The Journey with Mark Astor

Mark Astor

What happens when success doesn’t come in a straight line? The Journey with Mark Astor explores the paths most people never talk about the setbacks, turning points, and internal battles that quietly define who we become. Hosted by attorney Mark Astor, this podcast goes beyond surface-level conversations to uncover the real stories behind leadership, recovery, entrepreneurship, and personal growth. Each week, Mark sits down with guests who have navigated complex journeys of their own from business leaders and legal professionals to behavioral health experts and individuals shaped by life-altering experiences. These conversations challenge assumptions, shift perspective, and invite listeners to rethink what progress truly looks like. If you’re interested in honest dialogue, meaningful insight, and stories that stay with you long after the episode ends, this podcast was created for you.

  1. 3D AGO

    Ep. 14 'Nobody Will Outwork Me': How She Turned Academic Struggles Into Success with Kristen Gross

    What happens when you score 139 on the LSAT three times and everyone tells you law school isn't for you? Kristen Gross proves that hard work beats talent every single time. As the founder of KWG Family Law and Mediation Services, Kristen's journey from struggling test-taker to successful attorney challenges everything we think we know about academic achievement and professional success. Her story reveals how her mother secretly applied to law school on her behalf, how she turned personal tragedy into professional purpose, and why she believes the collaborative law process can transform how families navigate divorce. From taking a four-year hiatus after her mother's death to building a practice that prioritizes children's well-being over courtroom battles, Kristen's path wasn't traditional, but it was authentic. In this conversation, you'll discover why standardized test scores don't predict real-world success, how personal loss can redirect your entire career trajectory, and what it really takes to help families heal instead of just win legal battles. Kristen shares the moment she realized litigation wasn't her calling, the collaborative approach that changes everything for divorcing families, and why she founded a nonprofit mentoring foster youth. Her insights on turning academic struggles into professional strengths will shift how you think about failure, persistence, and finding your true calling in life. Contact Mark Astor: Website: https://mentalhealthaddictionlawfirm.com/ Phone number: 561-517-9405 Email: mark@astorsimovitchlaw.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markastor TikTok: Mark G. Astor (@astorsimovitchlaw) | TikTok

    33 min

  2. APR 28

    Ep. 13 How 8 Hours of Heroism During Vegas Shooting Changed Everything with Todd Blyleven

    What would you do if gunfire erupted around you and your family was running for safety? Todd Blyleven faced that exact moment at the Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas, and his split-second decision changed everything. Instead of running with his wife and family to safety, Todd kissed his wife goodbye and ran back into the chaos - not once, but dozens of times over eight grueling hours. His actions that night saved over 30 lives and helped hundreds more escape one of America's deadliest mass shootings. Todd's story goes far beyond that horrific night in 2017. As a former MLB scout who signed 25 players to major league contracts and grew up in a Hall of Fame baseball family, Todd understood pressure and performance. But nothing prepared him for the moment he saw muzzle flashes from Mandalay Bay and made the choice to become a human shield for strangers. From carrying wounded victims to safety, to disarming a man with a knife in hotel corridors, to building makeshift triage centers on the street - Todd's journey through trauma, survivor's guilt, and ultimate healing offers profound insights into resilience, faith, and what it truly means to bounce forward rather than just bounce back. Contact Mark Astor: Website: https://mentalhealthaddictionlawfirm.com/ Phone number: 561-517-9405 Email: mark@astorsimovitchlaw.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markastor TikTok: Mark G. Astor (@astorsimovitchlaw) | TikTok

