A teenager working as a bookmaker while loading books for the Teamsters, a young man sprinting into the Marines to outrun the mob, and a veteran who discovers that the loudest battles begin after you come home. Mark’s story pulls you from Philadelphia’s streets to the Gulf War, across a kibbutz in Israel, and into a quiet Florida room where thirty minutes of stillness begin to change everything. 

We explore the human cost of pressure and war, and the small, repetitive practices that rebuild a nervous system and a life. Mark opens the chapters with rarely told stories of surviving when friends don’t, of masking panic behind success, and of the first awkward steps toward help at a Veteran Center. 

Through Zen meditation, filmmaking, public service, and spiritual communities, he discovers how the body learns steadiness and how the mind is guided. 

If you’re navigating trauma, PTSD, addiction, or the quiet ache of being “high-functioning” yet unwell, this conversation offers grounded tools and proof that change is possible.

Connect with Mark:

Documentary on YouTube: Woke Up Alive (A Unique and Honest Spiritual Journey)

https://stareatthewall.org/

Connect with Jen:

I Need Blue  now has a new home at The Healing in Sharing! Visit thehealinginsharing.com  to explore Round Chair Conversations, all relevant I Need Blue content, and ways to support the mission of sharing stories that inspire hope and resilience.

By sharing the hidden lines of our stories, we remind each other we are not alone — together, we step out of hiding and into healing. 

Instagram: @ineedbluepodcast
YouTube:     https://www.youtube.com/@ineedblue

Apple Podcasts: Listen & Subscribe
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheHealingInSharing11

Memoir: Why I Survived, by Jennifer Lee on Amazon

The background music is written, performed and produced exclusively by Melissa Turri.
https://melissaturrimusic.com/

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