Night shift: Darkness Diagnosed

Host Laurie sits down with her eight-year-old daughter Hayden to discuss emotional regulation, how the developing central nervous system affects big feelings, and what it’s like to be a kid in second grade.

Hayden shares personal experiences with bullying, how school counselors help, and simple coping strategies she uses at home and school to manage stress and protect her self-esteem.

This short episode highlights practical tools f...

This episode examines recent media scandals — including the Taylor/Dakota controversy — and explores how biology, hormones, and personality disorders shape abusive relationship dynamics.

We discuss reactionary abuse, hybristophilia (the attraction to criminal partners), and the case of Wade Wilson to show how charm and narcissism can mask violent behavior.

Listeners are urged to watch for red flags, understand the biological and so...

This episode breaks down narcissistic personality disorder—its core traits, causes, and how it shows up in relationships. Hosts compare NPD to borderline personality disorder, explain emotional manipulation and trauma bonding, and discuss how social media can amplify narcissistic behaviors.

They also examine the Gabby Petito and Brian Laundrie case as an example of narcissistic rage and control, and end with practical advice on set...

This episode examines the tragic Rhode Island hockey-game shooting and the questions it raises about gender identity, mental illness, and family conflict. The hosts review research and clinical standards for transgender care, discuss the difference between gender incongruence and psychiatric disorders, and emphasize the need for more rigorous study and thoughtful screening.

Conversations cover stigma, the limits of existing guideli...

This episode examines the true-story inspirations behind the show Blackbird, focusing on Larry Dwayne Hall — his twin birth injury, alleged confessions and recantations, and the complexities of proving insanity in court.

We also discuss the undercover operation that enlisted an inmate to win Hall's trust, the prison and psychiatric placement systems, and broader questions about how the justice system treats people with severe menta...

Two hosts discuss schizophrenia—its symptoms, causes, stigma, early intervention, and a tragic local case of a 22-year-old whose psychotic break led to multiple murders—emphasizing understanding, empathy, and the importance of timely treatment.

click on link below to hear what it can sound like for a person with a diagnosis of schizophrenia!!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxGowUJVjfw&pp=ygUpd2hhdCBpdCBzb3VuZHMgbGlrZSB0byBoY...

In this episode Laurie and Julie examine the Karen Reed case through multiple angles: the media frenzy, the circumstantial evidence, and how personality, relationships, and alcohol intersected the night a life was lost. THEY also explore Reed’s Crohn’s disease and the gut–brain connection to consider how physical health can affect mood and behavior.

Rather than deciding guilt, the hosts focus on empathy, mental‑health context, and ...

This episode, Julie details the Michelle Carter case — the Plainville teen who encouraged her boyfriend, Conrad Roy, to die by suicide — and how texts and a final phone call led to an involuntary manslaughter conviction.

Then, both Julie and Laurie discuss mental health, the risks of prescribing SSRIs to adolescents, therapy versus medication, toxic relationship dynamics, and attention-seeking behavior that may have influenced the ...

This episode, Julie details the 2011 New Year’s death of Ashley Fallis, a case ruled suicide despite questions about the wound, blood evidence, and her husband Tom, who worked in law enforcement. The hosts discuss mental health, abrupt medication changes during pregnancy, alcohol, firearm access, and how connections to police can affect investigations.

They also review intimate-partner homicide statistics, the risks posed by firear...

Laurie leads this episode exploring the 2021 murder of Abigail Santana, a single mom and exotic dancer found shot in her garage. The hosts trace how an older customer’s obsession — marked by stalking, a tracking device on her car, and likely delusions — escalated into deadly violence.

They discuss the psychology behind stalking and cluster B personality traits, the unique risks faced by hospitality and sex-industry workers, and how...

This week, Julie tells the story of Brian Koberger and the November 2022 murders of four University of Idaho students, following his arrest and trial. Julie dives into the details of the case while Laurie adds commentary and opinions on the case. They both examine the evidence that linked him to the crime, discuss his background and academic focus in criminology, and note the unanswered questions around motive.

The episode also exp...

Night Shift; Darkness Diagnosed with twin sisters Laurie and Julie — psychiatric nurses who discuss and dissect the darkest minds — returns for episode two.

This episode examines the 2014 Springville, Utah case in which Benjamin and Kristi Strack and their three children were found dead, exploring toxic drug mixtures, possible substance use and the influence of imprisoned convicted killer Dan Lafferty.

Julie and Laurie ...

Two psychiatric nurse sisters dissect the chilling true-crime case behind the Netflix documentary "The Perfect Neighbor," exploring how untreated mental illness, paranoia, and escalating neighbor disputes in Florida culminated in a fatal shooting.

They blend clinical observations, personal reaction, and questions about missed intervention as they trace the rise of a woman’s delusions, the community’s response, and the tragic conseq...