About the author
Richard Gallagher is an American psychiatrist who spent much of his career examining cases referred to him by Catholic clergy for possible demonic possession, work he recounts in Demonic Foes: My Twenty-Five Years as a Psychiatrist Investigating Possessions, Diabolic Attacks, and the Paranormal, also published in Spanish translation as Enemigos Demoniacos. A practicing New York psychiatrist by training, Gallagher describes approaching these cases from initial skepticism, applying clinical judgment to distinguish psychiatric illness from claims of possession while consulting with exorcists on the cases he found unexplained. His books combine memoir, case narrative, and reflection on where psychiatry and religious belief about possession diverge and overlap. They are aimed at readers interested in the clinical, rather than purely devotional or sensational, side of possession and exorcism literature.
📖 Where to start with Richard Gallagher
💬 What our editors say about Richard Gallagher's books
“This account is a serious examination of possession cases from a psychiatric viewpoint, offering valuable insights for those open to esoteric topics. However, it does not suit readers seeking purely fictional horror stories or…”
Esoterica Books editorial team, Occult literature desk · on Demonic Foes: My Twenty-Five Years as a Psychiatrist Investigating Possessions, Diabolic Attacks, and the Paranormal
“Gallagher presents a rigorous, case-based examination that challenges psychiatric norms without resorting to horror tropes. However, readers seeking graphic details of exorcism rites or those who firmly reject the possibility of…”
Esoterica Books editorial team, Occult literature desk · on Enemigos Demoniacos Gallagher, Richard
