In this candid and vulnerable interview, Garrett opens up about decades of running from deep childhood wounds, identity confusion, and chronic addiction. Labeled gay from the first grade and exposed early to trauma and pornography, Garrett learned to arm himself with a sharp tongue, aggression, and an alter ego to survive.
What followed was a decade-long cycle of daily marijuana use, heavy drinking, dating drug dealers, and building a public identity around being a "pretty boy" and high-profile DC hairstylist—all while battling severe inner isolation and shame.
Garrett shares how a simple commitment to pray for just five minutes a day began unraveling years of self-deception. From miraculous deliverance out of substance abuse to finding community through Courage International, confronting father wounds, and ultimately entering monastic formation, Garrett reveals what true healing and surrender look like when you stop trying to earn holiness and allow God to meet you exactly as you are.
Garrett’s Book: Becoming a Good Man (Available at bookstores and online retailers)

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Chapters
• 00:00 - Hook & Opening Thoughts
• 00:55 - A Life Lived in Survival Mode
• 02:00 - Household Turmoil & Childhood Isolation
• 06:03 - Labeled Gay in First Grade
• 07:05 - Childhood Molestation & Early Porn Exposure
• 08:15 - Escaping into Fantasy, Star Wars, and Video Games
• 15:15 - Resentment Toward Dad & Building Defensive Armor
• 21:35 - "I Started to Hate What I Was"
• 25:28 - Alcohol, Reckless Driving, and Self-Destruction
• 27:35 - Entering the DC Club Scene & Weed Addiction
• 32:45 - Toxic Relationships & Dating a Drug Dealer
• 38:00 - Cosmetology School & 10 Years of Numbing Out
• 42:15 - The "Freak" Identity & Aggressive Self-Defense
• 46:30 - Salon Fame in Washingtonian Magazine & Imposter Syndrome
• 50:15 - 5 Minutes of Prayer Before Getting High
• 56:35 - Crying Out to Jesus & Overcoming Weed Addiction
• 1:01:00 - Purging Secular Influences & Returning to the Sacraments
• 1:04:55 - Discovering Courage International & Redefining Identity
• 1:07:00 - Healing Father Wounds & Experiencing Brotherly Affection
• 1:13:30 - Pilgrimage to Assisi & The Woman on the Mountain
• 1:16:30 - Writing the Book Becoming a Good Man
• 1:17:35 - A Deep Mental Breakdown & Confronting Core Wounds
• 1:22:00 - Leaving Salon Management & Discerning Religious Life
• 1:27:50 - Moving into the Monastery & "Stop Lying to Yourself"
• 1:33:15 - The Bloody Cross: God's Grace in Human Weakness
• 1:35:55 - "Come to Me As You Are": What True Holiness Really Means
• 1:41:30 - Closing Advice & The Meaning of Being a Good Man