Podcast
Terror Talk: True Crime, Serial Killers and Horror
Hosted by Shannon & Cathy | Clinical Psychology PhD & Forensic Psychologist · EN
Two psychologists — one forensic, one clinical — dissecting serial killers, psychopaths, and the dark minds behind true crime and horror cinema. Hosted by Shannon (PhD, LMFT) and Cathy (PhD, forensic psychology). 600+ episodes covering serial killer psychology, criminal profiling, horror films, cold cases, unsolved murders, cults, narcissism, and crimes so bizarre they defy explanation. Expert clinical insight. Genuine dark humor. New episodes every week. Follow now and join us on Patreon. Lock your doors. 🔒
11episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
PROFILE: Gary Ridgway, The Green River Killer Part 2
May 2900:44:48Tap to summarizeIn Part 1 we followed the investigation. Now Shannon and Cathy go somewhere far more unsettling, inside Gary Ridgway's head. What does it actually take to live a double life for nearly two decades? To hold down a job, get married, attend church, and kill without remorse? In Part 2, our two therapists unpack the psychological machinery behind one of the most prolific serial killers in American history.Ridgway's profile wasn't that of a thrill-seeking sadist, it was something arguably more chilling: a methodical, compulsive need to kill driven by psychopathy and paraphilic disorders. Shannon and Cathy dig into the cognitive dissonance that allowed him to rationalize his crimes, the narcissism that ultimately helped investigators break him, and what his case reveals about the darkest intersections of psychology and violence.If Part 1 asked how he wasn't caught sooner. Part 2 asks who he really was. Buckle up.Until then... sleep safe. 😴🎧 Follow Terror Talk wherever you get your podcasts and join us on Patreon for bonus content and access to the compound.📸 Instagram: @terrortalkpodcast | 🎥 YouTube: Terror Talk Podcast | 📘 Facebook: Terror Talk Podcast | 🎵 TikTok: @dark.psychology.girls🎶 Music by Mannequin Uprising.
Transcribe →PROFILE: Gary Ridgway, The Green River Killer Part 1
Apr 2200:44:06Tap to summarizeHow does a predator this prolific go undetected for so long?He held the same job for 30 years, married three times, and attended church on Sundays. Gary Ridgway, the Green River Killer, was hiding in plain sight for nearly two decades while methodically strangling scores of women across King County, Washington. In Part 1 of this two-part true crime deep dive, therapists Shannon and Cathy apply their criminal psychology expertise to one of the most baffling serial killer investigations in American history.From the bodies first discovered along the Green River in 1982 to the failed polygraph that pushed Ridgway down the suspect list for years, this episode traces the jaw-dropping failures and near-misses of one of the longest unsolved serial killer cases in American history, and what they reveal about the limits of criminal profiling and forensic investigation.Shannon and Cathy bring their clinical lens to what made Ridgway so psychologically elusive, so dangerous, and so disturbingly easy to overlook. If you think you know this case, think again.Part 2 drops next and it goes somewhere darker. Until then... sleep safe. 😴🎧 Follow Terror Talk wherever you get your podcasts and join us on Patreon for bonus content and access to the compound.📸 Instagram: @terrortalkpodcast | 🎥 YouTube: Terror Talk Podcast | 📘 Facebook: Terror Talk Podcast | 🎵 TikTok: @dark.psychology.girls🎶 Music by Mannequin Uprising
Transcribe →WHAT THE HELL: Ridiculous Crimes, Dumb Criminals and Absolute Chaos
Mar 2500:35:17Tap to summarizeWhy are people so spectacularly bad at being people?Shannon and Cathy take a break from profiling serial killers to profile something arguably more baffling — the sheer, staggering stupidity of ordinary human behavior. From dumb criminals to absurd laws still on the books, this episode is pure chaos with a psychological twist.Because even ridiculous behavior tells you something about the human mind. And some of it is genuinely unhinged.Until then... Sleep safe. 😴🎧 Follow Terror Talk wherever you get your podcasts and join us on Patreon for bonus content and access to the compound.📸 Instagram: @terrortalkpodcast | 🎥 YouTube: Terror Talk Podcast | 📘 Facebook: Terror Talk Podcast | 🎵 TikTok: @dark.psychology.girls🎶 Music by Mannequin Uprising
Transcribe →SHRINK CHAT: Dracula, Iron Lung and The Bride
Mar 1900:51:15Tap to summarizeWhat do a centuries-old vampire, a polio-era nightmare and a monster's bride have in common? Shannon and Cathy have opinions.Shrink Chat is where two psychologists get gloriously off-script. This episode Shannon and Cathy dig into their latest horror movie, series and book reviews, including Dracula, Iron Lung and The Bride, plus trivia, highlight games and the general jackassery you come here for.No serial killers this week. Just horror, laughs and two PhDs with too many feelings about monsters.Until then... sleep safe. 😴🎧 Follow Terror Talk wherever you get your podcasts and join us on Patreon for bonus content and access to the compound.📸 Instagram: @terrortalkpodcast | 🎥 YouTube: Terror Talk Podcast | 📘 Facebook: Terror Talk Podcast | 🎵 TikTok: @dark.psychology.girls🎶 Music by Mannequin Uprising
