What happens when two women with a shared past in the restaurant industry reunite after years of strange jobs, wild coworkers, and even stranger experiences in the mountains?

In this After Dark episode of The Verbal Echo, Monica sits down with Sara to unpack how they met, bonded as coworkers in the chaos of restaurant life, and later found themselves navigating something far more mysterious—life in the mountains, camping under dark skies, unexplained encounters, and living alongside spirits that don’t clock out.

From possible Sasquatch activity in the wilderness to ghostly housekeeping in homes that never feel empty, this episode explores the female perspective on paranormal life, squatchery, and intuition—mixed with laughter, nostalgia, and a few “only in that job” stories from their service-industry days.

If you love paranormal experiences, cryptids, mountain living, and real conversations about the unseen, this one’s for you. Once the sun goes down, the echoes get louder…

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Thank YOU!!! Do you want to tell your story on this show? Reach out, send an email to [email protected]

Read my stories on the Medium Publication

Music Artist credits for this podcast:

Season 1: Ikoliks

Season 2: Amoeba Crew, Dagored, and Salinski Music, and Licensed music through Podcastle

Legal Disclaimer: As always, this podcast is for entertainment only, and the views and opinions expressed by guests are solely their own. Always consult with medical professionals or your own experts before relying on advice or wisdom from others.

Season 3 kicks off! Thanks for being a valued listener of this podcast. Please like, share and follow wherever you listen.

Stay tuned for more episodes, expanded content, and my new co-host, Sara Rowe, starting next week!

Thank you for listening to this podcast and helping us grow by sharing with a friend!

Do you want to tell your story? Reach out, send an email to [email protected]

Read my stories on the Medium Publication

Music Artist credits for this podcast:

Season 1: Ikoliks

Season 2 & 3: Amoeba Crew, Dagored, and Salinski Music, and Licensed music through Podcastle

Legal Disclaimer: As always, this podcast is for entertainment only, and the views and opinions expressed by guests are solely their own. Always consult with medical professionals or your own experts before relying on advice or wisdom from others.

Dr. John Baranchok. Click here to Learn more about John

John S. Baranchok is a boots-on-the-ground Bigfoot field researcher and the author of Grasping Sasquatch: Prepping for Scientific Field Research. He hosted the 36-episode YouTube/Podcast series Grasping Sasquatch: Stories and Science. With a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology and extensive experience in scientific fieldwork, John has participated in over 20 Bigfoot expeditions. He brings a unique blend of science, psychology, and curiosity to his ongoing pursuit of Bigfoot research.

This is Part 2.

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Thank you for listening to this podcast and helping us grow by sharing with a friend! Share this podcast with a friend!!!

Thank YOU!!! Do you want to tell your story on this show? Reach out, send an email to [email protected]

Read my stories on the Medium Publication

Music Artist credits for this podcast:

Season 1: Ikoliks

Season 2: Amoeba Crew, Dagored, and Salinski Music, and Licensed music through Podcastle

Legal Disclaimer: As always, this podcast is for entertainment only, and the views and opinions expressed by guests are solely their own. Always consult with medical professionals or your own experts before relying on advice or wisdom from others.

Dr. John Baranchok. Click here to Learn more about John

John S. Baranchok is a boots-on-the-ground Bigfoot field researcher and the author of Grasping Sasquatch: Prepping for Scientific Field Research. He hosted the 36-episode YouTube/Podcast series Grasping Sasquatch: Stories and Science. With a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology and extensive experience in scientific fieldwork, John has participated in over 20 Bigfoot expeditions. He brings a unique blend of science, psychology, and curiosity to his ongoing pursuit of Bigfoot research.

This is a 2-part episode. Tune in next week for the second half.

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Thank you for listening to this podcast and helping us grow by sharing with a friend! Spring Challenge: Share this podcast with a friend!!!

Thank YOU!!! Do you want to tell your story on this show? Reach out, send an email to [email protected]

Read my stories on the Medium Publication

Music Artist credits for this podcast:

Season 1: Ikoliks

Season 2: Amoeba Crew, Dagored, and Salinski Music, and: Licensed music through Podcastle

Legal Disclaimer: As always, this podcast is for entertainment only, and the views and opinions expressed by guests are solely their own. Always consult with medical professionals or your own experts before relying on advice or wisdom from others.

