 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
If you study the religions and cultures from around the world that acknowledge possession as a universal experience, you’ll see that there is no spe...
SPECIAL RE-RELEASE Episode 79: Josephine and the Flying Dutchman
15 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Special Re-Release Episode 79: Josephine and the Flying DutchmanOriginally heard in Episode 32, Josephine and the Flying Dutchman covers the lore and ...
Episode 78: Houska Castle’s Gateway to Hell
01 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Houska Castle is an impressive gothic structure famous for its beautiful religious frescoes, romantic architecture, and a supposed literal gateway to ...
Episode 77: El Cucuy
20 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Fear of El Cucuy derives from the fear of the unknown. So let’s shine some light on what we do know about this amorphous, nightmare-inducing creatur...
Episode 76: The Jersey Devil
06 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
New Jersey is known for many things – Atlantic City, Bruce Springsteen, Bon Jovi, and the Jersey Devil. This demon cryptid is the last thing you wan...
Special Women’s History Month Episode 75: Lilith, Mother of Demons Rerelease
25 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
To celebrate Women’s History Month, we are releasing a newly remastered version of our episode on Lilith, the Mother of Demons. Explore the history ...
Episode 74: Aokigahara Forest
09 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
DISCLAIMER: THIS EPISODE MENTIONS THE SUBJECT OF SELF-HARM AND SUICIDE. LISTENER DISCRETION IS ADVISED. Aokigahara Forest is situated at the base of M...
Episode 73: The Faces of the Salem Witch Trials - Martha Carrier, Ann Foster, and Lady Mary Phips
24 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In the winter of 1692, the village of Salem, Massachusetts found itself embroiled in a vicious witch hunt. A total of 185 people would ultimately be a...
Episode 72: The Faces of the Salem Witch Trials- Martha Corey and Giles Corey
16 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In the winter of 1692, the village of Salem, Massachusetts found itself embroiled in a vicious witch hunt. A total of 185 people would ultimately be a...
Episode 71: The Faces of the Salem Witch Trials - Rebecca Nurse and Reverend George Burroughs
09 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In the winter of 1692, the village of Salem, Massachusetts found itself embroiled in a vicious witch hunt. To commemorate the 333 anniversary of the S...
Episode 70: The Faces of the Salem Witch Trials - Tituba, Sarah Good, and Bridget Bishop
02 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
To commemorate the 333 anniversary of the Salem Witch Trials, Scary Stories for the Soul is releasing one episode a week in the month of February, hig...
Episode 69: Dial S-P for Spirit Phone
19 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Thomas Edison can take credit for inventing many things, like recorded sound and motion pictures. But did you know he also had a hand trying to invent...
Episode 68: Welcome to The Stanley Hotel
05 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Stanley Hotel has a reputation for being the most haunted hotel in the United States. Some of that is thanks to Stephen King’s 1977 novel The Sh...
Episode 67: A Very Pagan Christmas
21 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Holiday traditions are sacred things. They’re what makes the season joyful and bright. But I bet you didn’t know that some of our most beloved hol...
Episode 66: La Befana, the Christmas-ish Witch
08 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
La Befana is a popular figure in Italian holiday folklore. The little Christmas Witch shares more than a few traits with good Ol’ Saint Nick. This h...
Episode 65: The Magic of Germany’s Black Forest
24 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Forests are naturally known as fantastical places, but none hold a candle to Germany’s Black Forest. Walk into the supernatural history of the Black...
Episode 64: La Casa De Los Lamentos + Special Bonus story: Gertrude Tredwell
10 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
When La Casa de los Lamentos in Guanajuato, Mexico opened its doors to tourists, they knew they could make some money showing the home of a deceased s...
HALLOWEEN SPECIAL Episode 63: Leticia, and the new Neighbors
31 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
HAPPY HALLOWEEN! It’s time for a Scary Stories for the Soul original tale of terror: The house next to Leticia’s has been vacant for years, until ...
HALLOWEEN SPECIAL Episode 62: The Vampire Tree of Guadalajara
26 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
There’s a tree in Guadalajara that’s unlike any other. It’s not the concrete slab that the tree grew out of that makes it so unique, or it’s s...
HALLOWEEN SPECIAL Episode 61: Jure Grando, the First recorded Vampire
19 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Jure Grando IS a vampire, or at least that’s what the people of Kringa believe. Learn about the first man to ever be noted in historical record as a...
HALLOWEEN SPECIAL Episode 60: Nellie Vaughn, the Vampire that never was
12 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Nellie Vaughn is NOT a vampire, and she’s been spending the majority of her afterlife trying to convince people of that. Let’s explore the Nellie ...
HALLOWEEN SPECIAL Episode 59: Mercy Brown, an American Vampire
05 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Alleged vampire Mercy Brown has had her name cemented into American history by being the focal point of the New England Vampire Panic. But even now, a...
Episode 58: Ladell Allen
31 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Warning: This episode contains instances of suicide and self harm. Listen at your own discretion.For decades the cause of Ladell Allen’s suicide was...
Episode 57: All that glitters might be cursed
15 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Hope Diamond is well know for its beauty, but did you know it also carries a legacy of death and misfortune? Let’s discuss the lore behind the b...
