About Mark Graham
Certified Holistic Wellness Life Coach
My Journey to Wellness
On a cold winter afternoon in 2002, I found myself alone in my car, overwhelmed with tears. At 33, I was drowning in addiction, facing another relationship collapse, and on the verge of losing my job. Guilt, shame, fear, loneliness, and anger consumed my daily existence. The life I had envisioned seemed impossible to reach.
In that moment of absolute despair, I made a choice that went against everything I'd been taught... I surrendered. That decision saved my life and opened the door to possibilities I never imagined.
My transformation was profound. I stopped poisoning my body and began caring for it, rediscovering the athlete within me. Less than a year later, I completed my first marathon. Through mindfulness meditation and developing a growth mindset, I found relief from the negative thoughts and beliefs that had trapped me for years.
I surrounded myself with men on similar spiritual journeys, men whose values aligned with mine and who supported my purpose. Witnessing their incredible transformations, while navigating my own struggles, taught me humility and gratitude for both my life and life itself.
Through this journey. I discovered that countless men suffered in silence across all areas of their lives. Having a privilege to help men overcome the barriers standing between them and their authentic potential the life they were truly meant to live is the acid of holistic llama coaching. Today I am committed to guide others through their own transformation, just as I was guided through mine.
Credentials
Certified Wellness Coach – National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM)
Certified Personal Trainer – NASM
Life Coach Certification – Life Purpose Institute, ICF Approved
Certified Nutrition Coach – NASM
Core Values Coaching Certification – Core Values Recovery, ICF CCE Accredited
But none of those matter if I can’t meet you where you’re at,
without judgment, without shame, and without expecting you to fake your way into some idealized version of manhood.
When you work with me, you’re not just getting a mindset coach, recovery coach, a spiritual guide, or a personal trainer. You’re getting someone who understands how they all connect because lasting change doesn’t come from fixing one area of life while ignoring the others. My job is to help you rebuild from the inside out: mind, body, and spirit working together.
What I Do as Your Recovery Coach
Real-Life Support
I’m not a therapist. My role is hands-on helping you build routines, face challenges, and develop coping strategies so triggers don’t control your life.
Lived Experience
I’ve been where you are. That gives me a unique perspective to walk alongside you with empathy, honesty, and zero judgment.
Practical Skills
Recovery isn’t just about staying sober, it’s about rebuilding life. I can help with housing, work, healthcare, relationships, and even going with you to appointments or court dates.
Accountability & Motivation
I’ll check in, track progress, and help you stay on course. When setbacks happen, we deal with them together with compassion, not shame.
Bridge to Resources
I’ll connect you to support groups, treatment programs, and community resources. I also collaborate with therapists, doctors, and case managers so you’re supported from every angle.
Bottom line: Recovery coaching is less formal than therapy, but more personal. My job is to make sure you never walk this road alone.
What I Do as Your Spiritual Coach
Clarity & Connection
Spirituality doesn’t have to be abstract. I help you find grounding practices that give you a sense of meaning, purpose, and peace.
Cutting Through Noise
I’m not here to hand you a belief system. I’m here to help you explore your own values and build spiritual habits that actually support your daily life.
Practical Spirituality
Whether it’s meditation, journaling, or simply learning to be present, I’ll guide you toward tools that make you feel more connected, not more confused.
Strength in Spirit
We work on aligning your inner life with the way you show up in the world, so you’re living with integrity, resilience, and direction.
Bottom line: Spiritual coaching is about finding meaning that feels real to you and learning to carry it into every part of your life.
What I Do as Your Personal Trainer
Beyond the Gym
Fitness isn’t just about looking good, it’s about building strength, energy, and confidence that spill into every area of your life.
Customized Training
We’ll build a plan around where you are right now, your body, your lifestyle, and your goals. No cookie-cutter workouts, no gimmicks.
Mind-Body Connection
Your body and mind are linked. Training with me means building not just muscles, but mental toughness and discipline that carry over into recovery and daily life.
Lasting Results
Crash programs don’t work. Together, we’ll focus on sustainable fitness and healthy routines you can actually maintain.
Bottom line: Personal training with me isn’t about punishment, it’s about building a body and mindset that make you proud of the man you’re becoming.
“What is spirituality… really?”
It's time men define it for themselves.
Take this 10 question survey and be part of the conversation that's long overdue.
What I Believe:
Sobriety is strength, not sacrifice.
Purpose isn’t found. It’s created in alignment to your values.
Discipline starts when shame, guilt, and regret stop.
Fitness isn’t just for strength and muscles.
It’s building healthy relationship with your body that lasts a lifetime.
I don’t coach from a pedestal. I coach from the trenches. With a blend of certified science, spiritual grit, and the kind of emotional clarity most men never get taught how to wield .
Whether you’re trying to get sober, get strong, or just get your life back on track… I’ve got your back.
This isn’t about becoming someone new.
It’s about remembering the man you were always meant to be.
Let’s rebuild him.
Address
1040 W Adams St Unit 361 Chicago, Illinois 60607, Chicago Illinois 60607
(773) 802-1002
© 2025 Authential Wellness. All rights reserved.