Ghost Stories and Boundaries with Rebekah Carmichael

If you’re bringing lemonade to a haunted house, bring enough for everyone. Having no corporeal form is no reason to be excluded from refreshments.

That’s one takeaway from our latest conversation with returning guest Rebekah Carmichael, psychic medium and author of The Not-So-Scary Guide to Ghosts. In episode 180 of The Activity Continues, we talk about childhood hauntings, hospitality for spirits, and why boundaries matter with people on both sides of the living situation.

Naturally, there are a few detours. Megan recently saw Pitbull, and expecting her to return to ordinary household chores afterward seems unreasonable.

The Man in the Closet

Rebekah shares a childhood experience involving a man who appeared to emerge from her bedroom closet at night. She remembers his clothing, his unsettling appearance, and the fear of seeing something she didn’t have the words to explain.

Her dog provided a little comfort—and, in her account, some validation. He would look toward the same spot she was watching, staying beside her during those unnerving moments.

Years later, another child sleeping in Rebekah’s former bedroom reportedly described a man coming out of the closet. This time, the child told her father. His response was to confront the closet and firmly announce that frightening his daughter was unacceptable.

Whether or not he understood what was happening, he took her fear seriously. We appreciated that part of the story: a child doesn’t need a perfectly articulated explanation before a parent can listen and offer reassurance.

Also, when Rebekah says someone joined her on the bed, we briefly need clarification about whether she means the dog or the ghost.

“Not the ghost, dear God.”

An important distinction.

A Little Hospitality at Fort Fisher

At Fort Fisher, Rebekah describes bringing Bojangles chicken to share with the spirits she believes are present. It’s an approach that fits her personality: curious, conversational, and willing to treat an encounter as something other than a confrontation.

That leads us to lemonade. If you’re visiting someone’s space with refreshments, why declare them available only to the living? We’re trying to be good guests here.

The Fort Fisher conversation also takes an eerie turn when Rebekah recounts warnings she has perceived about keeping her blood from touching the ground. She doesn’t claim to know exactly why—and that uncertainty is part of the discussion.

Sometimes a story leaves you with more questions than answers. This one certainly did.

What If Those Aren’t Children?

One of the episode’s most intriguing conversations centers on Rebekah’s theory about some encounters described as child spirits.

She questions the familiar jump from “something looks like a child” to “it must be a demon in disguise.” Drawing on her own interpretations of investigations, she suggests that fae could be another possibility.

Her reasoning focuses on behavior. Does the presence seem interested in things a child might recognize or enjoy? Does it behave in a way that fits the identity people have assigned to it? What happens when someone questions that identity?

We explore her perspective, along with the broader habit of using “demon” as shorthand for something frightening or apparently harmful. It’s a conversation about the assumptions people bring to paranormal experiences—and how those assumptions shape the explanations they reach for.

Psychic Mediums Can Make Mistakes

Rebekah also talks candidly about being fallible.

She describes approaching consultations with the promise that she would try, rather than guaranteeing that every impression would be correct. When something didn’t fit, she says she used it as an opportunity to step back, ask questions, and learn.

That willingness to admit uncertainty is something we appreciate. You can be committed to your work and still acknowledge a mistake.

The conversation gets into the pressure to prove yourself, the anxiety that can come with being asked for one specific detail, and why an imperfect result shouldn’t automatically become an elaborate excuse involving timelines, aliens, ghosts, or demons.

Although “Da-Da-Da-Da Aliens” did briefly enter the running for our episode title.

Boundaries with the Living and the Dead

Rebekah’s second personal story concerns a friendship that became increasingly confusing and uncomfortable. She describes inconsistencies in what she was told, feeling controlled, and experiences she interpreted as disturbing spiritual activity during visits.

We can’t resolve what caused those experiences, but the boundary she eventually reached is clear: she no longer felt safe or comfortable continuing the relationship.

That opens up a conversation about trusting yourself, recognizing unhealthy dynamics, and the difficulty of ending a friendship that once made you feel understood.

For all the ghost stories in this episode, some of its most relatable moments concern living people. Finding someone who shares your interests can feel wonderful. It can also make it harder to acknowledge when a relationship starts costing you more than it gives.

Pour an Extra Glass

Rebekah brings warmth and humor to subjects that can feel intimidating. There’s room in this conversation for fear, curiosity, unanswered questions, and a laugh about whether the ghost has been offered a drink.

Join Amy and Megan for TAC 180: “Lemonade for the Dead” with Rebekah Carmichael. We’ve got a closet ghost, an unsettling clown lamp, theories about fae, a loyal dog, and a reminder to pay attention to your boundaries.

So grab your lemonade, pour an extra glass for your house ghost, and join us where The Activity Continues.