    45 min

  3. APR 21

    Ep. 12 Big T vs. Little T Trauma, ADHD & Addiction Explained with Renee Calhoun

    Not all trauma looks the way people expect it to and that misunderstanding may be holding more people back than they realize. What if the experiences you’ve brushed off as “not that bad” are actually shaping your behavior, relationships, and mental health in ways you’ve never considered? In this episode, Mark Astor sits down with Renee Calhoun to unpack the difference between “Big T” and “Little T” trauma and why both can have a lasting impact. As the conversation unfolds, Renee connects trauma to ADHD, addiction, family dynamics, and even physical symptoms many people overlook. From generational patterns to the role of dopamine, medication, and emotional processing, this episode challenges common assumptions about mental health and recovery. You’ll walk away with a deeper understanding of how trauma shows up, why it’s often misunderstood, and how recognizing it can completely change the way you approach healing for yourself or someone you love. Contact Mark Astor: Website: https://mentalhealthaddictionlawfirm.com/ Phone number: 561-517-9405 Email: mark@astorsimovitchlaw.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markastor TikTok: Mark G. Astor (@astorsimovitchlaw) | TikTok

    43 min

  4. APR 14

    Ep. 11 From Losing His Son And Wife To Addiction to Living Undeterred with Jeffrey Johnston

    There are moments in life that change everything and for Jeffrey Johnston, those moments came in ways no parent or partner should ever have to face. What happens when you lose not only your son, but years later, your wife to addiction as well? And how do you keep going when grief, guilt, and addiction begin pulling you under too? In this deeply raw and unfiltered conversation, Mark Astor sits down with Jeffrey to explore the reality of standing at the edge and what it truly takes to step back from it. What unfolds is not just a story of loss, but one of radical responsibility, resilience, and transformation. Jeffrey opens up about his own battle with alcohol, the breaking point that changed everything, and how he turned unimaginable pain into a mission to help others through advocacy, mental health innovation, and honest conversation. This episode will challenge how you think about addiction, recovery, and what it really means to rebuild a life when everything you once knew is gone and it may just leave you seeing your own struggles through a completely different lens. Contact Mark Astor: Website: https://mentalhealthaddictionlawfirm.com/ Phone number: 561-517-9405 Email: mark@astorsimovitchlaw.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markastor TikTok: Mark G. Astor (@astorsimovitchlaw) | TikTok

    47 min

  5. APR 7

    Ep. 10 A Car Accident, Opioids & The Breaking Point That Nearly Ended It with Former Attorney Wayne Basist

    What happens when the life you worked so hard to build is the very thing that starts breaking you? In this deeply honest conversation, Wayne Basist shares how the relentless pressure of practicing law, combined with years of underlying anxiety, quietly pushed him toward a breaking point he didn’t fully see coming. But it wasn’t just burnout it was a devastating car accident that changed everything, setting off a chain reaction that would challenge him physically, mentally, and emotionally in ways he never imagined. As chronic pain led to opioid use and his world began to unravel, Wayne found himself facing moments that forced a life-or-death decision. What followed wasn’t a quick fix, but a long and deeply personal journey through trauma, recovery, and transformation. Today, he’s using those experiences to help other attorneys navigate the very struggles that nearly took him down. This episode invites you to rethink stress, resilience, and what it truly means to rebuild your life from the ground up. Contact Mark Astor: Website: https://mentalhealthaddictionlawfirm.com/ Phone number: 561-517-9405 Email: mark@astorsimovitchlaw.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markastor TikTok: Mark G. Astor (@astorsimovitchlaw) | TikTok

    49 min

  6. MAR 31

    Ep. 9 Addiction, Overdose And The Fight That Saved His Life with Former NHL Player Chris Nilan

    What happens when the identity that made you successful is the same one that nearly destroys you? In this raw and deeply personal conversation, Chris Nilan opens up about the life behind the fights both on the ice and far beyond it. From growing up in a tough Boston neighborhood to becoming one of hockey’s most feared enforcers, his story isn’t just about toughness… it’s about what that toughness was hiding. Beneath the surface was a battle few people saw coming one that didn’t end when the game did. As life after hockey set in, the loss of structure, identity, and purpose led Chris down a path of addiction, pain, and near-death moments that forced him to confront everything he had been running from. What followed wasn’t a quick fix but a long, honest process of rebuilding, accountability, and real change. This episode doesn’t just share what he went through it reveals what it actually takes to come back from it. You’ll walk away seeing resilience, recovery, and personal responsibility in a completely different light. Contact Mark Astor: Website: https://mentalhealthaddictionlawfirm.com/ Phone number: 561-517-9405 Email: mark@astorsimovitchlaw.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markastor TikTok: Mark G. Astor (@astorsimovitchlaw) | TikTok

