
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 e... more
| Publishes | Weekly | Episodes | 494 | Founded | 14 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Categories | DocumentarySociety & Culture | |||

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 w... more
After years working as a humanitarian aid worker in war zones and disaster areas around the world, a man is forced to confront the psychological toll of witnessing a broken world he could never fix.
Today’s episode featured Gray Doyle. If you’d lik... more
After surviving the 2015 ISIS terrorist attacks at a Paris café, a woman begins the painful work of confronting buried childhood trauma and reclaiming a life she had never fully allowed herself to live.
Today’s episode featured Mandy Palmucci. You c... more
When a family sailing journey ends in capture by child soldiers during Mozambique’s civil war, a man must protect his children while confronting the unsettling truth that his captors are both perpetrators of violence and children shaped by it.
Today... more
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This is my sister in the podcast. She is sick and none of what she said happened. She was drunk and almost killed herself and talks about me saying and doing things I never did. I'm sure a lot of the stories are true but this one is all a lie.
I listen to a lot of storytelling podcasts – honestly they’re a better reflection of the state of the world than any news program. And this one’s my favorite of all of them. You can’t go wrong.
I love this show because the stories are incredibly interesting and compelling. At the same time, I sometimes find myself getting frustrated—especially when an episode hits close to home. It can bring back memories of what I went through and how I coped, and that can be really triggering and emotional for me.
I also struggle when it feels like people minimize their actions or don’t fully take accountability. That part can be hard to listen to. Still, I understand that it’s all part of human emot... more
I instantly recognized the last guest’s voice. There’s a couple different documentaries about her story of what happened with her son in Paris. She’s a strong lady.
The only podcast I listen to!! I love these stories and how it’s just the people talking. So so so good thank you
Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.
How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.
Apple Podcasts | #12 | |
Apple Podcasts | #46 | |
Apple Podcasts | #240 | |
Apple Podcasts | #12 | |
Apple Podcasts | #22 | |
Apple Podcasts | #43 |
Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.
Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.
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Survivor-centered storytelling with a focus on extraordinary life events, each episode centers on resilience in the face of trauma—from natural disasters and accidents to abuse, captivity, and survival against the odds. Listeners repeatedly encounter intimate, first-person narratives guided by thoughtful interviews that emphasize healing, hope, and personal growth, making the show a go-to for those drawn to real-life resilience, coping strategies, and the psychology of extreme experiences. A notable strength is the careful storytelling and editing that let gripping, harrowing details emerge without sensationalism, though some episodes have sparked debates about narrative focus versus broader context. The show's breadth across disaster, viol... more
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These podcasts share a similar audience with This Is Actually Happening:
1. What Was That Like - True Stories. Real People.
2. Something Was Wrong
3. The Secret Room | True Stories
4. What Came Next
5. Betrayal Season 5
This Is Actually Happening launched 14 years ago and published 494 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.
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Recent guests on This Is Actually Happening include:
1. Mirsad Solakovic
2. Mike Wolo
3. Lisa Phillips
4. Emily Caldwell
5. Azzah Ahmad
6. Katherine McElhinney
7. Dr. Amanda Eller
8. Gladden Rangel
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