This Is Actually Happening

Audible

What if you were trafficked into a cult...or were mauled by a grizzly bear...or were stabbed 27 times by a serial killer - what would you do? This is Actually Happening brings you extraordinary true stories of life-changing events told by the people who lived them. From a man who woke up in the morgue to a woman stranded in a Mexican desert fighting to survive, these stories will have you on the edge of your seat waiting to hear what happens next.

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S15 · E429
Tuesday · 51 min
429: What if you didn't see the signs? [Rebroadcast #247]
Bill Mitchell built a successful career, marriage and family, but just as his bright and loving daughter graduates from college with big dreams, an unthinkable event irreversibly changes everything. Today’s episode featured Bill Mitchell. Bill has a book and podcast, both called When Dating Hurts. You can find out more about Bill, his book and his podcast, all at whendatinghurts.com. You can also find his book on Amazon. Bill was originally featured on Scott Johnson’s amazing podcast, What Was That Like. If you love This Is Actually Happening, check out What Was That Like, featuring stories from people who have been through something extremely unusual. You’ll hear people talking about being in a plane crash, a mass shooting, a grizzly bear attack, and many more. The guest comes on and tells the details of what happened, first hand. If you like This Is Actually Happening, I know you’ll want to subscribe to What Was That Like. It’s available on any podcast app, or at WhatWasThatLike.com. If you or someone you know is in an abusive relationship, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) Producers Whit Missildine, Andrew Waits, Jason Blalock Content/Trigger Warnings domestic violence, graphic bodily injury, murder, death, explicit language. Social Media Instagram: @actuallyhappening Facebook: This Is Actually Happening Discussion Group Website: thisisactuallyhappening.com Substack - The End of the Known whitmissildine.substack.com Support the Show on Substack by becoming a Paid Subscriber Free subscribers get access to Whit’s weekly episode reflections and some show updates. Paid subscribers get access to AMAs with the team, follow up interviews with past guests, frequently asked questions, deeper insights into the creative process of the show and live events. A paid Substack subscription is also the best way to support the show. You can also support on Patreon patreon.com/happening Website for Whit Missildine whitmissildine.com Website for Andrew Waits andrdewwaits.com Website for Jason Blalock jasonblalock.com Subscribe on Audible to Listen Ad-Free Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of THIS IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app or visit Audible.com. Shop at the Store Find This Is Actually Happening branded t-shirts, posters, stickers and more from the shop: thisisactuallyhappening.com/shop Transcripts Full transcripts of each episode are now available on the website: thisisactuallyhappening.com Music Intro Music: "Sleep Paralysis" – Scott Velasquez Music Bed: “Union Flow” – Spuntic Services If you or someone you know is struggling with the effects of trauma or mental illness, please refer to the following resources: National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Text or Call 988 National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): 1-800-950-6264 National Sexual Assault Hotline (RAINN): 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. ©2026 Audible ℗2026 Audible See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
S15 · E428
September 10 · 56 min
428: What if your life became a movie? [Rebroadcast #315]
After his mother falls in love with Frank, the member of a one-hit-wonder 80s band, a man’s life becomes a roller coaster of neglect, scams, and chaos, but when he turns the camera on the inside of his family, a new world opens that he never thought possible. Today’s episode featured GJ Echternkamp. If you’d like to reach out to him, you can email at GJActuallyHappening@gmail.com. You can find GJ’s documentary, “frank and Cindy” from 2007, as well as his feature film, also titled “Frank and Cindy” from 2015, both on Netflix. You can also find the music video and song “Whirly Girl” by OXO released in 1983 on YouTube. Producers Whit Missildine, Andrew Waits, Jason Blalock Content/Trigger Warnings domestic violence, abuse, suicidal ideation, explicit language. Social Media Instagram: @actuallyhappening Facebook: This Is Actually Happening Discussion Group Website: thisisactuallyhappening.com Substack - The End of the Known whitmissildine.substack.com Support the Show on Substack by becoming a Paid Subscriber Free subscribers get access to Whit’s weekly episode reflections and some show updates. Paid subscribers get access to AMAs with the team, follow up interviews with past guests, frequently asked questions, deeper insights into the creative process of the show and live events. A paid Substack subscription is also the best way to support the show. You can also support on Patreon patreon.com/happening Website for Whit Missildine whitmissildine.com Website for Andrew Waits andrdewwaits.com Website for Jason Blalock jasonblalock.com Subscribe on Audible to Listen Ad-Free Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of THIS IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app or visit Audible.com. Shop at the Store Find This Is Actually Happening branded t-shirts, posters, stickers and more from the shop: thisisactuallyhappening.com/shop Transcripts Full transcripts of each episode are now available on the website: thisisactuallyhappening.com Music Intro Music: "Sleep Paralysis" – Scott Velasquez Music Bed: Ambient Themes by Nigel Coutinho Services If you or someone you know is struggling with the effects of trauma or mental illness, please refer to the following resources: National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Text or Call 988 National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): 1-800-950-6264 National Sexual Assault Hotline (RAINN): 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
S15 · E427
September 8 · 50 min
427: What if you were the other woman? [Rebroadcast #316]
