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. 6d ago

    Ep. 17 Why Loving An Alcoholic Harder Won't Save Them with Becky Ogden

    What happens when someone you love disappears into addiction while you're still living in the same house? Becky Ogden thought she could save her marriage by loving her husband harder, giving him more understanding, and believing that connection was the cure for addiction. For over two decades, she watched the man she married slowly transform into someone she didn't recognize, finding hidden alcohol stashes throughout their home and making excuses for increasingly dangerous behavior. Her story reveals the painful truth about hope, the mythology around loving someone out of addiction, and why emotionally healthy people don't stay in relationships with active addicts. Becky's journey from devoted wife to protective mother spans gambling addiction, hidden drinking, job loss, financial betrayal, and ultimately a crime that forced her to call police on the father of her children. Her raw honesty about the slow decline, the manipulation, and her own codependent patterns offers a lifeline to families silently struggling with similar situations. She shares what finally gave her the courage to leave, how she's rebuilding with her three children, and why she now speaks openly about experiences most people keep hidden in shame. 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 Contact Becky Ogden: Website: https://conversationstocontent.com/

    28 min

  2. May 18

    Ep. 16 The Humble vs Humiliated Truth About Long-Term Recovery with Dr. Robert Sanchez

    What's the difference between being humble and being humiliated in recovery? Dr. Robert Sanchez, a certified intervention professional with 18 years of sobriety and over 31 years in behavioral healthcare, reveals the daily reality of maintaining long-term recovery that most people never see. After more than 20 treatment episodes across three decades, Robert discovered the profound truth that changed everything: recovery isn't just about stopping-it's about becoming someone entirely different. His journey from repeated treatment failures to sustained sobriety offers hope and practical insight for anyone navigating addiction, whether personally or with a loved one. Robert shares the stark reality behind today's cannabis-induced psychosis epidemic, why Florida's legal framework saves lives that other states can't protect, and the critical first-year recovery statistics that determine long-term success. From his work as a forensic psychologist in maximum security prisons to his current intervention practice, Robert breaks down the neurological truth about addiction as a disease, not a choice, and explains why modern marijuana at 60-90% THC concentration is creating unprecedented mental health crises. This conversation goes beyond surface-level recovery advice to explore the deep work of rebuilding identity, maintaining humility, and creating sustainable change. 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 Contact Dr. Robert Sanchez: Website: AxiomHealthServices.com Phone: 833-932-9466 Veritas Training: VeritasTrainingGroup.com

    49 min

  3. May 12

    Ep. 15 The Man Who Remembers Every Day Since Age 6 with Frank Healy

    What would it be like to remember every single day of your life for the past 60 years? Frank Healy, one of only 20 people in the world with hyperthymesia, doesn't just remember every date since he was six years old-he remembers the weather, the day of the week, what he wore, and most importantly, how he felt. This rare neurological gift has shaped his entire career as a licensed professional counselor, giving him an extraordinary capacity for empathy that helps trauma survivors heal from their deepest wounds. Frank's journey from viewing his perfect memory as both blessing and curse to transforming it into a healing superpower offers profound insights into resilience, emotional regulation, and finding purpose through our most challenging traits. His unique perspective on memory, trauma, and healing reveals why some people get stuck in painful moments while others learn to override bad feelings with intentionally created good ones. 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 Contact Frank Healy: Website: https://www.healyshealing.com/ Email: healysheal1@msn.com

    35 min

  4. May 5

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

    What happens when you score 139 on the LSAT three times and everyone tells you law school isn't for you? Kristen Goss 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

  5. 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

  6. 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

  7. 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

  8. 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
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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
    17
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Journey with Mark Astor
  • Show Website
    The Journey with Mark Astor