Transcribe →FEMALE PSYCHOPATH: Real and Fictional Women of the 2000s
Feb 2500:45:17Tap to summarizeWho gets called a psychopath and who just got in the way of a good story?In Part 3 of their decade-by-decade series, therapists Shannon and Cathy turn their clinical lens on the women the 2000s couldn't stop talking about. From Jodi Arias and Casey Anthony to the calculated con of Belle Gibson, and the chilling manipulation of Dalia Dippolito, this episode profiles the real cases that defined female psychopathy in a decade obsessed with dangerous women.On the fiction side: Amy Dunne in Gone Girl, Asami Yamazaki in Audition, Mallory Knox in Natural Born Killers and Marie in High Tension, four of the most psychologically complex female villains ever put on screen.And then there's Amanda Knox. Shannon and Cathy revisit one of the most media-distorted cases of the decade and what it reveals about how quickly the psychopath label gets applied to women who simply don't perform grief the right way.Two psychologists. Ten women. One question: what does it actually take to be labeled a monster?Until then... sleep safe. 😴🎧 Follow Terror Talk wherever you get your podcasts and join us on Patreon for bonus content and access to the compound.📸 Instagram: @terrortalkpodcast | 🎥 YouTube: Terror Talk Podcast | 📘 Facebook: Terror Talk Podcast | 🎵 TikTok: @dark.psychology.girls🎶 Music by Mannequin Upcoming
Transcribe →Worst Horror of 2025 - T***ies & Tonic - Popeye the Slayer Man and IKWYDLS - Bad Movies We Didn't See
Feb 1300:52:46Tap to summarizeJoin us to talk about the worst rated horror of 2025. We like to call it Titties and Tonic.Subscribe, share the episode, and comment with your own Worst of Horror 2025 picks.📸 Instagram: @terrortalkpodcast🎥 YouTube: Terror Talk Podcast🎃 Facebook: Halloween All Year Long🎵 Music by Mannequin Uprising
Transcribe →Best of Horror 2025 - Movies, Series and Horrified
Jan 2600:51:53Tap to summarizeIn this Best of Horror 2026 episode of Terror Talk Podcast, we break down the movies, series, and surprises that defined horror this year — with a fun but thoughtful, spoiler-free conversation.We kick things off with a mini-review of Cathy’s new favorite horror game, Horrified: Dungeons & Dragons, before diving into our top horror TV series of 2026, including standout favorites IT: Welcome to Derry, Dexter: Resurrection, and The Hunting Wives, plus discussions of Alien: Earth and Zero Day. We even disagree on Stranger Things, offering contrasting perspectives.Next, we cover our favorite horror movies of the year, including Sinners, Frankenstein, House of Dynamite, Wolfman, and Companion, along with a few surprise mentions that caught us off guard.This episode is a curated, year-end guide for horror fans who want smart recommendations, honest reactions, and a female-driven perspective on the best horror of 2026.Subscribe, share the episode, and comment with your own Best of Horror 2026 picks.📸 Instagram: @terrortalkpodcast🎥 YouTube: Terror Talk Podcast🎃 Facebook: Halloween All Year Long🎵 Music by Mannequin Uprising
Transcribe →What the Hell?! Best of The Dumbest Crimes, Wildest Criminals & Absolute Chaos in 2025
Jan 700:36:53Tap to summarizeWelcome to the What the Hell?! Best of The Dumbest Crimes, Wildest Criminals & Absolute Chaos in 2025 episode of Terror Talk Podcast, where we round up the most ridiculous, unbelievable, and head-scratching crimes of the year — the stories that made us stop mid-sentence and say, “What. The. Hell.”This special episode is packed with all-new 2025 crime stories featuring spectacularly bad decision-making, deeply confused criminals, and situations so absurd they sound fictional… but unfortunately are very real. If you love true crime with a heavy dose of humor, this one is for you.As always, we balance our disbelief with laughter, commentary, and just enough psychological insight to ask the real question: how did anyone think this was a good idea?These episodes are a reminder that while true crime can be dark and disturbing, there’s also a strange, absurd side of criminal behavior that deserves to be examined — and laughed at.No glamorizing.No sympathy.Just consequences… and comedy.📸 Instagram: @terrortalkpodcast🎥 YouTube: Terror Talk Podcast🎃 Facebook: Halloween All Year LongOriginal music by Mannequin Uprising
Transcribe →True Crime Night: One Star Reviews, BTK’s Daughter, and the Darkest Documentary Confessions