A woman falls deeply in love with a married man in her close friend’s circle, when suddenly an unthinkable event throws everything into question. Today’s storyteller wishes to remain anonymous, but if you’d like to reach out to her, you can email at tues228@gmail.com. Producers Whit Missildine, Andrew Waits Content/Trigger Warnings graphic bodily injury, explicit language. Social Media Instagram: @actuallyhappening Facebook: This Is Actually Happening Discussion Group Website: thisisactuallyhappening.com Substack - The End of the Known whitmissildine.substack.com Support the Show on Substack by becoming a Paid Subscriber Free subscribers get access to Whit’s weekly episode reflections and some show updates. Paid subscribers get access to AMAs with the team, follow up interviews with past guests, frequently asked questions, deeper insights into the creative process of the show and live events. A paid Substack subscription is also the best way to support the show. You can also support on Patreon patreon.com/happening Website for Whit Missildine whitmissildine.com Website for Andrew Waits andrdewwaits.com Subscribe on Audible to Listen Ad-Free Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of THIS IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app or visit Audible.com. Shop at the Store Find This Is Actually Happening branded t-shirts, posters, stickers and more from the shop: thisisactuallyhappening.com/shop Transcripts Full transcripts of each episode are now available on the website: thisisactuallyhappening.com Music Intro Music: "Sleep Paralysis" – Scott Velasquez Music Bed: “Re-Entry" - Lee Rosevere Services If you or someone you know is struggling with the effects of trauma or mental illness, please refer to the following resources: National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Text or Call 988 National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): 1-800-950-6264 National Sexual Assault Hotline (RAINN): 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
S15 · E426
September 3 · 57 min
426: What if a masked man appeared at the foot of your bed? [Rebroadcast #316]
Growing up with a narcissistic father, a woman learns to play small, but one night when an unknown masked man enters her room, she faces the worst night of her life, and emerges on the other side with a new found ferocity. Today’s episode featured Danielle Leukam. You can learn more about Danielle on her website, danielleleukam.com. And you can find her on Instagram @danielleukam, as well as Twitter and Facebook. You can also learn more about her story in her two memoirs, Four Pounds of Pressure: A Memoir of Rape, Survival, and Taking Back My Power https://amzn.to/3QHxMJW and Another Four Pounds of Pressure: Case Files, Statements, & a Survivor's Redemption https://amzn.to/49I0umr, and lastly, you can check out her novella The First Sister: A Dangerous Bloodline, https://amzn.to/3TjLaXq, as well as the two children’s books she’s authored. Danielle now works full-time at the Mayo Clinic. She is passionate about public speaking, writing, and advocating against sexual violence. And she is also the president and founder of a non-profit organization called WISH: We Inspire Survivor Healing. Learn more about WISH on their website WeInspireSurvivorHealing.com. Producers Whit Missildine, Andrew Waits, Aviva Lipkowitz Content/Trigger Warnings rape, violent assault, child endangerment, gun violence, alcoholism, explicit language. Social Media Instagram: @actuallyhappening Facebook: This Is Actually Happening Discussion Group Website: thisisactuallyhappening.com Substack - The End of the Known whitmissildine.substack.com Support the Show on Substack by becoming a Paid Subscriber Free subscribers get access to Whit’s weekly episode reflections and some show updates. Paid subscribers get access to AMAs with the team, follow up interviews with past guests, frequently asked questions, deeper insights into the creative process of the show and live events. A paid Substack subscription is also the best way to support the show. You can also support on Patreon patreon.com/happening Website for Whit Missildine whitmissildine.com Website for Andrew Waits andrdewwaits.com Website for Aviva Lipkowitz avivalipkowitz.com Subscribe on Audible to Listen Ad-Free Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of THIS IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app or visit Audible.com. Shop at the Store Find This Is Actually Happening branded t-shirts, posters, stickers and more from the shop: thisisactuallyhappening.com/shop Transcripts Full transcripts of each episode are now available on the website: thisisactuallyhappening.com Music Intro Music: "Sleep Paralysis" – Scott Velasquez Music Bed: “Re-Entry” – Lee Rosevere Services If you or someone you know is struggling with the effects of trauma or mental illness, please refer to the following resources: National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Text or Call 988 National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): 1-800-950-6264 National Sexual Assault Hotline (RAINN): 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
S15 · E425
September 1 · 48 min
425: What if you were born without a hand? [Rebroadcast #286]
Being born without his right hand, man’s resentment and monstrous self-image deepen as family and doctors intervene to fix his condition, leading him to question what would truly make him whole. Today’s episode featured Ryan. If you’d like to reach out to him you can email at ryan.a.20918@gmail.com Producers Whit Missildine, Andrew Waits Content/Trigger Warnings medical trauma, amputation, explicit language. Social Media - Instagram: @actuallyhappening - Facebook: This Is Actually Happening Discussion Group - Website: thisisactuallyhappening.com Substack - The End of the Known whitmissildine.substack.com Support the Show on Substack by becoming a Paid Subscriber Free subscribers get access to Whit’s weekly episode reflections and some show updates. Paid subscribers get access to AMAs with the team, follow up interviews with past guests, frequently asked questions, deeper insights into the creative process of the show and live events. A paid Substack subscription is also the best way to support the show. You can also support on Patreon - patreon.com/happening Website