In this episode of Living Undeterred, Jeff Johnston sits down with attorney and mental health advocate Mark Astor for a powerful conversation on the intersection of law, addiction, and the realities of today’s mental health system.

Mark shares his journey from a high-volume courtroom prosecutor to building a law firm dedicated to helping families navigate behavioral health crises. Through personal setbacks, professional reinvention, and firsthand experience, he’s become a leading voice in advocating for better solutions—not just more systems.

Together, Jeff and Mark unpack the deeper issues driving today’s mental health epidemic, including the failures of reactive care, the lack of accessible treatment, and the urgent need to shift focus upstream—before crisis hits.

In this episode, they discuss:

• The reality of the criminal justice system vs. mental health care
• Why “more treatment” isn’t the answer—but better treatment is
• How families can take action when a loved one can’t help themselves
• The impact of social media, prescription culture, and early exposure on youth
• Why prevention and early intervention (ages 14–18) may be the key to long-term change
• Mark’s personal journey through failure, rebuilding, and finding purpose in helping others

This conversation is a raw, honest look at what’s broken—and what’s possible—when we stop reacting and start addressing the root causes.

If you or someone you love is struggling, this episode offers both perspective and hope—and a reminder that no one has to face it alone.

🎧 Subscribe to Living Undeterred for more conversations focused on mental health, resilience, and real solutions that make a difference.

In this episode of Living Undeterred, host Jeff Johnston sits down with Wes Bruns for one of the most powerful and emotional conversations yet—an unforgettable story of survival, loss, and what it truly means to keep going when everything changes.

Wes shares the unimaginable tragedy that altered his life forever—a carbon monoxide poisoning incident that took multiple members of his family and left him fighting for his own life. What follows is not just a story of survival, but a journey through grief, resilience, and the long road of rebuilding identity, purpose, and faith in the aftermath of loss.

From his roots in Iowa basketball to decades of coaching and mentoring young athletes, Wes opens up about the moments that shaped him—losing his father at a young age, the accident that nearly took everything, and the mindset that carried him through recovery. He reflects on the power of physical and mental strength, the role of community, and how storytelling has become a mission through his upcoming book When Life Changes the Game.

This episode goes deeper than tragedy—it’s about perspective. It’s about choosing growth over bitterness, action over sympathy, and purpose over pain. Jeff and Wes explore what it means to honor those we’ve lost by how we live, how we lead, and how we show up for others.

If you’ve ever faced loss, questioned your purpose, or needed a reminder of what resilience really looks like—this conversation will stay with you.

Listen now and share this episode with someone who needs it.

In this episode of Living Undeterred, Jeff Johnston sits down with Alexandra Miles, founder and CEO of Project Blackbird, for a powerful conversation about turning personal struggle into purpose. Alexandra shares how her own experience with mental health challenges led her to create a movement focused on helping individuals feel seen, heard, and supported—especially in spaces where it once felt unsafe to speak up.

Through storytelling, connection, and actionable support, Project Blackbird is reshaping how we approach mental health—moving beyond awareness and into real impact.

Alexandra’s journey from silent struggle to founding a national mental health nonprofit

How storytelling—through film and lived experiences—breaks stigma and builds empathy

Why feeling “seen” is the first step toward healing

The gap between awareness and action in today’s mental health system

The power of small, daily habits in building resilience and discipline

Rethinking therapy, prevention, and what it truly means to support others

Why there is no “one-size-fits-all” solution to recovery—and what to do instead

This episode challenges the way we think about mental health, reminding us that no one is broken—and that real change starts with connection, curiosity, and courage.

If this conversation resonates with you, share it with someone who needs to hear it—and don’t forget to subscribe for more stories of resilience, growth, and living undeterred.

In this episode of Living Undeterred, Jeff Johnston sits down with Tony Glace for a conversation that is as raw as it is inspiring. What starts as a discussion around addiction and personal struggle quickly turns into something much deeper—a journey of transformation, healing, and discovering purpose through pain.

Tony opens up about the moment everything changed for him, sharing how his battle with alcohol led him down an unexpected path into plant medicine and ultimately into a completely new way of living. But this story doesn’t stop at personal healing. What emerged on the other side was a calling—to help others, especially veterans, find a way out of the cycles that keep them stuck.

That calling became One & Done, a nonprofit built around the belief that true healing isn’t just about breakthrough moments—it’s about what happens after. Through intentional integration, Tony is working to create a system that supports lasting change for those who need it most.

Throughout the episode, Tony and Jeff dive into vulnerability, faith, trauma, and the idea that the hardest chapters of our lives often become the foundation for our greatest impact. It’s an honest, unfiltered conversation about what it means to rebuild, to believe again, and to step fully into the life you were meant to live.

If you’ve ever faced something that felt impossible to overcome—or wondered how pain can turn into purpose—this episode will stay with you.

Learn more about One & Done and get involved:

https://oneanddone.org

https://www.instagram.com/oneanddone.healingheroes

https://givebutter.com/oneanddone

🎧 Subscribe to Living Undeterred for more real conversations about resilience, healing, and the stories that shape us.

In this episode of Living Undeterred, host Jeff Johnston sits down with Ryan Hampton, a nationally recognized recovery advocate, author, and founder of Mobilize Recovery, for an honest and wide-ranging conversation on addiction, mental health, and systemic change.

Ryan shares his personal journey of long-term recovery and how lived experience has fueled his work confronting the opioid crisis head-on—from organizing families affected by addiction to taking on Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family from inside the historic bankruptcy case. He opens up about what he learned while helping negotiate one of the most consequential settlements in public health history, why true justice often gets lost in the process, and how victims’ voices are too often sidelined.