Episode 56: The Case of Edward Mordrake
24 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Edward Mordrake was a handsome, wealthy young man with a deep secret - a parasitic, evil face lived on the back of his head, whispering atrocities so ...
Episode 55: Blood and Art
18 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Paintings are fraught with emotions, whether they be anger, sadness, or joy. Some paintings hold spirits and the blood of those who painted them. Some...
Episode 54: Scary Stories for the Soul presents “The Chair Game”
19 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Games are never just games, we already know that. But Robin and Christine are about to learn that lesson the hard way when they insist on playing “T...
Episode 53: Lets play a game
03 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Hide and seek, tag, and cooties, all staples of our childhood, right? But did you know that some of your favorite childhood games could be hiding some...
Episode 52: Agnes Sampson, the Involuntary Witch
14 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Agnes Sampson is one of the most well-known women who was murdered during the Scottish Witch trails, and yet there is so much of her story we don’t ...
Episode 51: Scary Stories for the Soul presents “Xochi and La Lechuza”
31 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
HAPPY HALLOWEEN! Here’s an original short story “Xochi and La Lechuza.” We also spend some time listening to some real La Lechuza encounters fro...
Episode 50: Halloween Special - La Lechuza de la Noche (La Lechuza of the Night)
21 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Not all owls give us warm and fuzzy feelings, like the one from the Tootsie Pop commercial’s, or even Hedwig from the Harry Potter books. Some owls ...
Episode 49: Halloween Special-Marie Laveaux, The Witch Queen of New Orleans
14 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Marie Laveau is the most popular and powerful Voodoo practitioner in American history. Let’s explore the life of the woman commonly referred to as t...
Episode 48: Halloween Special - Baba Yaga of the Iron Teeth
07 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Week 1 of our special Halloween series is about Baba Yaga, the child-eating Crone of Slavic folklore! But is she more than just a hungry witch searchi...
Episode 47: Mirror, mirror, on the wall
29 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We’re so used to looking at ourselves in a mirror, that we never question whether that’s OUR reflection staring back at us. But could that be some...
Episode 46: The Sinking of the Titanic
16 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The Titanic was a modern marvel meant to be unsinkable, until it met its watery grave at the bottom of the North Atlantic Ocean. This episode we talk ...
Episode 45: The Third Man Effect
31 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Has someone ever saved your life but when you turned to thank them, you were completely alone? This week we explore the phenomena known as the Third M...
Episode 44: Folie a Deux
17 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
On today’s episode we dive into the true story of sisters Christine and Lea Papin, and what led them to commit one of Frances most heinous murders t...
Episode 43: The Padilla Family Curse
27 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Some people inherit familial traits, while others inherit family curses. Let’s discuss some of the most famous generational curses in folklore. We’...
Episode 42: Of Love and Ouija Boards
31 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
How far would you go to speak to the ones who you have loved and lost? Let’s explore the endearing story of Bess Houdini, and her search for her hus...
Episode 41: Lighthouses and their Ghosts
25 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Lighthouses are more than just beacons for lost ships, they’re also beacons for lost souls and hold more than their fair share of secrets and deaths...
Episode 40: Will-o’-the-wisp
28 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Will-o’-the-Wisps have been known to both enchant and entrap unsuspecting nature lovers all around the world. This episode we’ll learn about those...
Episode 39: Baby Beverly and the Changeling
07 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Changelings are curious and dangerous creatures, capable of switching out your loved ones for one of their own without you even knowing. Let us teach ...
Special Re-release: Practical Paul and the fairy ring featuring Casey Hills
07 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The story of Practical Paul and his misadventures with the fairy ring as told by voice actor Casey Hills.
Episode 37: A Very Krampus Christmas!
25 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What better way to celebrate Christmas than by learning about Krampus, Santa’s more terrifying companion. Krampus punishes naughty kids with more th...
Episode 36: Practical Paul and the fairy ring
13 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Fairy rings are portals to the world of fairies. Transporting yourself seems like a wonderful idea, but it’s very much not. Dreadful consequences aw...
Episode 35: Annie’s Night at the Winchester Mystery House
15 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome all to the Winchester Mystery House! Here you’ll learn about the elusive and withdrawn Sarah Winchester who at the behest of a medium and th...
It’s finally Halloween! Scary Stories for the Soul presents “The Night of Mare”
31 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
An original dark fairytale in honor of Samhain. Mare is a man who has lived his whole life in Blackwood Village. The villagers think he’s a demon, a...
Devil’s Night episode: My Grandmother Prays at Night
31 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
An original horror story in honor of Devil’s Night! Something terrifying is happening to Alejandro’s grandmother. But is her change in personality...
Episode 32: Josephine and the Flying Dutchman
17 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
A fear of the ocean isn’t that uncommon, especially when you’ve heard stories of what might be floating in the endlessness of its waters. Josephin...
Episode 31: Christopher and the Wrath of Black Aggie
10 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Black Aggie is the haunted statue of a weeping woman who marks the grave of General Felix Agnus. It’s said that the statue is haunted and that anyon...