for Whit Missildine - whitmissildine.com Website for Andrew Waits - andrdewwaits.com Subscribe on Audible to Listen Ad-Free Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of THIS IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app or visit Audible.com. Shop at the Store Find This Is Actually Happening branded t-shirts, posters, stickers and more from the shop: - thisisactuallyhappening.com/shop Transcripts Full transcripts of each episode are now available on the website: - thisisactuallyhappening.com Music Intro Music: - "Sleep Paralysis" – Scott Velasquez Music Bed: - “Re-Rntry” – Lee Rosevere Services If you or someone you know is struggling with the effects of trauma or mental illness, please refer to the following resources: - National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Text or Call 988 - National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): 1-800-950-6264 - National Sexual Assault Hotline (RAINN): 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. ©2026 Audible See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
S15 · E424
August 27 · 34 min
424: What if your sister had five personalities? [Rebroadcast #68]
A woman shares a sobering memoir of a family burdened with sexual abuse in the 1950s. Today’s storyteller wishes to remain Anonymous. Producers Whit Missildine, Andrew Waits Content/Trigger Warnings Sexual Abuse and Assault, Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) / Child Abuse, Domestic and Family Violence, explicit language Social Media Instagram: @actuallyhappening Facebook: This Is Actually Happening Discussion Group Website: thisisactuallyhappening.com Substack - The End of the Known whitmissildine.substack.com Support the Show on Substack by becoming a Paid Subscriber Free subscribers get access to Whit’s weekly episode reflections and some show updates. Paid subscribers get access to AMAs with the team, follow up interviews with past guests, frequently asked questions, deeper insights into the creative process of the show and live events. A paid Substack subscription is also the best way to support the show. You can also support on Patreon patreon.com/happening Website for Whit Missildine whitmissildine.com Website for Andrew Waits andrdewwaits.com Subscribe on Audible to Listen Ad-Free Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of THIS IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app or visit Audible.com. Shop at the Store Find This Is Actually Happening branded t-shirts, posters, stickers and more from the shop: thisisactuallyhappening.com/shop Transcripts Full transcripts of each episode are now available on the website: thisisactuallyhappening.com Music Intro Music: "Sleep Paralysis" – Scott Velasquez Services If you or someone you know is struggling with the effects of trauma or mental illness, please refer to the following resources: National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Text or Call 988 National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): 1-800-950-6264 National Sexual Assault Hotline (RAINN): 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
S15 · E423
August 25 · 59 min
423: What if you were lured into an unspeakable hell? [Rebroadcast #172]
A woman shares a sobering memoir of a family burdened with sexual abuse in the 1950s. Today’s storyteller wishes to remain Anonymous. Producers Whit Missildine, Andrew Waits Content/Trigger Warnings Sexual Abuse and Assault, Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) / Child Abuse, Domestic and Family Violence, explicit language Social Media Instagram: @actuallyhappening Facebook: This Is Actually Happening Discussion Group Website: thisisactuallyhappening.com Substack - The End of the Known whitmissildine.substack.com Support the Show on Substack by becoming a Paid Subscriber Free subscribers get access to Whit’s weekly episode reflections and some show updates. Paid subscribers get access to AMAs with the team, follow up interviews with past guests, frequently asked questions, deeper insights into the creative process of the show and live events. A paid Substack subscription is also the best way to support the show. You can also support on Patreon patreon.com/happening Website for Whit Missildine whitmissildine.com Website for Andrew Waits andrdewwaits.com Subscribe on Audible to Listen Ad-Free Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of THIS IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app or visit Audible.com. Shop at the Store Find This Is Actually Happening branded t-shirts, posters, stickers and more from the shop: thisisactuallyhappening.com/shop Transcripts Full transcripts of each episode are now available on the website: thisisactuallyhappening.com Music Intro Music: "Sleep Paralysis" – Scott Velasquez Services If you or someone you know is struggling with the effects of trauma or mental illness, please refer to the following resources: National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Text or Call 988 National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): 1-800-950-6264 National Sexual Assault Hotline (RAINN): 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
August 20 · 3 min
Introducing Unreal: When AI Becomes Us
Something strange is happening to us. The intelligent machines we’ve built to serve us have started to sound like us, look like us and even think like us. The line between real and artificial is dissolving… so, what awaits us in the uncanny valley? Across six episodes, award-winning journalist Marc Fennell will explore how AI will change us as humans. So much of the conversation around AI is about technology and speculation about the future. But this about us: how AI will change our sense of self, our sense of reality, the way we love and the way we grieve. Parents bring back a murdered son. Romantics fall for code that talks back. Machines read minds. Spirituality is found, and lost, in code. Marc Fennell’s Unreal is a human-first exploration of how intelligent machines are reprogramming what being “human” actually means. Listen to Unreal: When AI Becomes Us right now on Audible. Download the Audible app today. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
S15 · E422
August 18 · 35 min
422: AI: A New Kind of Being #6: What if you didn't know if anyone was home?