Jessica shares her story of a lifetime of creepy paranormal encounters. This encounter will leave you with more questions than answers. We dive into many experiences of the unknown and her search for meaning and why these experiences follow her everywhere across multiple states and different jobs.

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Thank you for listening to this podcast and helping us grow by sharing with a friend! Spring Challenge: Share this podcast with a friend!!!

Thank YOU!!! Do you want to tell your story on this show? Reach out, send an email to [email protected]

Read my stories on the Medium Publication

Music Artist credits for this podcast:

Season 1: Ikoliks

Season 2: Amoeba Crew, Dagored, and Salinski Music, and: Licensed music through Podcastle

Legal Disclaimer: As always, this podcast is for entertainment only, and the views and opinions expressed by guests are solely their own. Always consult with medical professionals or your own experts before relying on advice or wisdom from others.

Meet Lynn K. Russell.

In her own words: "As a child, I was the only spiritual person in our family. My grandfather’s death, when I was around eight or nine, made me realize my mortality. My mother was an atheist, and when I asked her what happened when you die, she told me "nothing, you just disappear". I was a little kid; I didn’t want to vanish, and I became terrified of death. In my mid-teens, I began studying the various religions, philosophies, and spiritualities. I studied their histories and how they developed...

In my thirties, I developed an interest in cosmology and other sciences. Today I’m fascinated with the findings of quantum and astral physics, studies of the mind, and spiritual consciousness.

I became a family counselor for almost thirty years and had many years as a workshop facilitator, giving talks, and teaching spirituality. I’m also a Unitarian lay chaplain and officiate at weddings, funerals, and child naming ceremonies. My interest in spiritual learning has not faded, and I now have over 65 years of spiritual growth.

After retirement, I could finally get interested in what I wanted to do, be a writer. In one story, the hero astral projected. So, I went online to find out if it was even possible for my hero to do what I was proposing. That’s when I found OBEs (Out of Body Experiences) on a website called NDERF.org. Although they researched Near-Death Experiences, there was some information on OBEs as well. However, I got sidetracked when I became fascinated with the underlying profound spiritual knowledge within those reports. After joining the chat group, I became a bit of a regular, at least until Dr. Jeffery Long and his wife, Jody, asked for someone to volunteer to do research, and I put my hand up.

It indeed was a delight to have ended up researching 2500 death experiences. I was interested in the experiences these people were having. After a while, I was more interested in the spiritual learning within the accounts.

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Thank you for listening to this podcast and helping us grow by sharing with a friend! Spring Challenge: Share this podcast with a friend!!!

Thank YOU!!! Do you want to tell your story on this show? Reach out, send an email to [email protected]

Read my stories on the Medium Publication

To learn more about Monica or to contact the host if you'd like to be on the show:

Monica Martin | Instagram, Facebook | Linktree

Music Artist credits for this podcast:

Season 1: Ikoliks

Season 2: Amoeba Crew, Dagored, and Salinski Music, Licensed music through Podcastle

Legal Disclaimer: As always, this podcast is for entertainment only, and the views and opinions expressed by guests are solely their own. Always consult with medical professionals or your own experts before relying on advice or wisdom from others.

Meet Ian Whitehead! Click here to contact Ian

Ian has found the secret sauce to launching a business and quitting your 9-5 with purpose and clarity through transition and tried-and-true methods. He's here to share his wisdom and tips for working your way toward the life you deserve to live and will love.

Ian says, "You’re NOT alone! Balancing a full-time job and family life can be daunting enough...Trying to build a successful business (one that allows you to leave your 9-5 behind) without a plan - and you have a recipe for disaster.

From Ian's Website: "My path led me from a high-stress corporate job, where I sacrificed sleep and sanity for long hours and endless meetings, to a life brimming with possibility and passion. A pivotal moment occurred when I embarked on a year-long adventure, travelling the world in 2012. This experience ignited a thirst for exploration, personal growth, and the pursuit of life's greater meaning… and it set the stage for my eventual leap into the world of coaching and entrepreneurship. My coaching philosophy is rooted in a clarity of purpose and alignment. Through my personalized coaching program, I guide clients in uncovering their "why" to launching a successful business they are proud of and acquiring their first client in 4 months.

My approach encompasses not only the practical aspects of business but also the development of a growth mindset, erasing limiting beliefs and finding the balance between work and life. If you're in search of clarity so you can finally build that business you’ve been dreaming of and transcend your 9-5 routine, my coaching program “Foundation to Freedom” is here to empower you."

