top of page
Search

Podcast Episode Summary: Cults - Part Three

  • Writer: Katherine Arkady
    Katherine Arkady
  • Apr 29
  • 4 min read

shadowed Jesus on cross with a vigil in background


Introduction

In the final part of this candid and emotionally resonant series, Katherine sits down with our anonymous guest for a wide-ranging conversation on reclaiming life, identity, and freedom after leaving a cult. Through reflection, analysis, and moments of both levity and gravity, they explore what comes after escape: the long process of unlearning, healing, and re-entering the world.


This episode dives into pop culture, spirituality, horror as catharsis, and what documentaries get right—and wrong—about cult life. You’ll hear powerful reflections on trust, autonomy, and the ongoing journey of writing a new story after surviving a system of control.


Here's a link to the podcast episode on my website. Listen to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all other major platforms!



Time Stamps:

00:01:32 What other gossip was happening amongst the church?

00:02:38 You said a hundred people. Was there like a flow of there was a minimum, there was a maximum?

00:03:15 Was it ever discouraged going to the doctor?

00:04:05 Tell me more about healing hands.

00:04:47 Were there some church members that were a little louder than others?

00:05:35 Was that truly believed to a level of, like, yes, women are healers, but God is ultimate?

00:06:52 Is Aunt Bessie a reference to something?

00:08:40 Was it just God or was there like the Trinity of God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit?

00:09:40 What were you able to watch as a kid?

00:10:40 Once you were out, and you could watch relatively anything, how did that feel?

00:12:15 Are there any [bible] verses that you might still hold close to you because you like them?

00:14:38 What was it like regaining your freedom of choice?

00:16:11 Did you have to learn how to trust yourself?

00:17:43 What's the difference between a cult and a military?

00:19:29 Did you find comfort being in the military after your experience in the cult?

00:21:18 When you say that you're learning this dark humor, how does that come about?

00:23:27 What tactics have you utilized to get the pop culture refresh into your brain?

00:24:32 What is it about horror that you're able to enjoy?

00:27:32 Were there ever doomsday prophecies with the cult?

00:29:03 You and I have watched a few documentaries on Cults, the Twin Flames documentary, the Keep Sweet and Obey documentary. What about these documentaries do you feel get it right?

00:34:07 “As to what the documentaries got wrong, I can't speak to too much because every cult is different.”

00:35:05 Would you like to see something being made about the cult that you were a part of?

00:36:38 ”Anybody could fall victim to a cult.”

00:37:44 What traits would that leader have to have?

00:38:28 What resources would you suggest writers utilize to better write about Cults, either fictional or realistic, in their own writing?

00:39:34 If I were to only watch one documentary to get that cultness through, what would it be?

00:41:15 What is the best way to heal from a cult experience?

00:44:54 What might you want to say to somebody listening who is questioning the organization that they are currently in, that it may also be of a cult persuasion?




Key Takeaways:

  1. Reclaiming agency takes time:

Freedom isn’t just physical—it's emotional, creative, and cultural.

  1. Healing can look like horror:

Pop culture and dark humor provide surprising comfort when survivors reframe their trauma.

  1. Cults are not all the same:

While patterns exist, each group carries unique methods of control and belief systems.

  1. Media representation matters:

Survivors are watching, listening, and weighing what’s accurate and what misses the mark.

  1. Survival does not end the story:

Leaving is only one part of the journey. Recovery, reflection, and redefining yourself takes a lifetime.



Editor's Notes:

The end of a series like this is never really an end. For writers exploring trauma, survival, or systems of control, what you hear in this episode may echo into your own creative process—your characters, your themes, your pacing, or even your inner life.


This episode is a reminder that survivors don’t owe their stories, but when they choose to share them, it’s a gift. As a writer, it’s your responsibility to meet that gift with clarity, care, and caution. The truth is: cults don’t always look extreme from the inside. Sometimes, they look like family. Like faith. Like structure. That nuance matters.


If you're writing about characters with these experiences—fictional or real—ask yourself not just what they survived, but how they keep living. How do they rediscover joy, humor, love? What makes them more than what they endured?


Stories like this aren’t just exposés—they’re emotional blueprints. Use them wisely, use them well, and check in with yourself often. Writing from dark places doesn’t mean you have to stay there.



Links & Resources:

Support Groups

Books on Cults & High-Control Groups (For Research & Inspiration)

Writing Guides & Storytelling Resources




Truth echoes long after escape,

Katherine Arkady


Comments

Accessibility Statement

Inkwell to Inbox: Send Some Words My Way

Thank You for Sharing!

© 2024 by Katherine Arkady | Takes One to Write One. All Rights Reserved.

bottom of page