Dec 2000:51:23Tap to summarizeIn this True Crime Night episode of Terror Talk – True Crime • Serial Killers • Horror Movies, we dive deep into some of the most disturbing, emotional, and controversial true crime documentaries streaming right now. With a balance of serious analysis and our signature dark humor, we unpack the crimes, the psychology, and the uncomfortable truths behind these cases — and then top it off by roasting the most ridiculous one-star reviews we can find.⚠️ Trigger Warning: This episode includes discussions of violence, murder, abuse, and sexual assault. Listener discretion is advised.🔪 Aileen Wuornos: Queen of the Serial KillersWe revisit one of the most infamous female serial killers in American history, exploring how media narratives, trauma, and gender expectations shaped the story of Aileen Wuornos — and how documentaries continue to frame her legacy.🧬 My Father’s the BTK KillerWhat happens when the monster is your parent? We discuss the psychological toll of discovering your father is Dennis Rader, examining identity, denial, and generational trauma.🏘️ The Perfect NeighborA chilling look at how obsession, entitlement, and unchecked aggression can escalate into deadly violence — and what this case reveals about warning signs we too often ignore.🚪 Death in Apartment 603We break down the strange circumstances, conflicting narratives, and investigative gaps that make this case linger long after the credits roll.📱 Unknown Number: The High School CatfishA deeply unsettling story of deception, vulnerability, and digital manipulation — and why catfishing crimes continue to thrive in online spaces.🧩 Girl in the PictureOne of the most haunting documentaries discussed this episode, raising questions about identity, control, and the devastating impact of long-term abuse.As therapists who specialize in understanding behavior, we examine:Patterns of manipulation and coercive controlTrauma responses in victims and familiesHow documentaries shape public perception of guilt, innocence, and blameWhy some cases resonate more deeply than othersAfter heavy material, we lighten things up by reading and reacting to ridiculous one-star reviews of these documentaries — proving once again that sometimes the comments section is its own crime scene.
Transcribe →Shrink Chat – The Conjuring: Last Rites, Frankenstein, The Long Walk, Black Phone 2 plus documentaries and the TV series The Beast in Me
Dec 400:52:44Tap to summarizeWelcome back to Shrink Chat, where two therapists break down horror, TV, books, and the wonderfully bizarre corners of pop culture—one laugh, one eyeball twitch, and one One-Star Review at a time.In this episode, we’re diving into a massive wave of new and upcoming horror releases across film, TV, and documentary storytelling. From rebooted classics to brand-new nightmare fuel, we’re reviewing everything spoiler-free, so you can decide what to watch next without fear of us ruining the trauma for you.What We’re Reviewing This Week (Spoiler-Free!) TV & Streaming SeriesThe Beast in Me – Atmospheric horror with emotional teeth.Zero Day – A political thriller that may or may not be predicting the future.IT: Welcome to Derry – Pennywise returns… and we have thoughts. Big ones.Movies (from prestige horror to pure chaos)Black Phone 2 – New victims, old trauma, same terrifying phone.Frankenstein 2025 – A modern monster that hits closer to home than expected.Until Dawn – Survival horror that will spike your blood pressure.The Long Walk – Existential dread + tension = our happy place.The Conjuring: Last Rites – The Warrens are back… again… somehow.Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers – Don’t ask. Just listen.Toxic Avenger – Delightfully disgusting.The Gorge – Emotional action-thriller with genre surprises.Osiris – Sci-fi mystery meets psychological horror. DocumentariesThe Road Between Us – True crime meets intimate storytelling.Into the Fire – Heavy, important, and worth the watch.Fun Segments This Week⭐ Highlight ReactionsQuick takes on the weirdest, wildest, and most intriguing horror + true crime news headlines.🩸 Horror Facts with CathCath tests Shannon’s knowledge with trivia that is 90% horror and 10% “Why do we know this?”⭐ One-Star ReviewsThe internet has spoken… terribly. We read the worst reviews of beloved films and cope through laughter.🎧 Why Listen?This episode is perfect for horror fans of all ages and backgrounds who want:✔️ Spoiler-free guidance on what to watch next✔️ Therapist-level insight with zero clinical jargon✔️ A fun, fast-moving vibe✔️ Big series reviews (IT, Zero Day, The Beast in Me)✔️ A wide mix of movie styles—from arthouse sci-fi to campy gore📢 Connect With UsInstagram: @terrortalkpodcastYouTube: Terror Talk PodcastFacebook: Halloween All Year LongMusic Credit:🎶 Mannequin Uprising — original music featured in every episode.If you enjoyed this episode, share it with a friend, fellow horror fan, or someone who needs a new series to obsess over. Sharing helps our indie podcast grow!
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