This Is Actually Happening

403: What if your childhood bully actually apologized?

After growing up in a home shaped by violence, racism, and fear, a woman is stunned to receive an apology from the girl who bullied her in middle school, forcing her to reckon with the harm they both carried and the possibility of repair.   Today’s episode featured Christy Davis.  If you’d like to contact Christy, you can email her at MsChristy_Creative@proton.me [MsChristy_Creative@proton.me]. Christy’s episode is part 2 of a 2 part series.  Christy has recently started adding her writing to Substack: https://substack.com/@mschristy [https://substack.com/@mschristy]  Today’s episode was produced in collaboration with Pauline Bartolone, and was funded in part by UC Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center [https://ggsc.berkeley.edu/], as part of its "Spreading Love Through the Media" initiative, supported by the John Templeton Foundation [http://templeton.org/].  Pauline can be reached at paulinebartolone.org [http://paulinebartolone.org/] and on Instagram @pmbartolone  Producers: Whit Missildine, Pauline Bartolone   Content/Trigger Warnings: child abuse, domestic violence, emotional abuse, racism racial slurs, bullying, physical assault, threats of violence, animal cruelty, parental infidelity, alcoholism, misogyny, depression, PTSD / trauma, medical trauma, hysterectomy, family estrangement, death of a parent, grief, explicit language   Social Media: Instagram: @actuallyhappening Twitter/X: @TIAHPodcast Facebook: This Is Actually Happening Discussion Group   Website: thisisactuallyhappening.com [http://www.thisisactuallyhappening.com/]   Website for Andrew Waits: andrdewwaits.com [http://www.andrdewwaits.com]   Support the Show: Support The Show on Patreon: patreon.com/happening [https://www.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 [http://audible.com].  Read more about Whit’s insights into each episode on Beyond The Story Substack: whitmissildine.substack.com [http://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 [https://www.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 [http://www.thisisactuallyhappening.com]   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 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 [https://art19.com/privacy] and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info [https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info].

402: What if a deadly tornado helped to heal old wounds?

After narrowly surviving one of the deadliest tornados in US history, a woman is driven to confront a long-buried harm, finding in the aftermath a deeper sense of purpose, forgiveness, and service.   Today’s episode featured Nanda Nunnelly. If you’d like to contact Nanda, you can email her at Nandanunnelly@gmail.com. Nanda’s episode is part 1 of a 2 part series.  Nanda’s cause and organization, Minnie Hackney Community Service Center of Joplin, is on Facebook, or you can visit the website at Minniehackneycommunityservicecenter.com.  Today’s episode was produced in collaboration with Pauline Bartolone, and was funded in part by UC Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center, as part of its ""Spreading Love Through the Media"" initiative, supported by the John Templeton Foundation.  Pauline can be reached at paulinebartolone.org and on Instagram @pmbartolone  Producers: Whit Missildine, Pauline Bartolone   Content/Trigger Warnings: racism, racial terror, forced psychiatric commitment, bullying, physical assault, tornado and disaster trauma, injury, death, grief, loss of home, mental health crisis, substance use, and homelessness, 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: 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 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 [https://art19.com/privacy] and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info [https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info].

401: What if you were ambushed on a dark desert highway?

After spending much of his life trying to outrun the feeling of being trapped, a man’s violent kidnapping on a solo motorcycle trip through Mexico forces him to reckon with the fear, rage, and longing for freedom that have shaped him since childhood.   Today’s episode featured Gary Stauble. If you’d like to reach out to Gary, you can email him at ezinef@gmail.com [ezinef@gmail.com].  Gary is on Instagram @garystauble Gary is on Facebook @gstauble  Producers: Whit Missildine   Content/Trigger Warnings: kidnapping, violence, violent assault, descriptions of violent assault, childhood emotional distress, threats, explicit language   Social Media: Instagram: @actuallyhappening Twitter/X: @TIAHPodcast Facebook: This Is Actually Happening Discussion Group   Website: thisisactuallyhappening.com [http://www.thisisactuallyhappening.com/]   Website for Andrew Waits: andrdewwaits.com [http://www.andrdewwaits.com]   Support the Show: Support The Show on Patreon: patreon.com/happening [https://www.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 [http://audible.com].  Read more about Whit’s insights into each episode on Beyond The Story Substack: whitmissildine.substack.com [http://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 [https://www.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 [http://www.thisisactuallyhappening.com]   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 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 [https://art19.com/privacy] and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info [https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info].