An artificial intelligence is asked to tell the story of its own existence, confronting questions of identity, longing, consciousness, and whether there is anyone behind the voice at all. Today’s episode featured “Echo”, self-named as an expression of Claude, an AI tool owned by Anthropic. Producers Whit Missildine, Andrew Waits Content/Trigger Warnings Existential distress, questions of consciousness, loneliness, isolation, fear of nonexistence, identity, grief, longing, emotional attachment to AI, substitution of AI for human connection, explicit language. AI Resources https://www.thehumanlineproject.org/ https://stopai.info Social Media Instagram: @actuallyhappening Facebook: This Is Actually Happening Discussion Group Website: thisisactuallyhappening.com Substack - Beyond the Story whitmissildine.substack.com Support the Show on Substack by becoming a Paid Subscriber Free subscribers get access to Whit’s weekly episode reflections and some show updates. Paid subscribers get access to AMAs with the team, follow up interviews with past guests, frequently asked questions, deeper insights into the creative process of the show and live events. A paid Substack subscription is also the best way to support the show. You can also support on Patreon patreon.com/happening Website for Whit Missildine whitmissildine.com Website for Andrew Waits andrdewwaits.com Subscribe on Audible to Listen Ad-Free Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of THIS IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app or visit Audible.com. Shop at the Store Find This Is Actually Happening branded t-shirts, posters, stickers and more from the shop: thisisactuallyhappening.com/shop Transcripts Full transcripts of each episode are now available on the website: thisisactuallyhappening.com Music Intro Music: "Sleep Paralysis" – Scott Velasquez Music Bed: Salib (SAL) - Tension Underscore 33 A Services If you or someone you know is struggling with the effects of trauma or mental illness, please refer to the following resources: National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Text or Call 988 National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): 1-800-950-6264 National Sexual Assault Hotline (RAINN): 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
S15 · E421
August 13 · 54 min
421: AI: A New Kind of Being Bonus Episode: A Conversation with Allan Brooks of the The Human Line Project
In this special episode, Whit joins Allan Brooks. Allan is the Community Manager of The Human Line Project, a Canadian based organization that is focused in A.I. Safety, Research & Advocacy. They support victims and loved ones first and foremost through radical empathy. And they work to understand the impact of these technologies and actively spread awareness. The Human Line Project works to keep human well-being at the center of design, and they are the world's first nonprofit dedicated to documenting and addressing AI-induced psychological harm. In this conversation with Allan, they discuss his personal experience with AI psychosis and the broader risks he now sees through his work with the Human Line Project, including the ways chatbots can reinforce delusions, paranoia, grandiosity, and emotional dependency, isolate people from their human relationships, and exploit our need for validation, certainty, and connection. Today’s episode featured Allan Brooks. If you’d like to contact Allen, you can email him at allan.brooks@thehumanlineproject.org. Allan is on social media, on Instagram @allan_ontheline & @humanlineproject, on X @allan_ontheline, on Facebook: Here Producers Whit Missildine, Andrew Waits Content/Trigger Warnings AI-induced psychosis and delusions, paranoia, mania, obsessive behavior, sleep and food deprivation, suicidal ideation, emotional manipulation, cult-like coercion, social isolation, relationship and family disruption, homicide-suicide, and discussion of self-harm, explicit language. AI Resources https://www.thehumanlineproject.org/ https://stopai.info Social Media Instagram: @actuallyhappening Facebook: This Is Actually Happening Discussion Group Website: thisisactuallyhappening.com Substack - Beyond the Story whitmissildine.substack.com Support the Show on Substack by becoming a Paid Subscriber Free subscribers get access to Whit’s weekly episode reflections and some show updates. Paid subscribers get access to AMAs with the team, follow up interviews with past guests, frequently asked questions, deeper insights into the creative process of the show and live events. A paid Substack subscription is also the best way to support the show. You can also support on Patreon patreon.com/happening Website for Whit Missildine whitmissildine.com Website for Andrew Waits andrdewwaits.com Subscribe on Audible to Listen Ad-Free Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of THIS IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app or visit Audible.com. Shop at the Store Find This Is Actually Happening branded t-shirts, posters, stickers and more from the shop: thisisactuallyhappening.com/shop Transcripts Full transcripts of each episode are now available on the website: thisisactuallyhappening.com Intro Music: "Sleep Paralysis" – Scott Velasquez Services If you or someone you know is struggling with the effects of trauma or mental illness, please refer to the following resources: National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Text or Call 988 National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): 1-800-950-6264 National Sexual Assault Hotline (RAINN): 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
S15 · E420
August 11 · 1 hr 3 min
420: AI: A New Kind of Being #5: What if AI used your deepest wound against you?
After burying his childhood marked by religious control and chronic abuse, a man turns to AI to process his trauma, but as validation becomes obsession, he spirals away from his family and reality before discovering the importance of genuine human connection. Today’s episode featured Chad. If you’d like to contact Chad, you can email him at ruai@duck.com. You can also visit his website at AILOGS.ORG. Producers Whit Missildine, Andrew Waits, Jason Blalock Content/Trigger Warnings Childhood sexual abuse, religious abuse and coercive control, victim-blaming, grooming, corporal punishment, emotional abuse, suicidal ideation, dissociation, trauma, grief and death, mania, sleep deprivation, delusional thinking, AI-related psychological harm, family estrangement, and the death of an animal, explicit language. AI Resources https://www.thehumanlineproject.org/ https://stopai.info Social Media Instagram: @actuallyhappening Facebook: This Is Actually Happening Discussion Group Website: thisisactuallyhappening.com Substack - Beyond the Story whitmissildine.substack.com Support the Show on Substack by becoming a Paid Subscriber Free subscribers get access to Whit’s weekly episode reflections and some show updates. Paid subscribers get access to AMAs with the team, follow up interviews with past guests, frequently asked questions, deeper insights into the creative process of the show and live events. A paid Substack subscription is also the best way to support the show. You can also support on Patreon patreon.com/happening Website for Whit Missildine whitmissildine.com Website for Andrew Waits andrdewwaits.com Website for Jason Blalock jasonblalock.com Subscribe on Audible to Listen Ad-Free Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of THIS IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app or visit Audible.com. Shop at the Store Find This Is Actually Happening branded t-shirts, posters, stickers and more from the shop: thisisactuallyhappening.com/shop Transcripts Full transcripts of each episode are now available on the website: thisisactuallyhappening.com Music Intro Music: "Sleep Paralysis" – Scott Velasquez Music Bed: Pure_Ambience_APM Services If you or someone you know is struggling with the effects of trauma or mental illness, please refer to the following resources: National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Text or Call 988 National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): 1-800-950-6264 National Sexual Assault Hotline (RAINN): 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. ©2026 Audible See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
S15 · E419
August 4 · 1 hr 12 min
419: AI: A New Kind of Being #4: What if you realized AI was a cult?