The conversation also explores Ryan’s current run for the Nevada State Assembly, the urgent mental health crisis facing states across the country, and why building a “care economy” is essential for both public health and long-term economic stability. Along the way, Ryan and Jeff reflect on personal accountability, prevention, recovery pathways, and what it really takes to live undeterred in the face of criticism, burnout, and political pressure.

This episode is a powerful reminder that advocacy isn’t abstract—it’s personal. And lasting change only happens when people with lived experience step into the arena.

In this Living Undeterred roundtable powered by Brightn, Jeff Johnston is joined by members of the Brightn team for an honest, wide-ranging conversation about mental health, attention, and what it actually means to live well in a constantly connected world.

Rather than chasing diagnoses or quick fixes, the group explores how modern life—social media, comparison, burnout, and endless distractions—has reshaped the way we experience stress, motivation, and self-worth. From personal stories of struggle and growth to practical insights around boundaries, consistency, and self-awareness, this episode challenges the idea that we’re “broken” and need to be fixed.

The conversation dives into:

• Why attention—not other apps or people—is the real battle we’re fighting
• The difference between motivation and discipline, and why small wins matter
• How journaling, boundaries, and consistency can quietly transform daily life
• The role AI can play as a supportive tool for mental wellness—not a replacement for human connection
• Why peace and presence matter just as much as goals and achievement

This episode is a reminder that mental health isn’t a destination—it’s a daily practice. You don’t need to overhaul your life. You just need to start where you are.

🎧 Listen, reflect, and join the conversation on living undeterred.

In this powerful episode of Brightn, we sit down with Hillary Phelps and Greg for a deeply honest conversation about recovery, mental health, conscious leadership, and the generational impact of the choices we make.

Through raw storytelling and lived experience, this episode explores what it truly means to break cycles—of addiction, silence, shame, and inherited trauma—and how healing becomes possible through vulnerability, community, and purpose-driven action.

In this episode, we explore:

• Hillary’s journey through addiction, sobriety, and women’s mental health recovery
• The unique challenges women face in addiction—and why those stories have long gone unheard
• Greg’s story of loss, resilience, and breaking generational cycles of trauma and suicide
• What “conscious capital” really means—and how leadership can be rooted in impact, not ego
• Why recovery looks different for everyone, but connection is always the common thread
• The idea of living amends and choosing a legacy that stops the pain from being passed down
• How community, accountability, and self-respect become anchors in long-term healing

This episode is a reminder that healing isn’t about perfection—it’s about choosing, again and again, to live differently. Whether you’re navigating recovery yourself, supporting someone you love, or seeking a deeper understanding of mental health and human flourishing, this conversation offers hope, perspective, and light.

🎧 Subscribe to Brightn for more conversations centered on healing, growth, and creating a better future—together.

In this deeply personal episode of Brightn, Jeff Johnston sits down with his son Ian for an open, unscripted conversation about grief, resilience, and what it truly means to live undeterred after unimaginable loss.

Together, they reflect on the moments that shaped their family forever—the loss of a brother, the weight of generational grief, and the crossroads that follow trauma. This episode isn’t about pretending pain disappears. It’s about choosing purpose anyway, and finding meaning through action, entrepreneurship, community, and connection.

In this episode, we explore:

• Ian’s journey as a young entrepreneur and the story behind Tribute Kicks
• How grief shaped identity—and why it didn’t get the final word
• The power of choosing a different road when life breaks you open
• Turning loss into legacy through giving back and mental health advocacy
• Why living undeterred isn’t about strength—it’s about intention
• Father–son healing, shared memories, and honoring loved ones through how we live
• Finding light, purpose, and even joy after devastation

This conversation is raw, honest, and hopeful—a reminder that even in life’s darkest moments, we still get to decide who we become. Whether you’re navigating grief, rebuilding after loss, or searching for meaning beyond survival, this episode offers a powerful example of what it looks like to move forward without forgetting.

🎧 Subscribe to Brightn for more conversations centered on healing, resilience, and human flourishing.

In this powerful episode of the Brightn Podcast, host Jeff Johnston sits down with Ahmed Darwish, PsyD for a deeply vulnerable and thought-provoking conversation on healing, authenticity, and the future of mental wellness. Drawing from his own journey growing up amid significant trauma, Ahmed Darwish, PsyD shares how empathy and emotional awareness became survival mechanisms—and later, tools for growth and service.

Together, they explore the limitations of traditional mental health models, the promise of emerging modalities like psychedelics and bilateral brain stimulation, and how technology—when used responsibly—can democratize healing. The discussion also tackles the growing spiritual crisis, the dangers of comparison culture, and the path toward living in alignment with one’s deepest values.

Whether you're navigating personal adversity or leading others through it, this episode offers compassionate guidance, professional insight, and a forward-looking vision of hope.

In this powerful episode of the Brightn Podcast, James Oliver Jr. — entrepreneur, venture capitalist, and founder of the Kabila Founder Mental Health Fund — gets real about the cost of the grind and the courage it takes to heal. From launching his first startup while his twins were born three months prematurely, to navigating divorce, burnout, and investor rejection, James shares how resilience became both his survival mode and his warning sign.

He opens up about functional depression, the toxicity of hustle culture, and why authentic relationships and mental wellness must become part of the founder toolkit — not the afterthought. Today, he’s turning that pain into purpose by creating accessible mental health support for overlooked founders nationwide.

Tune in to learn how vulnerability can build stronger leaders, why “not all money is good money,” and how shifting from transactional to human-led connections might just change the future of entrepreneurship.