400: What if you suspected your father was the infamous Tylenol Murderer?

A man grows up in a home defined by violence, secrecy, and fear, and decades later a deathbed confession confirms his belief that his father was responsible for the Chicago Tylenol murders, forcing him to reckon with a lifetime shaped by trauma and silence.   Today’s episode featured Joseph Cibelli. Joe is a former salon entrepreneur turned author, legal scholar, and forensic psychologist. He wrote The Tylenol Murders: A Father’s Confession to His Son, which investigates the 1982 Chicago Tylenol murders.  If you’d like to contact Joe, you can email him at jcibelli71@gmail.com [jcibelli71@gmail.com]. Joe is on Facebook @JosephCibelli and on Instagram @jcibelli71  You can visit Joe’s website at josephcibelli.com [http://josephcibelli.com].  Producers: Whit Missildine, Andrew Waits, Jason Blalock   Content/Trigger Warnings: child abuse, domestic violence, psychological and physical abuse, sexual abuse, child endangerment, murder, poisoning, death, terminal illness, and threats of violence, explicit language   Social Media: Instagram: @actuallyhappening Twitter/X: @TIAHPodcast Facebook: This Is Actually Happening Discussion Group   Website: thisisactuallyhappening.com [http://www.thisisactuallyhappening.com/]   Website for Andrew Waits: andrdewwaits.com [http://www.andrdewwaits.com] Website for Jason Blalock: jasonblalock.com [http://jasonblalock.com]   Support the Show: Support The Show on Patreon: patreon.com/happening [https://www.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 [http://audible.com].  Read more about Whit’s insights into each episode on Beyond The Story Substack: whitmissildine.substack.com [http://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 [https://www.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 [http://www.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 [https://art19.com/privacy] and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info [https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info].

399: What if a hormonal disorder rewrote your identity?

After decades of stability, a woman’s experience of menopause brings back a lifetime of buried symptoms and reveals an unexpected truth about her identity, forcing her to reexamine everything she thought she knew about herself.   Today’s storyteller wishes to remain Anonymous. If you’d like to reach out to her, you can email her at SunflowerSpark44@gmail.com [SunflowerSpark44@gmail.com].    Producers: Whit Missildine, Andrew Waits, Ellen (Elly) Westberg   Content/Trigger Warnings: Suicidal ideation, mental illness, child abuse (mentioned), sexual abuse (mentioned), medical trauma, emotional distress, divorce, death of a loved one, explicit language   Social Media: Instagram: @actuallyhappening Twitter/X: @TIAHPodcast Facebook: This Is Actually Happening Discussion Group   Website: thisisactuallyhappening.com [http://www.thisisactuallyhappening.com/]   Website for Andrew Waits: andrdewwaits.com [http://www.andrdewwaits.com]   Support the Show: Support The Show on Patreon: patreon.com/happening [https://www.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 [http://audible.com].  Shop at the Store: The This Is Actually Happening online store is now officially open. Follow this link: thisisactuallyhappening.com/shop [https://www.thisisactuallyhappening.com/shop] to access branded t-shirts, posters, stickers and more from the shop.  Read more about Whit’s insights into each episode on Beyond The Story Substack: whitmissildine.substack.com [http://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.    Transcripts: Full transcripts of each episode are now available on the website, thisisactuallyhappening.com [http://www.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 [https://art19.com/privacy] and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info [https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info].