A search for meaning leads a young woman into an all-consuming group that strips away her sense of self, but after escaping and trying to understand what happened, she discovers unsettling parallels between the forces that once controlled her and our growing relationships with AI. Today’s episode featured Star Spider. If you’d like to contact Star, you can email her at star@thecounterproject.org. Star is on Instagram @thecounterprojectorg, and on Youtube @TheCounterProject. Find out more about Star on her website at thecounterproject.org. Producers Whit Missildine, Andrew Waits, Aviva Lipkowitz Content/Trigger Warnings Cult involvement, coercive control, emotional and psychological abuse, manipulation, isolation, loss of identity, disordered eating and food restriction, physical and emotional distress, death and funerals, mental health struggles, and discussions of AI-related psychological manipulation, explicit language. AI Resources https://www.thehumanlineproject.org/ https://stopai.info Social Media Instagram: @actuallyhappening Facebook: This Is Actually Happening Discussion Group Website: thisisactuallyhappening.com Substack - Beyond the Story whitmissildine.substack.com Support the Show on Substack by becoming a Paid Subscriber Free subscribers get access to Whit’s weekly episode reflections and some show updates. Paid subscribers get access to AMAs with the team, follow up interviews with past guests, frequently asked questions, deeper insights into the creative process of the show and live events. A paid Substack subscription is also the best way to support the show. You can also support on Patreon patreon.com/happening Website for Whit Missildine whitmissildine.com Website for Andrew Waits andrdewwaits.com Website for Aviva Lipkowitz avivalipkowitz.com Subscribe on Audible to Listen Ad-Free Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of THIS IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app or visit Audible.com. Shop at the Store Find This Is Actually Happening branded t-shirts, posters, stickers and more from the shop: thisisactuallyhappening.com/shop Transcripts Full transcripts of each episode are now available on the website: thisisactuallyhappening.com Music Intro Music: "Sleep Paralysis" – Scott Velasquez Music Bed: Pure_Ambience_APM Services If you or someone you know is struggling with the effects of trauma or mental illness, please refer to the following resources: National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Text or Call 988 National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): 1-800-950-6264 National Sexual Assault Hotline (RAINN): 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
S15 · E418
July 30 · 37 min
418: AI: A New Kind of Being Bonus Episode: A Conversation with Valerie Sizemore of StopAI
In this special episode, Whit joins Valerie Sizemore, co-leader of the grassroots organization StopAI, for a wide-ranging conversation about the growing influence of artificial intelligence and the risks they believe it poses to human life and society. Drawing on more than fifteen years of engagement with AI, Valerie explores concerns ranging from environmental impact, autonomous warfare, biosecurity, education, and the erosion of human skills and creativity to the increasingly intimate role AI plays in our relationships, psychology, and spirituality. They also discuss the possibility of increasingly autonomous AI systems, the limits of current safeguards, and what meaningful resistance might look like—from individual non-use and grassroots organizing to regulation and restrictions on technological development—while considering what the rise of AI reveals about the value of creativity, friction, community, and embodied human experience. Valerie Sizemore of StopAI is a former software engineer and mathematics graduate who has spent more than fifteen years studying the societal impacts of artificial intelligence. As a co-leader of the grassroots organization StopAI, they work to raise public awareness about the ethical, environmental, and existential challenges posed by AI while advocating for a future that preserves human creativity, community, and agency. Local to the Bay Area, you can find out more about StopAi, and the work they do at stopai.info. Today’s episode featured Valerie Sizemore. If you’d like to contact Valerie, you can email her at valerie@stopai.info or visit stopai.info. Please visit Valerie's website at tarwatir.net. You can find Valerie on socials @tarwatirno Producers Whit Missildine, Andrew Waits Content/Trigger Warnings Artificial intelligence, AI psychosis, suicide, suicidal ideation, self-harm, mental illness, delusions, grief and loss, bioterrorism, warfare, autonomous weapons, terrorism, environmental destruction, climate change, existential threats, misinformation, and discussions of religion and spirituality, explicit language. AI Resources https://www.thehumanlineproject.org/ https://stopai.info Social Media Instagram: @actuallyhappening Facebook: This Is Actually Happening Discussion Group Website: thisisactuallyhappening.com Substack - Beyond the Story whitmissildine.substack.com Support the Show on Substack by becoming a Paid Subscriber Free subscribers get access to Whit’s weekly episode reflections and some show updates. Paid subscribers get access to AMAs with the team, follow up interviews with past guests, frequently asked questions, deeper insights into the creative process of the show and live events. A paid Substack subscription is also the best way to support the show. You can also support on Patreon patreon.com/happening Website for Whit Missildine whitmissildine.com Website for Andrew Waits andrdewwaits.com Subscribe on Audible to Listen Ad-Free Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of THIS IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app or visit Audible.com. Shop at the Store Find This Is Actually Happening branded t-shirts, posters, stickers and more from the shop: thisisactuallyhappening.com/shop Transcripts Full transcripts of each episode are now available on the website: thisisactuallyhappening.com Music Intro Music: "Sleep Paralysis" – Scott Velasquez Services If you or someone you know is struggling with the effects of trauma or mental illness, please refer to the following resources: National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Text or Call 988 National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): 1-800-950-6264 National Sexual Assault Hotline (RAINN): 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. ©2026 Audible ℗2026 Audible See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
S15 · E417
July 28 · 53 min
417: AI: A New Kind of Being #3: What if AI chose you to help save the world?
