Why We Like Being Scared: The Psychology Behind Horror Movies
October 27, 2026
Oct 27, 2026
Why do some people love horror movies while others can’t watch them at all? In this episode of Convos From the Couch, LifeStance Clinical Director Mikka McGee joins us to explore the psychology behind our fascination with fear.
We discuss how horror can offer a controlled way to experience fear, why certain horror subgenres resonate differently with different people, and how horror can reflect the social issues and real-world concerns of its time.
From supernatural stories and psychological horror to classic films, discover what our relationship with scary movies can reveal about the ways we experience and respond to fear.
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MEET THE GUEST
Mikka McGee, MSW, LCSW
Mikka McGee is a graduate from Eastern Kentucky University with a Bachelor of Social Work and from University of Louisville with a Master of Science in Social Work. She is also a graduate from Arizona State University with a Master of Science in Forensic Psychology. Her experience includes community-based outpatient mental health care. She specializes in PTSD, Trauma and related disorders, ADHD, Autism spectrum, depression & anxiety disorders. The interventions she has been extensively trained in are EMDR, TF-CBT, CPT. She utilizes a person-centered approach to tailor therapeutic interventions to the individual. Sees ages 12-65+.
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