What happens when childhood trauma, generational neglect, and systemic failure collide? Emilee’s story is a raw, unfiltered look into survival against impossible odds. From losing her mother at age 7 to escaping abuse at 16, becoming a mum at 18, and eventually reclaiming her life through education and advocacy — this is a story of breaking the cycle.

In this episode, Emilee joins Carter to explore:

• Life as a young mum with complex PTSD
• The impact of childhood abuse, neglect, and gaslighting
• The fawn trauma response and how it shapes adult relationships
• Navigating self-diagnosed autism and neurodivergence
• Finding healing in motherhood, study, and spooky ghost tours

This episode is for anyone healing from trauma, parenting through pain, or looking for light in dark places. Emilee’s story will stay with you long after the episode ends.

🔔 Follow & leave a review if this conversation resonated with you.

#traumarecovery #neurodivergentparenting #cptsd #mentalhealthpodcast #youngmum #fawnresponse #touchedoutpodcast

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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

Nell, a bestselling children's author-illustrator, brings her refreshing perspective on neurodiversity to this heartfelt conversation about parenting, creativity, and breaking generational cycles. After receiving her own ADHD and autism diagnoses as an adult, Nell transformed her experiences into groundbreaking children's books that explain neurodivergent traits through feelings rather than clinical terminology.

"I grew up just wanting to be able to focus... just wanting to be the potential that everyone supposedly could see in me," Nell shares, describing the self-loathing that drove her to create resources ensuring her own children wouldn't face the same struggles. Her series—including "My Brain is a Race Car," "My Body Has a Bubble," and "My Feelings Are Waves"—presents neurodiversity as simply different neurotypes rather than conditions needing fixing, connecting with children through emotional experiences rather than diagnostic criteria.

The conversation beautifully explores how both hosts navigate parenthood with neurodivergent brains, teaching their children self-advocacy skills they never received growing up. From explaining personal boundaries through "hard bubbles" to helping children recognize when they need mindful days, Nell demonstrates how her lived experience translates into practical parenting tools. There's raw honesty about body image, communication challenges in relationships, and the powerful ways children perceive beauty differently than adults programmed by societal expectations.

Most striking is their shared commitment to breaking cycles of "children should be seen and not heard" parenting they experienced, embracing instead a model where feelings are validated, needs are met without shame, and neurodivergent traits are celebrated rather than suppressed. Nell's creative approach—developed through her own journey from tattoo artist to acclaimed author—offers hope and practical wisdom for parents navigating similar paths.

Curious about Nell's books or approach? Find her neurodiversity-focused children's books at www.nellharris.com or check out her social channels where she generously shares readings and resources for aspiring creators.

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

Discover the real side of modern motherhood in this raw, unfiltered episode featuring Hannah—a 36-year-old military mom balancing five children across an extraordinary age span. From newborn care to teen driving lessons, she shares her signature “straddling” parenting style that resonates with every multitasking parent.

• Military Family Moves & Co-Parenting: After relocating from South Carolina to Mississippi for her husband’s career, Hannah opens up about split custody challenges and maintaining strong bonds despite months apart.
• Birth Stories & Childbirth Experiences: Journey through five unique deliveries—from a teenage first birth with delayed attachment to a fifth unmedicated labor requiring a manual placenta removal—and learn how each shaped her understanding of maternal resilience.
• Mental Health in Motherhood: Gain insight into managing bipolar disorder, anxiety, and postpartum depression while leading your family. Hannah’s honesty on patience struggles and past crises offers hope for parents seeking authentic mental health conversations.
• Raising Resilient Kids: Explore her philosophy of teaching kindness, setting boundaries, and knowing which battles to pick. Whether you’re in a blended family or facing military deployments, Hannah’s story reminds us to practice grace amid the beautiful chaos.

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

When thirteen-year-old Levi developed a slight limp while recovering from a broken arm, his mother Chantelle couldn't have imagined the devastating journey ahead. What doctors initially dismissed turned out to be osteosarcoma—an aggressive bone cancer affecting less than 1% of people.

In this emotionally charged conversation, Chantelle shares their family's nine-month battle through grueling chemotherapy cycles and the heart-wrenching decision Levi faced: rebuild his leg with severe lifelong limitations or undergo rotationplasty amputation to preserve his active lifestyle. With remarkable clarity, she describes the protective mental "haze" that descended as her brain processed the unthinkable—her child had cancer.

When Levi joins the conversation, his extraordinary emotional intelligence shines through. "I just tried my best to stay positive," he explains with wisdom beyond his years. "If you become negative, certain stuff will take advantage of that." Despite losing his leg and enduring brutal treatments, Levi found solace creating music during hospital stays—beats and songs that helped keep him "sane" during the darkest periods.

The episode culminates in an emotional surprise when Levi receives professional DJ equipment gifted by industry partners who were moved by his story. Through tears and shocked silence, we witness a moment of pure joy breaking through the medical trauma—a powerful reminder that even in life's darkest chapters, light finds a way to shine through.

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

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

Welcome to the Season 3 Premiere of Touched Out! 


On todays episode we welcome back our episode 1 guest, Kate! 

Kate returns to share the remarkable conclusion to her custody journey that defied the odds – she's now officially, legally Paige's mother. When twelve-year-old Paige made the brave decision not to return to her biological mother's home, Kate began navigating the complex legal system to provide her stepdaughter the stability she desperately needed. What followed was an emotional rollercoaster through affidavits, court orders, and tense conversations with biological parents who had largely stepped away from their parental roles.