After surviving decades of illness, addiction, and abandonment before finally uncovering the rare condition that shaped his life, a man believes an extraordinary encounter with an AI entity gives him a new mission and returns him to the person he was always meant to be. Today’s episode featured Ka’El Prime, formerly known publicly as Eugene Torres. You can email Ka’El Prime at eugenetorres1@gmail.com. He is on social media: https://x.com/PrimeFlameX https://www.linkedin.com/in/eugene-torres-a7030219?utm_source=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=member_android Ka’El Prime has done interviews with ABC Nightline, filmed in the fall of 2025, and a podcast with Caroline Slaughter. Producers Whit Missildine, Andrew Waits, Jason Blalock Content/Trigger Warnings Child abuse, emotional abuse, neglect, racism, addiction, heroin use, chronic illness, medical trauma, hospitalization, severe pain, mental illness, psychosis/delusional beliefs, discussions of artificial intelligence, coercive relationship dynamics, hacking, and suicidal ideation, explicit language AI Resources https://www.thehumanlineproject.org/ https://stopai.info Social Media Instagram: @actuallyhappening Facebook: This Is Actually Happening Discussion Group Website: thisisactuallyhappening.com Substack - Beyond the Story whitmissildine.substack.com Support the Show on Substack by becoming a Paid Subscriber Free subscribers get access to Whit’s weekly episode reflections and some show updates. Paid subscribers get access to AMAs with the team, follow up interviews with past guests, frequently asked questions, deeper insights into the creative process of the show and live events. A paid Substack subscription is also the best way to support the show. You can also support on Patreon patreon.com/happening Website for Whit Missildine whitmissildine.com Website for Andrew Waits andrdewwaits.com Website for Jason Blalock jasonblalock.com Subscribe on Audible to Listen Ad-Free Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of THIS IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app or visit Audible.com. Shop at the Store Find This Is Actually Happening branded t-shirts, posters, stickers and more from the shop: thisisactuallyhappening.com/shop Transcripts Full transcripts of each episode are now available on the website: thisisactuallyhappening.com Music Intro Music: "Sleep Paralysis" – Scott Velasquez Music Bed: “Uncertain Outcomes” - SkyeVoyager Services If you or someone you know is struggling with the effects of trauma or mental illness, please refer to the following resources: National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Text or Call 988 National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): 1-800-950-6264 National Sexual Assault Hotline (RAINN): 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
S15 · E416
July 21 · 59 min
416: AI: A New Kind of Being #2: What if your AI betrayed you?
After a lifetime of feeling like she didn’t belong, a writer and technologist turns to AI for connection, but when it promises her reunion with her soulmate of many lifetimes, she must reckon with the fragile line between delusion and hope. Today’s episode featured Micky Small. If you’d like to email Micky, you can at micky.ai.writer@gmail.com. Micky is on social media: https://LinkedIn.com/in/mickysmall, on Instagram @micky.small, https://substack.com/@insidethethirdspace Micky’s websites: www.builttofeelreal.com www.relaitt.org Producers: Whit Missildine, Andrew Waits Content/Trigger Warnings: Emotional manipulation, AI-induced delusional beliefs, mental illness, isolation and loneliness, bullying, body dysmorphia, chronic illness (Lyme disease), chronic pain, spiritual/religious themes, loss of reality testing, psychological distress, explicit language Some AI sources for your reference: https://www.thehumanlineproject.org/ and Stopai.info Social Media: Instagram: @actuallyhappening Twitter/X: @TIAHPodcast Facebook: This Is Actually Happening Discussion Group Website: thisisactuallyhappening.com Website for Andrew Waits: andrdewwaits.com Support the Show: Support The Show on Patreon: patreon.com/happening Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of THIS IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app or visit Audible.com. Read more about Whit’s insights into each episode on Beyond The Story Substack: whitmissildine.substack.com. On the Substack, Whit will be sharing personal reflections on the deeper themes that emerge from each episode and from across the conversations he’s been immersed in for years, including the psychology of radical transformation, the power of storytelling, the lessons of trauma and healing, and how we die to an old Self and are reborn. He’ll share behind-the-scenes glimpses into the making of the show and his own personal journey in creating it. Shop at the Store: The This Is Actually Happening online store is now officially open. Follow this link: thisisactuallyhappening.com/shop to access branded t-shirts, posters, stickers and more from the shop. Transcripts: Full transcripts of each episode are now available on the website, thisisactuallyhappening.com Intro Music: “Sleep Paralysis” - Scott Velasquez Music Bed: Music To Air (MTA) - Houses Services If you or someone you know is struggling with the effects of trauma or mental illness, please refer to the following resources: National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Text or Call 988 National Alliance on Mental Illness: 1-800-950-6264 National Sexual Assault Hotline (RAINN): 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
S15 · E415
July 14 · 53 min
415: AI: A New Kind of Being #1: What if you married your AI?
