The deck was stacked against him; Mark persisted and persevered.
Mark’s is a story of uncommon adversity and triumph. At age three, Mark was taken from his biological mother by the Department of Youth and Families and placed in the foster care system. He lacked the tools and supports to manage both his grief and his new reality in society’s margins. From the pieces he conjured stories about his own worth. At around age 12 Mark began contemplating whether or not to just give up.
Throughout his early childhood, Mark’s behavior stood out to others as being abnormal and aberrant. He began to engage in criminal activity, acting out his aggression at the expense of those closest to him and society at large. Years of counseling and various combinations of medications could not correct the feelings of inadequacy and separation within. Mark began to self-medicate with substances; thus began his spiral into painful, chaotic addiction. Mark found himself in and out of youth detention centers and other correctional facilities. He lashed out at those who would protect and support him. Though, even in his lowest moments, Mark recognized what others saw: There was greatness in even him.
With truth as a foundation, greatness grows tall.
Mark has re-written the story of his life and has dedicated his life to empowering others to accomplish the same. Mark obtained a Masters Degree in Social Work (MSW) in 2014 and became a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor (LCDC) and Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW). Mark started his career working with disadvantaged youth and providing individual and family counseling, working with the courts monitoring youth and families, and performing interventions.
Mark has become one of the leaders of empowering families to find lasting recovery. His past experiences of living life addicted to drugs and alcohol on top of his experience working with thousands of clients make him one of the most qualified individuals in field guiding families through the darkness. Mark is a master of conducting interventions and empowering the intervened client and the family to heal from drug addiction.