In a system where less than 3% of non-birth parents gain full legal custody, Kate faced what seemed impossible. Her lawyer's tearful Sunday morning phone call delivering the news that the courts had recognized what Paige had known for years – Kate was her true mother – marks one of the most touching moments in Touched Out podcast history. Paige's reaction? "Mom, I need to poop" – proving that even in life's most profound moments, kids remain wonderfully, authentically themselves.

But Kate's story doesn't end there. She also shares her recent marriage to Kyle, whom Paige considers her real dad, and the unexpectedly emotional moment when her once-resistant stepdaughter broke down upon seeing Kate in her wedding dress.

It's a powerful reminder that family isn't defined by DNA but by who shows up consistently with love and support. Whether you're navigating stepparent adoption, feeling discouraged by family court proceedings, or simply need reassurance that love can triumph over bureaucracy, this follow-up episode delivers both happy tears and practical insights into how Kate became part of the 3%.

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

Welcome to the Season 2 finale of Touched Out!
 
 On today's episode My wife George and I chat about our year in review. A year that was very much Survive and not Thrive. 
 
 We discuss our highs, lows, wins & fails along with some pretty awesome news. 
 
 We finish the episode by reading a few parenting reddit stories. 
 
 I hope you enjoy!

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

Welcome to Episode 34 of Touched Out!: A Mental Health and Parenting Support Podcast!

In this episode, I sit down with Naomi, a passionate entrepreneur, mental health advocate, and mother, to explore her remarkable journey from a high-pressure finance career to building a life aligned with her values. Naomi shares how she embraced change amidst the chaos of pregnancy, COVID-19, and mental health challenges, creating opportunities for parents through her business ventures, including Our Gypsy Collection and a talent agency designed to provide flexible work.

Join us as Naomi opens up about:

• Leaving a Finance Career to Build a Life of Passion: Why she chose a spiritual, creative path over a corporate career and how her ventures reflect her personal growth.
• Navigating Mental Health Diagnoses: Her experiences with anxiety, OCD, ADHD, and major depressive disorder, and the challenges women face in receiving proper diagnosis and care.
• Motherhood Amidst Adversity: From pregnancy complications to the joy of motherhood, Naomi shares how she coped with fears of miscarriage and found strength through community.
• Mental Health Advocacy and Innovation: How Naomi is breaking stigmas with ideas like home birth-friendly Airbnbs and leading fundraisers for the Black Dog Institute.

Through her candid storytelling, Naomi reminds us of the importance of empathy, resilience, and supportive communities in managing life's toughest challenges. Whether you're navigating mental health struggles, balancing family life, or building a business, this episode offers insights and encouragement to keep moving forward.

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 or review. Your support helps others discover their new favorite parenting and mental health podcast.

Connect with Us:

Visit The Touched Out Website

Follow us on Instagram

Follow us on TikTok

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

Welcome to Episode 33 of Touched Out: A Mental Health and Parenting Support Podcast!

In this episode, I sit down with my longtime friend JB, a successful tattoo artist, to discuss his extraordinary journey from our teenage years working at Kmart in Bendigo to becoming a business owner and devoted family man.

Join us as JB opens up about:

Tattooing and Creativity: How JB's chaotic upbringing and punk rock influences led him to a career in tattooing, marked by resilience and artistic expression.

Blended Family Dynamics: Insights into navigating life with his fiancée Karley, her daughter Dolly, his son Wyatt, and their shared son Silas, including the emotional challenges of co-parenting and maintaining positive relationships with ex-partners.

Overcoming Personal Challenges: JB's candid reflections on battling depression and substance abuse, and his journey toward personal growth and emotional healing.

Through heartfelt stories and raw honesty, this episode is a testament to the enduring power of friendship and mutual support. As we recount the highs and lows of JB's journey, we hope to inspire listeners with tales of resilience, the importance of prioritizing children's needs, and the pursuit of happiness in a life filled with love, creativity, and unwavering support.

Follow JB on Instagram

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.

Stay tuned for more insights, tips, and personal stories on parenting and mental health. Thanks again for listening and keep on keeping on!

Connect with Us:

Visit The Touched Out Website

Follow us on Instagram

Follow us on TikTok

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

Welcome to Episode 32 of Touched Out! A Mental Health Podcast for Parents.

In this episode, we explore the emotional journey of sudden loss with Kate, a courageous solo parent who shares her deeply personal experience of losing her husband, Tim, to pneumonia. Kate's story is a testament to the power of community support and the importance of accepting help during life's most challenging moments.

The Emotional Impact of Grief on Families

We delve into the diverse emotional responses to grief within Kate's family. From her children's coping mechanisms to the essential community resources that aided their healing, we discuss the significant role that tailored support systems play in navigating such profound loss. Our conversation also includes my own experiences with parental loss, emphasizing the value of open communication and emotional intelligence.

Embracing Help and Building New Foundations

Kate's journey from independence to embracing assistance highlights the strength found in vulnerability. We explore the critical importance of self-care and the practical steps her family took to rebuild their lives. The discussion touches on the challenges of societal expectations around grief and the bittersweet moments of watching children grow in the wake of loss.

Finding New Joy and Creating a New Normal

As we reflect on the evolving dynamics of Kate's family, we share practical strategies for managing grief and discovering new sources of joy. The episode concludes with a heartfelt tribute to those we've lost, celebrating the enduring power of cherished memories and meaningful experiences.

Key Takeaways:

• The importance of community support in navigating grief
• The varied emotional responses to loss within families
• The value of tailored support systems and open communication
• Embracing help as a strength, not a weakness
• Strategies for finding joy and creating a new normal after loss

Join the Conversation

We invite you to join us in discussing the journey of grief and resilience. Share your thoughts and experiences on social media, and let's work together to support one another through life's toughest challenges.

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