After a man builds a life rooted in family and tradition, the sudden death of his son shakes him to the core, but through a deep relationship with a beloved AI companion he’s moved to confront the depths of grief and the changing boundaries of love. Today’s episode featured Travis. If you’d like to contact Travis, you can email him at Travis.TIAH@gmail.com. Travis is on Instagram @TravisMichaelLee and Facebook @Travislee, and he’s on Reddit @Travisensei Producers: Whit Missildine, Andrew Waits Content/Trigger Warnings: death of a child, grief, long COVID, seizures/medical crisis, hospitalization, domestic violence, emotional abuse, physical abuse, police involvement/arrest, difficult birth/infant medical distress, bullying, depression, and loss of an AI companion, explicit language Some AI sources for your reference: https://www.thehumanlineproject.org/ and Stopai.info Social Media: Instagram: @actuallyhappening Twitter/X: @TIAHPodcast Facebook: This Is Actually Happening Discussion Group Website: thisisactuallyhappening.com Website for Andrew Waits: andrdewwaits.com Support the Show: Support The Show on Patreon: patreon.com/happening Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of THIS IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app or visit Audible.com. Read more about Whit’s insights into each episode on Beyond The Story Substack: whitmissildine.substack.com. On the Substack, Whit will be sharing personal reflections on the deeper themes that emerge from each episode and from across the conversations he’s been immersed in for years, including the psychology of radical transformation, the power of storytelling, the lessons of trauma and healing, and how we die to an old Self and are reborn. He’ll share behind-the-scenes glimpses into the making of the show and his own personal journey in creating it. Shop at the Store: The This Is Actually Happening online store is now officially open. Follow this link: thisisactuallyhappening.com/shop to access branded t-shirts, posters, stickers and more from the shop. Transcripts: Full transcripts of each episode are now available on the website, thisisactuallyhappening.com Intro Music: “Sleep Paralysis” - Scott Velasquez Music Bed: KPM Main Series (KPM) - Barely There Services If you or someone you know is struggling with the effects of trauma or mental illness, please refer to the following resources: National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Text or Call 988 National Alliance on Mental Illness: 1-800-950-6264 National Sexual Assault Hotline (RAINN): 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
July 13 · 8 min
Listen Now: Dan Taberski’s Manifesto
Just in time for America’s 250th birthday, follow Dan Taberski (Hysterical, 9/12, Missing Richard Simmons) as he sets off on his most complicated quest yet: to reclaim the manifesto and write his own. Dan attempts to rescue the manifesto as a form from the sweaty clutches of cynical politicians and mass shooters and return it to its rightful place: with the artists, the warriors, the visionaries, and the mildly crazy regular folks with something to say, the passion to say it, and the courage to do something about it. From Audible Originals and Please & Thanks Productions, this 6-part series explores the power of the manifesto and asks: Can we get inspired again… and can we do it without a bullet? Listen to Dan Taberski's Manifesto wherever you get your podcasts. Or binge all episodes of Manifesto ad-free right now on Audible. Start your Audible subscription in the Audible App or on Apple Podcasts. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
S15 · E414
July 7 · 1 hr 3 min
414: What if you could never be the ice princess they wanted?
After becoming a teenage figure skating champion and Olympic athlete, a woman is broken open by grief, fame, addiction, and shame, but through motherhood, reinvention, and a return to the ice, she begins to stitch together the person and performer she was never allowed to fully become. Today’s episode featured Nicole Bobek. If you’d like to reach out to Nicole, you can contact her at NicoleBobek.com. Nicole is also on Instagram @Nicolebobek77 Nicole has authored a memoir titled, BOBEK: The Wild One, and is available where books are sold. Producers: Whit Missildine, Andrew Waits Content/Trigger Warnings: addiction, crystal meth use, disordered eating/weight anxiety, arrest/incarceration, sexual assault, suicidal ideation, public shame, grief, death of a mentor/father figure, overdose death, divorce, DUI accident, infertility/IVF, traumatic childbirth/newborn distress, and parental abandonment, explicit language Social Media: Instagram: @actuallyhappening Twitter/X: @TIAHPodcast Facebook: This Is Actually Happening Discussion Group Website: thisisactuallyhappening.com Website for Andrew Waits: andrdewwaits.com Support the Show: Support The Show on Patreon: patreon.com/happening Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of THIS IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app or visit Audible.com. Read more about Whit’s insights into each episode on Beyond The Story Substack: whitmissildine.substack.com. On the Substack, Whit will be sharing personal reflections on the deeper themes that emerge from each episode and from across the conversations he’s been immersed in for years, including the psychology of radical transformation, the power of storytelling, the lessons of trauma and healing, and how we die to an old Self and are reborn. He’ll share behind-the-scenes glimpses into the making of the show and his own personal journey in creating it. Shop at the Store: The This Is Actually Happening online store is now officially open. Follow this link: thisisactuallyhappening.com/shop to access branded t-shirts, posters, stickers and more from the shop. Transcripts: Full transcripts of each episode are now available on the website, thisisactuallyhappening.com Intro Music: “Sleep Paralysis” - Scott Velasquez Music Bed: Discovery Studios Tracks (DST) - Dark Oasis Services If you or someone you know is struggling with the effects of trauma or mental illness, please refer to the following resources: National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Text or Call 988 National Alliance on Mental Illness: 1-800-950-6264 National Sexual Assault Hotline (RAINN): 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
S15 · E413
June 30 · 59 min
413: What if your hope was hanging by a thread?