    52 min

  7. MAR 24

    Ep. 8 Rewriting Mental Health Narratives Through Fiction with Danielle Blum

    What if everything we’ve been taught about mental health especially in movies and media is completely wrong? In this episode, Danielle Blum shares how her journey as an author evolved into something much deeper: a mission to challenge the harmful narratives surrounding trauma and dissociative identity. Through the creation of her psychological thriller Fragments of Affection, Danielle conducted over 100 interviews with individuals living with dissociative identity disorder, uncovering stories that are far more human, complex, and misunderstood than what we typically see portrayed. As the conversation unfolds, Danielle opens up about the emotional weight of those interviews, the unexpected community that formed from them, and the responsibility that comes with telling stories rooted in real lived experience. She also shares a deeply personal perspective on addiction through her best friend’s ongoing struggle, offering an honest look at the tension between love, support, and helplessness. This episode invites you to rethink what you believe about trauma, identity, and healing and to see the people behind the diagnosis with a new level of understanding. Contact Mark Astor: Website: https://mentalhealthaddictionlawfirm.com/ Phone number: 561-517-9405 Email: mark@astorsimovitchlaw.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markastor TikTok: Mark G. Astor (@astorsimovitchlaw) | TikTok

    30 min

  8. MAR 17

    Ep. 7 Why Leaving An Abusive Relationship Is So Much Harder Than It Looks with Maggie Mccane

    Why do people stay in abusive relationships even when the danger is clear from the outside? In this powerful conversation, Mark sits down with licensed clinical social worker Maggie Mccane to explore the complex psychological dynamics behind trauma, domestic violence, and healing. Drawing from years of experience working with survivors, offenders, and individuals navigating deep emotional wounds, Maggie explains why leaving an abusive relationship is often far more complicated than people realize. Financial control, manipulation, fear, isolation, and trauma bonds can all keep victims trapped in cycles of violence that are incredibly difficult to break. Maggie also shares insights into how trauma shapes the way we view ourselves and the world around us, introducing listeners to concepts like “stuck memories” and EMDR therapy a powerful approach that helps people process and heal from traumatic experiences. Together, Mark and Maggie discuss the role of community, faith, personal growth, and trauma-informed therapy in helping people reclaim their lives. This conversation offers both compassion and clarity for anyone seeking to understand the deeper realities of trauma, recovery, and the long journey toward healing. Contact Mark Astor: Website: https://mentalhealthaddictionlawfirm.com/ Phone number: 561-517-9405 Email: mark@astorsimovitchlaw.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markastor TikTok: Mark G. Astor (@astorsimovitchlaw) | TikTok

    47 min
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About

What happens when success doesn’t come in a straight line? The Journey with Mark Astor explores the paths most people never talk about the setbacks, turning points, and internal battles that quietly define who we become. Hosted by attorney Mark Astor, this podcast goes beyond surface-level conversations to uncover the real stories behind leadership, recovery, entrepreneurship, and personal growth. Each week, Mark sits down with guests who have navigated complex journeys of their own from business leaders and legal professionals to behavioral health experts and individuals shaped by life-altering experiences. These conversations challenge assumptions, shift perspective, and invite listeners to rethink what progress truly looks like. If you’re interested in honest dialogue, meaningful insight, and stories that stay with you long after the episode ends, this podcast was created for you.

Information

  • Creator
    Mark Astor
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    14
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Journey with Mark Astor
  • Show Website
    The Journey with Mark Astor

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