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Thank you for listening to this podcast and helping us grow by sharing with a friend! Spring Challenge: Share this podcast with a friend!!!

Thank YOU!!! Do you want to tell your story on this show? Reach out, send an email to [email protected]

Read my stories on the Medium Publication

To learn more about Monica or to contact the host if you'd like to be on the show:

Monica Martin | Instagram, Facebook | Linktree

Music Artist credits for this podcast:

Season 1: Ikoliks

Season 2: Amoeba Crew, Dagored, and Salinski Music, Licensed music through Podcastle

Legal Disclaimer: As always, this podcast is for entertainment only, and the views and opinions expressed by guests are solely their own. Always consult with medical professionals or your own experts before relying on advice or wisdom from others.

Nicholas Pearson has been immersed in all aspects of the mineral kingdom for thirty years. As one of the leading voices in crystal magic and healing today, Nicholas offers a unique blend of science and spirituality alongside a grounded, practical approach to working with stones. He is an internationally renowned speaker and the award-winning author of nine books, including Crystal Basics, Stones of the Goddess, and Crystals for Psychic Self-Defense. You can find him online at Theluminouspearl.com and @theluminouspearl on Instagram.

Since our recording last fall, Nicholas has published another! book and you can find it here:

Flower Essences from the Witches Garden

To find out all about Nicholas Pearson's Events - in person and remote, click HERE

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Thank you for listening to this podcast and helping grow by sharing with a friend! Spring Challenge: Share this podcast with 1 friend!!!

Thank YOU!!!

Read my stories on the Medium Publication

To learn more about Monica or to contact the host if you'd like to be on the show:

Monica Martin | Instagram, Facebook | Linktree

Music Artist credits for this podcast:

Season 1: Ikoliks

Season 2: Amoeba Crew, Dagored, and Salinski Music

Legal Disclaimer: As always: this podcast is for entertainment only and the views and opinions expressed by guests are solely their own. Always consult with medical professionals or your own experts before relying on advice or wisdom from others.

We are evolving in version 2.0 and turning boldly into the unknown. Join host Monica Martin as we explore extraordinary experiences through the voices of those who've lived to tell their stories. From authentic experiences to mind-expanding revelations and personal transformations, we seek to understand the human story, with all its unexpected weird twists and turns.

You will hear first-hand stories of the unexplained—from mysterious cryptids and alien encounters to paranormal experiences that defy explanation through the lens of the human experience. We will talk with authors, researchers, other podcasters, experts, and everyday people who need a sounding board to share everything they know and spread grassroots communication.

Each episode features human stories that challenge what we think we know, revealing details that often fly under the radar. We don't want mainstream conversations on this podcast. We will look at the fringe, the edges, and the intersections of thought-provoking topics and bring them out of the shadows.

If you’re drawn to the strange and hidden, join me on The Verbal Echo and discover how every story can change what you believe is possible.

No guardrails.

Meet Benjamin Stimpson. Benjamin is an integrative therapist, spiritual director, award-winning author, podcaster, and independent scholar of folklore and history. A member of the modern NeoPagan and queer communities, Ben’s personal life helps to inform his professional and research work. Ben holds a BA (Honours) in Medieval, Classical, and Religious Studies from the University of Waterloo; a post-graduate Diploma in Spiritual Psychotherapy; and a Diploma in Social Service Work. As a therapist, he excels in working with members of the queer community and other marginalized populations and ascribes to transpersonal, systemic, and narrative approaches to therapy. He is the host of the Essence podcast, a weekly show interviewing fellow authors and practitioners in alternative spirituality and therapy. His debut title, Ancestral Whispers: A Guide to Developing Ancestral Veneration Practices was released by Llewellyn Worldwide and won the 2024 Gold Medal at the COVR Awards. His second title, Wise Ones: Legends of Witches, Magicians and Cunningfolk of England and Wales is set to debut in June 2025 through Crossed Crow Books.

To connect with Benjamin - check out his website HERE

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Read my stories on the Medium Publication

To learn more about Monica or to contact the host if you'd like to be on the show:

Monica Martin | Instagram, Facebook | Linktree

Enter to win 3 FREE Coaching Sessions in October: Fall Giveaway with Monica Click -->>>Here

Music Artist credits for this podcast:

Season 1: Ikoliks

Season 2: Amoeba Crew, Dagored, and Salinski Music