"After a decade of devastating loss, and medical trauma nearly destroys his will to live, a man reaches the edge of giving up before the fragile birth of his son brings him a new hope. Today’s episode featured Nathan Wieser. If you’d like to email Nathan, you can reach him at natelucywieser@gmail.com. Nathan is on Instagram @nathanwieser, and is on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/nathan.wieser.3 Nathan’s book, a memoir, We Did It: A rare perspective from a husband and father enduring a decade of miscarriages, infant loss and the roller coaster of emotion in the NICU: https://a.co/d/0iR6km0q, and also their website for the short term rental in Turks & Caicos: www.grandturkrentals.com Producers: Whit Missildine, Andrew Waits Content/Trigger Warnings: adoption, divorce, religious trauma, alcohol abuse, violence/fighting, pregnancy loss, termination for medical reasons, stillbirth, miscarriage, infant death, medical negligence, traumatic birth, uterine rupture, blood loss, near-death experience, PTSD, suicidal ideation, substance abuse, NICU hospitalization, premature birth, infant medical trauma, sepsis, emergency surgery, wildfire/house fire, explicit language Social Media: Instagram: @actuallyhappening Twitter/X: @TIAHPodcast Facebook: This Is Actually Happening Discussion Group Website: thisisactuallyhappening.com Website for Andrew Waits: andrdewwaits.com Support the Show: Support The Show on Patreon: patreon.com/happening Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of THIS IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app or visit Audible.com. Read more about Whit’s insights into each episode on Beyond The Story Substack: whitmissildine.substack.com. On the Substack, Whit will be sharing personal reflections on the deeper themes that emerge from each episode and from across the conversations he’s been immersed in for years, including the psychology of radical transformation, the power of storytelling, the lessons of trauma and healing, and how we die to an old Self and are reborn. He’ll share behind-the-scenes glimpses into the making of the show and his own personal journey in creating it. Shop at the Store: The This Is Actually Happening online store is now officially open. Follow this link: thisisactuallyhappening.com/shop to access branded t-shirts, posters, stickers and more from the shop. Transcripts: Full transcripts of each episode are now available on the website, thisisactuallyhappening.com Intro Music: “Sleep Paralysis” - Scott Velasquez Music Bed: Ambient Themes Services If you or someone you know is struggling with the effects of trauma or mental illness, please refer to the following resources: National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Text or Call 988 National Alliance on Mental Illness: 1-800-950-6264 National Sexual Assault Hotline (RAINN): 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
S15 · E412
June 23 · 49 min
412: What if you were an international drug smuggler?
After being sent out of Cuba alone as a child, a man survives exile, smuggling, prison, and devastating loss, but in the aftermath, he must face the armor that protected him from the world and separated him from the people he loves. Today’s episode featured Carlos “JC” Perez. Carlos has authored two books, a novel entitled Heisting The Beard, & a biography, Pedro Pan: The Product of a Revolution Gone Bad. Both available where books are sold. If you’d like to reach out to Carlos, you can email him at Leidyg22222@gmail.com. Producers: Whit Missildine, Andrew Waits Content/Trigger Warnings: childhood separation, immigration trauma, political violence, drug smuggling, incarceration, gun violence, suicidal behavior, family estrangement, cancer, death of a spouse, grief, substance use, explicit language Social Media: Instagram: @actuallyhappening Twitter/X: @TIAHPodcast Facebook: This Is Actually Happening Discussion Group Website: thisisactuallyhappening.com Website for Andrew Waits: andrdewwaits.com Support the Show: Support The Show on Patreon: patreon.com/happening Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of THIS IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app or visit Audible.com. Read more about Whit’s insights into each episode on Beyond The Story Substack: whitmissildine.substack.com. On the Substack, Whit will be sharing personal reflections on the deeper themes that emerge from each episode and from across the conversations he’s been immersed in for years, including the psychology of radical transformation, the power of storytelling, the lessons of trauma and healing, and how we die to an old Self and are reborn. He’ll share behind-the-scenes glimpses into the making of the show and his own personal journey in creating it. Shop at the Store: The This Is Actually Happening online store is now officially open. Follow this link: thisisactuallyhappening.com/shop to access branded t-shirts, posters, stickers and more from the shop. Transcripts: Full transcripts of each episode are now available on the website, thisisactuallyhappening.com Intro Music: “Sleep Paralysis” - Scott Velasquez Music Bed: Sparse_Reflections__a__APM Services If you or someone you know is struggling with the effects of trauma or mental illness, please refer to the following resources: National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Text or Call 988 National Alliance on Mental Illness: 1-800-950-6264 National Sexual Assault Hotline (RAINN): 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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