Sometimes the life you're living doesn't feel like your own.

Before becoming a leader in youth substance use prevention, Eric Mazzeo was stuck in a cycle he couldn't break: addiction, jail, loss, and a constant battle with himself. On the outside, he came from a good home and had real opportunities. On the inside, he was overwhelmed with fear, anxiety, and a deep sense of not feeling like he belonged.

What changed wasn't one single moment. It was a decision to try something different when everything else had failed.

In this conversation, Eric shares what it really looks like to live through addiction, the internal fight most people never see, and the turning point that led him into recovery. Today, he's using that same experience to connect with young people in a way few others can — meeting them where they are, without judgment, and showing them what's possible when someone finally believes they're worth saving.

Guest Bio

Eric Mazzeo grew up in Everett, Massachusetts, where he developed into a talented football player with opportunities to play at the collegiate level. Despite his potential, he struggled internally with anxiety, fear, and a need for approval that led him down a path of substance use, legal trouble, and repeated attempts to get sober. After years of cycling through detox, jail, and relapse, Eric made the decision in 2018 to fully commit to recovery through a 12-step program. Since then, he has rebuilt his life and now serves as the Assistant Director of Youth Substance Use Prevention for the City of Everett.

Today, Eric works directly with young people in schools and the community, using his lived experience to educate, mentor, and support the next generation. His mission is simple, to help others avoid the path he once walked and to remind them that change is always possible.

You'll hear About

• What addiction actually feels like from the inside

• How fear, anxiety, and self-doubt drive destructive behavior

• The moment Eric decided to fully commit to recovery

• Why vulnerability and connection are key to healing

• How lived experience creates real impact with today's youth

Chapters

00:00 Welcome and Episode Introduction

02:00 The Decision to Finally Get Sober

05:00 Growing Up in Everett and Early Struggles

09:00 High School, Football, and Internal Pressure

12:30 Addiction as Escape and Emotional Relief

16:00 When Substance Use Starts Taking Control

20:00 Jail, Loss, and Hitting Repeated Bottoms

24:00 The Turning Point Toward Recovery

27:30 Vulnerability, Connection, and 12-Step Work

31:00 Letting Go of the Past and Finding Purpose

34:30 Working With Youth and Giving Back

38:00 Why Lived Experience Matters in Prevention

41:00 Eric's Message to Anyone Struggling

This week, pay attention to how you respond when someone is struggling. Instead of reacting with judgment or frustration, choose empathy. Reach out, listen, and remind them they're not alone. Sometimes the smallest act of understanding can open the door to real change.

Connect with Eric

Instagram: @emazz86

Work Instagram: eric_mazzeo_youth

Connect with Chuck
Check out the website: https://www.thecompassionateconnection.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chuck-thuss-a9aa044/

Follow on Instagram: @warriorsunmasked

Join the Warriors Unmasked community by subscribing to the show. Together, we're breaking stigmas and shining a light on mental health, one story at a time.

When Shannon Ivey was diagnosed with late-stage colorectal cancer at 42, she was a single mom in a new city with no built-in support system. What followed wasn't just a medical battle. It was a crash course in self-advocacy, resilience, and learning how to navigate a system that wasn't designed for someone in her position.

In this episode, Shannon shares what it really looks like to face a life-threatening diagnosis while holding everything else together. From recognizing the symptoms she almost dismissed, to building her own medical team, to making the decision to fight when she wasn't sure she wanted to, this conversation goes beyond survival. It's about reclaiming your voice in moments when it matters most.

This is a powerful reminder that even in the most overwhelming situations, you have more agency than you think.

Guest Bio

Shannon Ivey, MFA, AEA, PCC, is a writer, patient advocate, and International Coaching Federation–certified professional coach. She is the author of Welcome to the Sht Show: A Memoir of Colorectal Cancer and the Power of Self-Advocacy* (University of South Carolina Press, 2026), a bold and honest exploration of navigating medical crisis, identity, and personal agency.

After more than 20 years in theatre as a professor, actor, and director, Shannon shifted her work toward storytelling, narrative medicine, and advocacy. Following her diagnosis with late-stage colorectal cancer at 42, she became a leader in Colontown, one of the largest online support communities for colorectal cancer patients. Her work now focuses on medical self-advocacy, health equity, and the power of storytelling to drive personal and systemic change. She is currently pursuing a PhD focused on creativity and hope in post-crisis contexts.

