Faith, Fear, and Freedom | Escaping a Cult & Finding Strength

Touched Out! A Mental Health Podcast for Parents

After escaping a controlling religious cult as a teenager, Lockie shares his journey of rebuilding his life, becoming a father to three children, and finding healing through therapy, art, and community.
• Growing up in a Christ-based cult that restricted medical care, education, and social connections
• Experiencing sexual abuse within the cult environment with ongoing court cases against other members
• Being disowned by his parents at age 17 when he questioned his faith
• Supporting himself through his final year of school while homeless and couch-surfing
• Becoming a father and struggling to create healthy parenting patterns without positive models
• Receiving ADHD and autism diagnoses as an adult after years of being told these conditions weren't real
• Finding unexpected healing through graffiti art and the community it provided
• Rebuilding a limited but meaningful relationship with his parents who remain in the cult
• Using therapy to process religious trauma and break generational cycles
• Balancing legal and illegal aspects of graffiti culture while finding creative expression
Support the show

Thanks for listening to Touched Out: A Mental Health and Parenting Support Podcast.
If you enjoyed this episode, please like, subscribe, share, and leave a rating and review. Your support helps others discover their new favorite parenting and mental health podcast.

Connect with Us:

Drop a comment on Spotify if you have any questions or thoughts. You can also visit The Touched Out Website to leave a voice message or contact me via email. If you are interested in being a guest on Touched Out you can access the guest form HERE

Get your official Touched Out! Merch HERE

Donate to Touched Out! HERE

Spoony App:

All of the friends, None of the fear. A safe space for neurodivergent, chronically ill and disabled people to make friends and find support. Download the Spoony App HERE

*This is not a paid promotion

Theme music written and performed by Ben Drysdale ©2025: www.bendrysdalemusic.com

Chapters

1. Introduction and Cult Upbringing (00:00:00)

2. Life Inside the Cult (00:05:25)

3. Leaving at Age 17 (00:09:52)

4. Rebuilding Life After the Cult (00:16:18)

5. Becoming a Father and Breaking Cycles (00:23:13)

6. Mental Health Journey and Diagnosis (00:36:13)

7. Reconnecting with Family (00:41:21)

8. Finding Healing Through Graffiti Art (00:47:19)

9. Closing Thoughts (00:53:09)