Episode 30: Dylan and the Headless Horseman
04 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Dylan Dullahan doesn’t believe in the Headless Horseman, but when he accepts a bet from his high school students, he finds out the horseman is real,...
Episode 29: Confess your Sins to the Skeleton Man!
01 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
What would you confess to if provoked by a ghost from your past? Today we talk about Shelby Helene Adelaide, the inventor of a curious confession appa...
Episode 28: Valac, 62nd President of Hell
20 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It’s the demon series finale! Let’s talk about Valac, the demon made famous by The Conjuring series, and everything that the films got wrong and w...
Episode 27: Nasu, the Defiler
04 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Part 5 of the 6 part series on demons from around the world revolves around Nasu, the death defiling demon of Zoroastrianism. We also hear the story o...
Episode 26: Iblis, God’s appointed Demon
21 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Part 4 of the 6 part series following demons from around the world centers around Iblis, the angel turned demon appointed by Allah to tempt the wicked...
Episode 25: Samael, Angel or Demon?
19 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Part 3 of our deep dive into demons from around the world follows Samael, the angel turned demon from Jewish mythology. Learn about his fall from heav...
Episode 24: Lilith, Mother of Demons and so much more
10 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
On part 2 of the 6 part deep dive into demons from around the world, we discuss Lilith and her evolution from child-killer and promiscuous demon, to i...
Episode 23: Pazuzu, Demon and Protector
22 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
On part 1 on the 6 part see dive in demons from around the world, we explore the history of Pazuzu, the demon made popular by the film, The Exorcist. ...
Episode 22: Anna Baker’s Haunted Wedding Dress
04 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever felt like you were so love you were losing your mind? On this episode we learn about Anna Baker and the creation of her haunted wedding ...
Episode 21: The Palazzo Dario, the House of No Return
20 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Palazzo Dario is one of the most beautiful homes in Venice, Italy. It also happens to be one of the most haunted, and most deadly. On this episode...
Episode 20: Mommy, Daddy, there’s a ghost in my room.
04 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Has your child ever told you that there was a ghost in their room? Did you believe them? If you didn’t, then maybe that wasn’t the best thing to d...
Episode 19: What is it, Fido? A ghost?
22 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Has your dog ever barked into the corner of a shadowy room? Has your cat ever stared into the empty space behind you, deep in thought? On this episode...
Episode 18: Thin Places
08 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Thin places are places where the real and physical, meet the strange and unusual. But what happens when people become thin places too?
Episode 17: Escape from Cachtice Castle
15 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
On today’s episode we hear a story inspired by a young woman who was able to escape Elizabeth Bathory’s notorious murder castle..
Episode 16: The Haunted History of Halloween
31 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Happy Halloween! Listen closely as we walk through the ancient origins of Halloween and how modern times keep some of those traditions alive. We also ...
Episode 15: Curse Hollywood Horror Movies
30 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode we visit some of Hollywood’s most cursed horror movies and the damage that they caused. We also hear the story of a duo who stepped ...
Episode 14: Vlad the Impaler, the original Dracula
16 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
On this special episode we talk about Vlad the Impaler, the murderous man who supposedly inspired Bram Stokers’ famous novel Dracula.
Episode 13: Elizabeth Báthory, the Blood Countess
09 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of our special Haunted Halloween series, we dive deep into the real life story of the most prolific female serial killer in history, E...
Episode 12: The ghosts of Poveglia Island
02 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In the first of a 4 part of series of Haunted Halloween episodes, we dive into the spirits that haunt Poveglia Island, the most haunted island on eart...
Episode 11: The Bell Witch Haunting
25 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
On this special episode of the podcast, we retell the story of the Bell Witch and the haunting of the Bell family.
Episode 10: The Legend of the Dybbuk
10 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
On this weeks episode of Scary Stories for the Soul, we take a deep dive into the Jewish legend of the Dybbuk and the Dybbuk box that contains them.&n...
Episode 9: Beware the Banshees Cry
24 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
On this new episode of Scary Stories for the Soul, we delve into the Irish folklore of the Banshee, and we hear a story about a young woman who tried ...
Episode 8: Sleep Paralysis
28 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode, Isabel takes a deep dive into sleep paralysis and it’s paranormal connections. We also hear the story of a doctor who tried her har...
Episode 7: La Sayona
16 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
On tonight’s episode of Scary Stories for the Soul, we learn about La Sayona, the Venezuelan spirit that torments and kills unfaithful men. We also ...
Episode 6: Lay the Dead to Rest
08 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This episode we delve into different funerary and burial practices from across the globe, and how people from around the world honor their dead. We al...
Episode 5: EVP
05 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Tonight's episode talks about EVP's, or Electronic Voice Phenomena, and how people have been using the phenomena for years to try and contact the dead...
Episode 4.5: Bloody Mary
20 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
During this half-episode, Isabel and her sisters, Sandra & Georgette, discuss the Bloody Mary legend and how each of them have different versions ...
Episode 4
14 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The episode digs into the legend of Bloody Mary, it’s origins, the different ways to play, and we hear a story about a girl who played and paid the ...