We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Mark Tuggle a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Mark, thanks for joining us today. What were some of the most unexpected problems you’ve faced in your career and how did you resolve those issues?

My computer crashed two years after I started writing my book.

I lost everything. Everything. I was depressed, despondent, devastated and disgusted for several months. I had zero positive energy flowing through my body. I became isolated, unhappy and withdrawn. I struggled with suicide ideation. I was unable to focus on my vision. I questioned my sanity. I wondered if God had, yet, another plan for my semi-charmed life. My improbable journey of becoming a first-time, independent, self-published author – 61 years old – seemed doomed to fail.

Why is this happening? Who can help me? What are my options? I was flooded with conflicting thoughts, feelings, judgments, opinions, etc. I saw no way out. My dream of becoming a published author who can serve humanity felt empty, shallow and untenable. Sadly, it appeared this would be just another disappointment in my life. My family and friends would never understand my emotional compass. Why should I tell anyone how I felt?

Then (and I don’t remember who) someone recommended I pray. They suggested I hold space for a heart-to-heart with God. Let Him guide you safely through your current manifestation. They assured me “God will never take you this far and let you fall.” Prayer became my saving grace. Everyday, first thing in the morning, I bared my wounded soul to a loving God. Slowly over a period of time I began to feel comfort, hope and relief.

I bought a new computer. I created a new outline. I decided to forgive myself. I exercised indoors and outdoors. I listened to inspiring music. I telephoned some creative people. I was back in the land of the living; determined to finish what I started, come hell or high water. Eventually, I hired a couple of artists to help bring this project to fruition. On March 7, 2023, I became a self-published author.

Everywhere God is I am. Everywhere I am God is.

Mark, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I’m a 64 year-old man with lived experience. I was clinically diagnosed with generalized anxiety and moderate depression over 29 years ago. I declined medication for mental illness, but over an intense ten-year on and off period, therapy helped me heal my heart.

Professionally, I’ve worked in the human services industry for over a decade. My spirit was unfulfilled and I took a break – and a risk, at 59 years old – to become a published author. My book is titled, Cultural Silence and Wounded Souls: Black Men Speak about Mental Health. This intergenerational anthology features heartfelt stories and valuable resources intended to benefit men from diverse backgrounds.

Historically, Black men who experience mental health challenges are, by default, conditioned, programmed and socialized to cope with their beliefs, feelings and issues alone. The resources in my book can answer three important questions: 1) What can I do? 2) Where can I go? and 3) Who can I talk to? We provide men with advocates, books, clinicians, educators, facilities, helplines, and podcasts to assist them with their emotional, mental and social well-being.

I feel tremendous pride in knowing I can be of service in my community, I have a Latino male teenager in my building who told me the content in the book is helping him deal with his recent diagnosis of ADHD (his mother thanks me often). I was deeply moved by his affirmation. People from different walks of life said the book helps them better understand their fathers, husbands, brothers, sons, uncles, nephews and cousins.

The 30 heartfelt stories are written by men of African descent who share their life journeys with honesty, transparency and vulnerability. Many readers say they can identify emotionally and feel less afraid, less alone and less ashamed to seek professional help, if necessary, to deal with unresolved trauma, regardless of age, education, faith, income or sexuality.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

If our collective wisdom can help prevent one Black male from dying by suicide, our pain will not be in vain!

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I had to unlearn the generational trauma of keeping secrets keeps me safe. Being in therapy helped me realize disturbing emotional patterns which kept me prisoner of my own mind and condemned by my own guilt. I had to unlearn how family and secrets are a dangerous combination: if you tell a secret, it can break your family; if you keep a secret, it can break your spirit.

How free do I want to be?

My personal essay in the book revealed some painful issues yet I finally laid those burdens down to embrace my creative autonomy, emotional intelligence and spiritual development.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.culturalsilencewoundedsouls.com
• Instagram: markjudgetuggle
• Facebook: Mark J. Tuggle
• Linkedin: Mark Tuggle
• Twitter: @MarkTuggle4