You'll hear About

• The early signs of colorectal cancer that are often overlooked

• Why assumptions about "normal" symptoms can be dangerous

• What it means to truly advocate for yourself in a medical system

• How to build the right team around you and make hard decisions

• The mindset shift that helped Shannon choose to fight

Chapters

00:00 Welcome and Episode Introduction

02:00 Life Before Diagnosis and Early Warning Signs

05:00 The Moment Everything Changed

09:30 Navigating Diagnosis as a Single Parent

13:00 Making the Decision to Fight

16:30 Missed Symptoms and Medical Blind Spots

20:00 Why People Avoid Getting Checked

24:00 Breaking Stigma Around Colorectal Cancer

27:30 Building a Medical Team That Works for You

31:00 The Power of Self-Advocacy

34:30 Learning From Others and Finding Support

37:00 Life After Diagnosis and New Purpose

40:00 Shannon's Book and Message

42:30 Final Reflections and Takeaways

This week, take ownership of one area of your life where you've been waiting for someone else to take the lead. Ask questions. Speak up. Advocate for what you need. Even a small step toward self-advocacy can create a powerful shift.

Connect with Shannon

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yesitsshannonivey

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannon-ivey-mfa-aea-pcc/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shannonmivey

Connect with Chuck
Check out the website: https://www.thecompassionateconnection.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chuck-thuss-a9aa044/

Follow on Instagram: @warriorsunmasked

Join the Warriors Unmasked community by subscribing to the show. Together, we're breaking stigmas and shining a light on mental health, one story at a time.

Confidence is often seen as something you either have or don't. But what if that's not true at all?

Simone Knego has spent years helping women unpack the stories that keep them stuck in self-doubt, overthinking, and the constant pressure to be "more." In this conversation, she shares how confidence isn't built through perfection, achievement, or external validation — it's built by learning to trust yourself exactly as you are.

Chuck and Simone dive into the hidden patterns that quietly shape how we see ourselves, why so many high-achieving women still feel "not enough," and what it actually takes to shift from uncertainty to a grounded, unshakeable sense of self. Through personal stories, practical insight, and honest reflection, this episode offers a refreshing and accessible path to confidence that feels real, sustainable, and deeply personal.

Guest Bio

Simone Knego is an international speaker, award-winning author, and empowerment coach dedicated to helping women rewrite the stories they tell themselves and build lasting confidence from within. She is the bestselling author of The Extraordinary UnOrdinary You and the creator of the REAL Method™, a framework designed to help ambitious women overcome self-doubt, reconnect with their worth, and lead with clarity and courage.

Her newest book, REAL Confidence: A Simple Guide to Go from Unsure to Unshakeable (2026), expands on this work by offering a practical and heartfelt roadmap to building confidence without striving for perfection. A two-time TEDx speaker, Simone's work has been featured on major media outlets including ABC, NBC, CBS, Entrepreneur Magazine, and Yahoo News. She is also the co-host of the globally ranked podcast Her Unshakeable Confidence, which she hosts alongside her daughter.

You'll hear About

• Why confidence isn't something you're born with or without

• The hidden stories that shape how you see yourself

• How high-achievers can still feel stuck in self-doubt

• What it means to build confidence from the inside out

• Simple, practical shifts to move from unsure to unshakeable

Chapters

00:00 Welcome and Episode Introduction

02:15 Simone's Journey and Defining Confidence

05:45 The Myth of Confidence and Where It Really Comes From

10:30 The Stories We Tell Ourselves

15:20 Why High-Achieving Women Still Feel "Not Enough"

20:10 Letting Go of Perfection and External Validation

25:00 The REAL Method™ Explained

30:40 Rebuilding Trust in Yourself

35:20 Confidence in Everyday Life and Leadership

40:15 Navigating Doubt, Fear, and Comparison

44:30 Practical Steps to Build Unshakeable Confidence

48:00 Final Reflections and Takeaways

This week, notice the story you're telling yourself in moments of doubt. Instead of immediately believing it, pause and ask, "Is this actually true, or is this just a pattern I've learned?" Choose one small moment to respond differently and see what shifts.

Connect with Simone Knego

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SpeakerSimoneKnego

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simoneknego/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simoneknego

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@her_unshakeable_confidence

Connect with Chuck
Check out the website: https://www.thecompassionateconnection.com/
Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chuck-thuss-a9aa044/

Follow on Instagram: @warriorsunmasked

Join the Warriors Unmasked community by subscribing to the show. Together, we're breaking stigmas and shining a light on mental health, one story at a time.