Empowered AF

If trauma strikes, how will you react? Fall apart or pick up the pieces? Trauma affects everyone, but your response to it makes ALL the difference. Welcome to Empowered AF, a podcast that helps guide men through divorce and rediscover their power. In this episode, host Mark Santiago emphasizes the importance of having a vision, one exercise to help you endure the pain more productively, and how to find and embrace your new self that your children will admire...

We all wish affairs were only nightmares, but they’re unfortunately all too real. So, if that nightmare becomes real for you, how do you transform that pain into a positive? In this new episode of Empowered AF, Mark makes the case for how emotional cheating is an underestimated beast, the feelings that can trap you in a cycle of self-sabotage, and THIS mindset shift that will decide if you emerge empowered or destroyed...

Manipulation usually operates on the subconscious, meaning that most people aren’t actively trying to control others. However, that doesn’t mean that it isn’t powerful, and when you pair that with something as emotionally charged as a damaged marriage, people can easily feel exploited. In this new episode, Mark helps us better understand manipulation by summarizing it in a super digestible way, as well as showing us small tweaks that will help you enforce your boundaries...

Setting a boundary is about more than “Me Time”. When you set a boundary, you’re telling yourself and the world that your happiness is valuable. Whether you’re single or married, this principle is crucial to embracing your manhood. In this new episode, Mark discusses the key steps to establishing healthy boundaries, no matter where you are in life...

If you think the simple “I’m sorry, I messed up” is enough for an apology, you need to listen to this episode. Spoiler alert: It’s not. In this new episode of Empowered AF, Mark lays out the fundamentals of owning your mistakes and becoming a truly Empowered Man. He covers the nature of trust, the power of empathy, and the beauty of fostering a space where you and your partner can be fully vulnerable...

People vent because they want to release pressure and feel understood by others. This sounds innocent on the surface, but what if it’s actually harmful in the long run? If someone feels the tension of a problem, venting is the easy way to feel better, but it doesn’t resolve the issue...

The goal of counseling is NOT to save your marriage. I repeat, saving your marriage is not the goal. The goal is for you to find your manhood and fight for it, no matter what she decides to do. Too many men are willing to sacrifice their identity to keep the marriage afloat, whether for the wife, the kids, or their pride...

Let’s be honest: The truth is scary! Looking at your TRUE self, every good and bad part, is uncomfortable as hell, so most guys don’t do it. Here’s the rub: That’s one of THE reasons a marriage falls apart. In this new episode, Mark shows us how miscommunication in marriage begins with miscommunication with yourself...

When your emotions are set to 11, word vomit comes naturally. But that’s exactly what it is—vomit. If your thoughts are unclear, your words will be too. With no clear direction, you cannot hope to save your marriage or yourself. On this new episode, Mark lays down the foundations of brevity, showing us the power of shutting up and choosing your words carefully...

Let’s get real for a second: This work sucks sometimes. Spreading yourself wide open emotionally is painful and terrifying, but guess what? It’s necessary to heal. You know what else? You deserve to heal. In this new episode, Mark lays out why you need to greet struggle with open arms to beat your trauma, the support systems that will help you show up consistently, and why being vulnerable with others is the secret to empowerment...