In the 3rd installment of our Possession Series, we turn to one of the most controversial figures to bridge psychology and the paranormal: Dr. M. Scott Peck, psychiatrist, best-selling author of The Road Less Traveled, and—later in life—a reluctant believer in demonic possession.

This episode explores how Peck’s clinical background shaped his approach to exorcism, the patients who challenged his skepticism, and the ways he sought to reconcile science, faith, and evil. We’ll look at his case studies, his insistence that genuine possession is rare, and his cautionary stance toward both blind belief and total disbelief. Then we’ll ask what his work means for modern discussions of mental health, spirituality, and the human shadow.

• Peck, M. Scott. People of the Lie: The Hope for Healing Human Evil (1983)
• Peck, M. Scott. Glimpses of the Devil: A Psychiatrist’s Personal Accounts of Possession, Exorcism, and Redemption (2005)
• Interviews with Dr. Peck on PBS and in Psychology Today discussing the intersection of psychiatry and spirituality.
• American Psychiatric Association position papers on religion and mental health.
• Scholarly critiques of Glimpses of the Devil in The Journal of Religion and Health.

In this episode, we explore one of the most infamous poltergeist cases in North America: the so-called Great Amherst Mystery, which occurred in Amherst, Nova Scotia in 1878-79. Centering on 18-year-old Esther Cox, her sister’s household and the investigator Walter Hubbell, we walk through the bewildering phenomena of objects flying, knocks on the wall, unexplained fires, swelling seizures, and the question: was this supernatural, psychological or a hoax?

We trace the narrative from its traumatic catalyst through the escalation of events, the public spectacle, the investigation, and the eventual fading of activity. We also dig into the skeptical evaluations, the cultural context of spiritualism in the 19th century, and what this case tells us about the human mind, belief and the boundary between the seen and unseen.

• Hubbell, Walter. The Great Amherst Mystery: A True Narrative of the Supernatural. 1888.

• “Esther Cox and the Great Amherst Mystery” — Episode from Stuff You Missed in History Class.

• “A Critical Study of ‘The Great Amherst Mystery’” — by Dr. Walter Prince, Journal of the American Society for Psychical Research, 1919.

• Wikipedia entry on the Great Amherst Mystery.

Thank you for joining us for this deep dive into the Amherst case. If you enjoyed the episode, please rate & review From the Void on your favorite podcast platform, share it with someone who loves spooky history, and follow us on social media.

Until then — keep your eyes open, your mind curious, and your headphones plugged in.

In 1976, a 23-year-old German woman named Anneliese Michel died after undergoing 67 Catholic exorcisms over 10 months.

Her death would spark one of Europe’s most controversial legal battles — pitting faith against medicine, and belief against responsibility.

Was Anneliese a victim of possession? Or of a system that failed to recognize mental illness as something sacred, not demonic?

In this haunting episode, John Williamson takes you beyond the horror-film legend to uncover the human story — one of devotion, suffering, and the thin line between faith and fear.

• Court Records, Klingenberg am Main (1978) – West German trial transcripts of Fr. Ernst Alt, Fr. Arnold Renz, and the Michel family.

• Der Spiegel Archives (1976–1978) – German reporting on the death, trial, and public reaction.

• Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung – Coverage of the legal and theological controversy following the verdict.

• Bishop Josef Stangl’s Official Approval (1975) – Diocese of Würzburg documentation authorizing the exorcisms under the Rituale Romanum.

• The Guardian, “Faith and Madness: The Story of Anneliese Michel” (2003).

• BBC Radio 4 – Beyond Belief (2013) – Episode exploring demonic possession and the Michel case.

• Anna Katharina Michel, Anneliese: A Family’s Story (1999) – Family perspective and diary excerpts.

• Felix Kersten, Der Teufel und Anneliese Michel (2006) – German investigative account combining psychological and theological interpretation.

• Dr. Felicitas Goodman, anthropologist, How About Demons? Possession and Exorcism in the Modern World (1988).

• DSM-II / DSM-III Diagnostic Shifts – Understanding how epilepsy and psychosis were classified in the 1970s.

• Catholic Canon Law on Exorcism (1962–1999) – Comparison of pre- and post-Vatican II guidelines.

• The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005) – Hollywood’s adaptation of the case, and how the real story differs.

• Faith vs. Medicine – When spiritual belief collides with scientific understanding.

• Obedience and Guilt – How devotion to authority shaped Anneliese’s final days.

• Suffering and Meaning – Why humanity continues to see the sacred in pain.

• Media Mythology – How Anneliese’s death became one of modern history’s most enduring exorcism legends.

Written & Hosted by: John Williamson

Produced by: John Williamson Productions LLC

Research & Script Development: Harper (Research Assistant)

Music: Original score inspired by Jóhann Jóhannsson and Ben Frost.

Special Thanks: To theologians, psychiatrists, and survivors who continue to examine the boundaries of faith and the mind.